LOGIN_Harper’s POV cont.I held on tightly to Jace, not letting go for a second, and listened as he taught me how to stand properly on the ice.He held both my hands and slowly guided me forward."Just bend your knees slightly."I did."Good.""Everything about this feels wrong."He laughed.I lifted one foot carefully and then another until I was able to walk a few steps.I blinked."I did it."Jace smiled proudly."See?"I looked at him."I am actually doing it."I smiled, relaxing a bit while he continued guiding me.Each step soon became easier and I began to relax.Maybe I could actually do this.I smiled, but then noticed there was something wrong.I turned to my left and noticed that Jace was no longer beside me.He was standing a few feet behind with a grin.My eyes widened."Jace…"My skate slipped.I gasped and threw my arms out.Before I could hit the ice, his arms wrapped around my waist from behind.He caught me.My back pressed against his chest as he steadied me.I stared a
_Harper’s POVJace pulled his hand away and sat down again."I thought we were heading home, but she just drove me somewhere and told me to get out."My heart dropped."What?"He nodded slowly."She left me on the side of the road."I exhaled, not believing my ears."I thought she was coming back and waited," he continued."I waited for hours until it got dark."I moved closer immediately and sat next to him.His eyes had become glassy."Then it got dark."I reached across the table and placed my hand over his."I didn't know where I was. I didn't know how to get home. I just kept thinking she would come back for me."A tear escaped from the corner of his eye.He quickly wiped it away."She didn't."I squeezed his hand."Someone eventually found me, but by then I'd been out there for three days."I felt tears gathering in my own eyes."Three days?"He nodded."They took me to an orphanage and I stayed there for two and a half years."I didn't know what to say.There was nothing I cou
_Harper's POVI hurried downstairs, already dressed and with my hair and makeup done, and came to a stop when I saw Mom in the living room.She looked up from her phone and immediately narrowed her eyes at me."Where are you going dressed like that?"I immediately gave a smile."Quinn suddenly called me," I answered quickly."She said she's getting her teeth removed today and wants me there with her. I don't think I'll be able to stay for breakfast."Mom stared at me suspiciously.She slowly stood up and walked closer, her eyes moving from my face down to my clothes."Did you get dressed up like this and even put on makeup just to go meet Quinn?"I let out an awkward laugh."You know Quinn. She cares way too much about fashion. She would probably complain if I showed up looking shabby."Mom's eyes remained narrowed.She clearly didn't believe a word I was saying."You better not be meeting that Marla's son."I laughed again, this time even more awkwardly."Mom, come on. Jace is away
_Harper's POV"There is no one, Mom," I replied, thinking up a good explanation quickly."It must be the noise coming from the movie on my phone."I turned back immediately to Jace, gesturing at him to leave first, but he wouldn't budge."You are arguing with a movie?" Mom's voice came again, perplexed.Another knock came afterwards, even louder."Why don't you open the door first?" She insisted.I grabbed my hair, confused, and immediately grabbed Jace's hand and pushed him towards the closet, but it wasn't big enough.What do I do?I muttered like a robot, and then Jace nodded towards the bed.Right."Get under the bed," I said, pushing him down there, not listening to his protests.I pulled out my bedspread to cover the sides of the bed just in case before rushing to the door and unlocking it."Sorry, I was putting some clothes on."Mom frowned as she stepped inside my room.She scanned the whole place quickly with her eyes and walked towards the closet first.I sighed in relief t
_Harper's POV I bit my lower lip gently, but didn’t regret anything I said.If wasn’t as if she didn’t have the good grades and certificate to pursue a good career for herself; she simply chose to rely on men and relationships to get by.“You think I depend on men?” she asked in a low, small voice.“Mom, I didn’t mean it that way. I just think that it’s kind of not cool that you don’t work despite having a college degree,” I explained slowly so she doesn’t misunderstand.“I’m only trying to protect you. Protect us,” she replied, raising her voice a little.“What do we need protection from? We are doing fine on our own,” I said, my tone higher than hers.She raised her hand, in a way she does when she isn’t ready to discuss something anymore, and walked back into the house....I lay down on my bed after skipping dinner and stared at nothing in particular with the bag of cookies I took from the kitchen resting on my stomach.My final year in high school is definitely not turning out
_ Quinn’s POV cont.The four of us stepped outside the hall soon enough, with Charles and Mom taking the lead.I heaved, rubbing both of my shoulders, and removed my hair tie to do it again properly.Charles called Austin over, and they moved a short distance away to talk.Mom turned towards me, keeping the certificate in her purse."I'm sorry about how quickly everything happened," she said with a sigh."I know I should have spoken to you first and asked for your blessing before deciding to get married immediately."I shook my head."It's okay.""No, it's not."She squeezed my hands."When I found out I was pregnant this afternoon, I wanted to talk to you first. But you weren't picking up your phone, so I called Charles."She smiled faintly."He suggested we get married immediately and said that if we were going to have a child together, we should give the baby a home."I nodded slowly.That actually made sense."I understand."I looked into her eyes."And I'm genuinely happy for yo
_ Harper's POV "This looks amazing, Mr. Carter," I said quietly. "Thomas," he corrected, smiling. "We are family now." Jace snorted. I gripped my fork. Don't cuss him. Harvard. Harvard. "So," Thomas said, passing me the potatoes. "Maria tells me you are top of your class. Valedictorian track
_Harper’s POVMarla opened the door for me at a quarter past twelve and let me in.“I spoke with Jace after you left, and I assure you that you won’t have anything to worry about,” she said as she led me to the room I will be staying in.My room was next to Jace’s. I knew it the second Marla opene
_ Harper’s POV “Yes,” she answered, then sighed. “You can stay there until graduation.” A loud whistle blew in my head, and I could see nine ladies dancing around the room. “What? Really?” “Yes,” she nodded with a smile and sat next to me. “I have an old college friend who stays around
_Harper’s POVStepdad number three lasted for thirty months. That’s a new record.Usually, all the men my mom has been with barely last twenty-four months except my dad.I stood at the edge of the city cemetery, rain soaking through my black dress as I watched them lower James into the ground.My







