LOGINMy hands were shaky as I opened my car door, I honestly never wanted to come here again, put them just doing this for Cole, so honestly if he lied to me and these people keep bullying me, I'm just going to go home I never come back again.
I got out of the car and then walked to the hallway carefully.
No one seemed to notice me because there was a fight between two girls and everyone was involved in betting on who was going to win.
My friend Ethan came and stood behind me.
"What's the fight all about?", I asked.
"They found out they've been sleeping with Andre for months now and they didn't know he was playing them both but they're so stupid to fight for him, I can't believe how dumb these girls are".
"I want to strongly believe these guys are using voodoo on them", I said as we ignored them and walked to our class .
"Honestly, I mean Andre is not even that hot to be fighting for, I'd rather do that with Cole".
I dragged him into our class.
"You have no idea what happened to me yesterday", I said.
"What? the paint drop stuff? I heard about it, I heard Cole saved you".
"Yeah but not that, Cole came to my house yesterday and was asking for my help to tutor him".
"Cole?", he asked shocked.
"I swear I'm more shocked than you are honestly, like, he hasn't even looked at me in years and be all of the sudden needs my help ".
"He wants to use you, just like Jamal don't fall for it", Ethan said.
"Yeah I know, but then he said he was gonna make the bullying stop, I'm as shocked as you are, and honestly I was gonna transfer to another school until he gave me that option ", I said.
"You were gonna leave and not tell me?".
"Naa man it's not like that, I just honestly didn't know what to do and all, I was still gonna tell you, besides we'd still be seeing each other on weekends, can't afford to miss playing video games with you", I said.
He nodded , "I get why you'd wanna leave, your life hasn't been normal since Jamal called you out ", he said.
"Cole said he'd make the bullies go away, if he can keep to that I think I can consider ", I said.
"Well let's see how today goes", I said hoping for the best.
"Oh yeah plus my Dad's home, for a week", I said.
"Seriously? I'm gonna come around yours this weekend for video games, also to see him, he's really cool man", he said.
"Alright man ".
The rest of the day went normal, or maybe it was because I chose to stay in my class and not go anywhere.
During Lunch I decided to get out and on my way I bumped into Jamal, he was carrying 4 bags and I already knew who they belonged to.
One thing I'm happy about though is that the betrayal cost him his best friend and earned him nothing.
He became their public servant and they don't even let him sit on their table or even walk around them.
I smirked when I saw him, "Need a little help with that?", I asked Mockingly and Ethan laughed.
He rolled his eyes and tried walking pass me
"What? don't you want to brag to me about how fun your new friends are?", I asked stopping him.
"Get away from me Nate", he said physically struggling to move.
"just look at what you did to yourself? made a complete fool of yourself, lost the only person in the world who actually gave a fuck about you and now, you're a bag carrier, I hope they at least feed you well ", Ethan said.
"I hope so, but you can always have my sandwich ", I said and Jamal hissed.
"At least I don't have to be worried about getting raped by you when I'm asleep ", he said.
That didn't hurt at all, he sounded so dumb trying to word me.
"You're not even attractive, the gayest man alive wouldn't want to touch you ", Ethan said and Jamal hissed and ran away.
We both laughed at him and mocked him till we got to the cafeteria.
"Thanks for having my back there, I don't get that a lot ", I said.
"I'm here for you buddy, as long as you help me move from a B to an A in chemistry ", he said and then we started eating.
Then the Big four walked in, and my heart started pounding.
Usually Andre just comes and trash our table and go away.
Kendal got to our table and my heart started pounding harder.
He just grabbed an apple from it and walked away.
My heart went back to normal, I sighed relieved.
I looked up at Cole and he gave me that look of ,"I've got you", and then looked away as they went back to their seat with Jamal following them carrying their bags.
"I guess Cole kept his promise", Ethan said.
"Yeah now I have to get two apples anytime I come to school", I said.
"Two apples are better than getting beaten up or painted", he said.
"Can't lie, it is", I said smiling, my heart started getting warm.
Cole actually kept his promise.
"I guess I have to tutor him everyday", I said.
"I thought you had a crush on him?", he asked lowering his voice.
"Exactly the problem, Damn".
"Don't get an erection while teaching him reproduction", he teased and I had to hold my mouth to stop me from laughing.
I stuck my finger at him.
The rest of the day went perfectly normal, it's been so long I last experienced this type of normal, so long.
An hour after I had gotten home and settled down , there was someone on the doorbell.
I opened the door and it was Cole.
"Hey, ready for to tutor me?"
The rain came before the morning did.Soft, rhythmic, like the sky was trying to hush the world. It should’ve been peaceful — the kindof morning that made you want to stay under the sheets, pretend nothing outside existed. But peacewasn’t something I could afford anymore.Cole’s arm was around my waist, heavy and protective, like even in his sleep he was daring theuniverse to come close. His breath brushed my neck, slow and even, and for a minute, I just stayedthere — still, watching the faint light slip through the curtains and fall across his face.He looked different when he slept. Softer. Like the walls he built just… didn’t exist for a while.And damn, it was dangerous — how much I liked that version of him.He stirred, his nose brushing my shoulder. “You’re staring,” he muttered, voice still rough withsleep.I smiled. “You’re imagining things.”“Uh-huh.” His lips curved. “You always do that when you think I’m asleep.”“Do what?”“Look at me like I’m gonna disappear.”My che
By Wednesday, the school felt like a stage and we were the unwilling headliners.Every hallway we walked through came with a soundtrack of whispers, half-hidden phones, andthat fake laugh people use when they want you to know they’re talking about you.I was trying to play it cool — keep my head up, keep my steps even — but my stomach keptdoing this nervous rollercoaster flip thing.Cole?He walked like nothing bothered him.Hands in his hoodie pocket. Earbuds in. Calm as ever.It made me crazy — in the good way and the what-the-hell-how-do-you-do-that way.“You’re staring,” he said, glancing at me as we walked.I blinked. “I’m not.”He smirked. “You totally are.”“Shut up.”He chuckled. “You love me though.”And I hated how easily my heart stuttered when he said that — so casually, like it was nothing.Like it wasn’t everything.We reached my locker, and for once, no one said anything. Maybe the novelty was wearing off. Ormaybe Ariana had moved on to her next round of chaos.I sho
If I said things calmed down after that note, I’d be lying through my teeth.They didn’t calm down.They just changed shape.People stopped whispering when I walked by — now they stared. Like I was a headline theycouldn’t stop reading.The weirdest part? I didn’t even flinch anymore.Okay, maybe a little.But mostly, I just learned to breathe through it.Cole, though?He was a walking storm.He didn’t yell or throw punches. He didn’t have to. His silence did the heavy lifting.And when Cole’s quiet, that’s when people should start praying.By Friday, the whole school was on edge.Even teachers gave us that look — like they could sense something building. Something that wasgoing to snap.We were halfway out of the school gates when Cole said, “I need to see Ariana.”I froze. “What?”“She started this mess,” he said, shoving his hands in his hoodie pocket. “She can end it.”I snorted. “She won’t. She doesn’t do mercy, Cole. She thrives on chaos.”His jaw flexed. “Then I’ll give her a
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVEI used to think falling for someone would be a clean thing. Like a perfect movie moment whereeverything clicked, and suddenly the world made sense.Yeah. That’s not how it happens.Falling for Cole was messy. Complicated. Loud.And right now? It was dangerous.Monday blurred into Tuesday, and the noise around us didn’t fade — it sharpened. The whispersweren’t just whispers anymore. They had edges. Names. Questions. Accusations.By the time I made it to my locker, it felt like the whole school was humming with rumors.“Did you hear—”“—they were at his house—”“—not even trying to hide it anymore—”Every sentence had our names tucked somewhere inside.When I opened my locker, a folded piece of paper slid out. My heart stumbled as I unfolded it.Four words.STAY AWAY FROM HIM.I stared at the paper a second too long, like it might rearrange itself into something less predictable.It didn’t.“Nate,” a voice said behind me.I crumpled the note and shoved it in my poc
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOURSunday nights used to feel quiet. Like the world was taking a breath before the chaos of Monday.But not anymore. Now Sunday nights felt like the calm right before a storm I couldn’t quite seecoming.I lay flat on my bed, staring at the ceiling like it had answers I couldn’t find. My room was quietexcept for the low hum of the ceiling fan and my heartbeat. Too loud. Too fast.My phone lit up beside me.Cole.Cole: You still up?Me: Yeah. Why wouldn’t I be?Cole: Because it’s 1 a.m., smartass.Me: Can’t sleep.Cole: Same.I stared at the screen, fingers hovering.He typed again before I could.Cole: Want me to come over?My chest tightened. It wasn’t even about him being here — it was about him asking.Me: You’re insane.Cole: Insanely charming, yeah I know.Me: No, just insane.Cole: I’m already outside.I sat up so fast the mattress groaned.“Idiot,” I muttered under my breath, pulling a hoodie over my T-shirt.When I cracked my window open, the cool night air h
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREEThe rumor thing? Yeah, it didn’t die over the weekend. It mutated. Like some weird gossip zombiethat just wouldn’t stay in the ground.By Tuesday morning, it was everywhere. I didn’t even make it to my locker before I heard my namewhispered at least five times. And not in a cute “wow, Nate’s so cool” way. More like “oh myGod, did you hear—”I yanked my hoodie tighter around me like it could block out their voices. Spoiler: it didn’t.The hallway smelled like coffee and cheap cologne. The fluorescent lights buzzed like they werejudging me too.I caught a group of juniors by the drinking fountain. One girl leaned in close, whispering with wideeyes like she’d discovered some national secret. Another giggled. The third just stared at me like Iwas a zoo exhibit.Cute. Real cute.I tried to keep walking, head down, pretending I didn’t exist. But my ears? Yeah, they betrayed me.“—they were totally holding hands—”“I swear, Ariana said she saw them at the edge of t







