Atlas called my name at the top of his voice, more like he thundered my name, loud enough to bring down the walls of the cafeteria. He walked towards me his eyes never leaving mine and for a split second, the memory of every kiss, fight, every betrayal came washing down over me like rainfall.“Tamine,” Atlas said again, his voice even colder this time, like he was daring me to ignore him.“She’s busy,” Evans responded , his voice steady, his arm tightening around my waist against my will. The warmth of his touch seared through my shirt, a silent declaration like he owned me and that made the air in the cafeteria stiff.“Atlas’s glare slid to his brother’s hand on me. The muscle in his cheek twitched. “Take your arm off her.” when Evans did not respond, Atlas’s jaw ticked and he sneered. “I wasn’t asking you.”By now, the cafeteria had gone completely silent, every pair of eyes glued to us. Different cutleries clinked against plates, hushed whispers everywhere like static. This wasn’t
And just like that, the hallway scene dissolved. People drifted off, disappointed the drama had ended. Charlotte’s glare could’ve melted glass, but she didn’t say another word.“Hello there, tutor, we meet again,” He grinned at me. “I assume you're not too busy now.”I seethed inwardly. “I never asked for your help.”Evans didn’t seem to care about my tone. In fact, his grin widened, like my irritation was a personal challenge.“Sure you didn’t,” he said, steering me toward the cafeteria as if my feet had suddenly forgotten how to walk in any other direction. “But the Lit teacher says you’re the best, and lucky me, I need the best.”“Cut the crap, you don't even take Literature,” I pushed his hand away from me. “What are you playing at?”His expression immediately shifted to an innocent one. “Is there anything wrong with wanting to keep my teacher safe? Besides, I like Literature now.” Then he draped his hands over me again. “You should stick with me for now. You never know what they
“You there, get over there,” she ordered. I could feel my annoyance building up. Every time I encountered girls like her, it made me super mad because they reminded me how much of a chronic cheat Atlas was and how foolish I was to waste a whole year of my life on him.I took a step forward.“A little birdie told me that you've been eyeing my boyfriend,” Charlotte crossed her arms. “Care to explain?”No, I don't. There's nothing to explain.My eyes shifted to Emilia who was hiding behind the girls. So she spilled my secret and couldn't even bear to look me in the eye. Other bestfriends fight for their girls but her, she stabs me in the back and even spreads the news.I wondered if Charlotte knew that she was sleeping with Atlas too. Probably not, because that cute little face of hers would have been rebranded.“I have nothing to explain,” I told Charlotte.Charlotte’s glossy pink lips curved into a smirk that made my skin crawl. “Oh, you have something to explain, sweetheart. Because I
He didn’t even glance at the teacher, his eyes went straight to me, and the corner of his mouth lifted. That half-smirk I’d seen exactly once before, in the dark, when I hadn’t known who he was.I could practically hear the whispers passing between desks. Evans Thorpe in our class? The same Evans who didn’t take this subject, who made a career out of skipping lectures?“Mr. Thorpe,” Mrs. Carter said, “Find an empty seat and try to act like you’re here to learn.”He pushed off the doorframe and strolled in like he owned the place, slow enough for his figure to brush mine as he took the empty seat behind me. My heart skipped a beat. God, he still had that sweet intoxicating scent of jasmines that made me feel lightheaded.My eyes widened in panic as heat crept up my cheeks.No. Absolutely not! This couldn't be happening. He didn’t even take Literature. I knew because I’d memorized every class to avoid both him and Atlas. So what was this sudden switch in the middle of the term?Mrs. Car
And I was right. Those familiar blue eyes locked with mine way before I even approached the table. His lips pulled in a smirk as I approached them.“Well look who we have here,” He drawled, leaning back on the seat with a cocky smile. “Never thought I'd see the day you'd serve me, Jordan.”My fingers dug into the basket handle until my knuckles turned white. Ten pairs of eyes pinned me in place, stripping me bare without a single touch.It made me wonder if I should have just bought the beer and headed back home.“You know her?” one of his team members asked.“Not really. Just one broke ass I tend to run into quite often,” Atlas snickered and my eyes flickered to him.I could feel the rage coursing through my veins as he uttered the words. My heart clenched so hard that I had to shut my eyes and will myself to stay calm because I was practically shaking with anger.Their laughter cracked against me like a whip, each sound burning hotter than the last. Atlas has always been ashamed of
Tamine's POVRule number one for surviving Blackridge Academy: Avoid the Thorpe brothers at all costs.That included avoiding certain hallways and making sure your class schedule didn't clash with theirs. Coming to school five minutes to the first period and of course, eating lunch in one of the empty classrooms or the school field even.You might wonder, why put all these efforts into avoiding just two people. Are they really that bad?The Thorpe brothers are what I would call my nemesis. All it took was one night of heartbreak and misguided priorities to fall into their trap and since then, life has been hell for me.Imagine getting your heart broken and fucking a stranger impulsively just to feel better, only to find out the next day that he is actually your ex's brother.Yeah, that was pretty much my life now.“Get your ass down here this minute, Tamine!” My mother screamed from downstairs. I swallowed thickly, pushing aside my homework.I dragged my feet down the mini stairs, the