Arc’s POV:I don’t stop driving fast until I’m out of view. Past the edge of her house. Past the lamplight. Into the shadows where I belong. Only then do I let out the breath I didn’t know I was holding.What the hell did I just do? I ran my fangs into her neck. Her neck. Aurora. It's not because I lost control. No… I chose to do it. I asked.She said yes.But still. I tasted her. And now I’m ruined.The taste of her still lingers on my tongue, like warmth and sun and something ancient. Something mine. It was nothing like the sterile animal blood I’ve numbed myself with all these years. Her blood felt like a jolt to my deadened veins. Like being alive again.That should’ve scared me. It should’ve made me run far, far away.Instead, all I can think about is how close her body was to mine… how soft her skin felt under my mouth. How her breath hitched the second my fangs pierced her.She trusted me. And I almost didn’t want to stop. I stop walking and lean against a tree, pre
AURORA'S POV: I open the door of the house slowly, trying to be as silent as I can so as to not bring attention to myself. The living room lights are turned off when I step inside. Heaving a sigh of relief, I tiptoe up the stairs. I turn the knob of my room door gently and lock it behind me. "Welcome home." A familiar voice booms from behind me. I flinch and almost hit my head against the door. Spinning around with immediate effect, my hands find the light switch and turn it off. Standing at my window sill is Jon. I almost jump into my skin with how scary he looks. "Why are you in my room?" I look at him pointedly. He shrugs and walks towards. With every step forward, I remember the fact that I probably have fang marks sitting pretty on my neck. I tighten the scarf around my neck, trying to be subtle with it but his eyes trail my movements. Shit. He is only one step away from me now. His height towers over my figure so I have to raise up my head to look at
AURORA'S POV: I open the door of the house slowly, trying to be as silent as I can so as to not bring attention to myself. The living room lights are turned off when I step inside. Heaving a sigh of relief, I tiptoe up the stairs. I turn the knob of my room door gently and lock it behind me. "Welcome home." A familiar voice booms from behind me. I flinch and almost hit my head against the door. Spinning around with immediate effect, my hands find the light switch and turn it off. Standing at my window sill is Jon. I almost jump into my skin with how scary he looks. "Why are you in my room?" I look at him pointedly. He shrugs and walks towards. With every step forward, I remember the fact that I probably have fang marks sitting pretty on my neck. I tighten the scarf around my neck, trying to be subtle with it but his eyes trail my movements. Shit. He is only one step away from me now. His height towers over my figure so I have to raise up my head to look at
AURORA'S POV:It's barely dawn, and I haven’t slept a damn minute. It’s early, too early, but I’m wide awake, staring blankly at the ceiling like it holds the answers to all the chaos that is my life. The room is still dark, a soft grey light barely seeping through the window blinds. My heart hasn't stopped its uneasy thudding since last night. Since that kiss. Since I let myself drown in Jon, only to come to my senses and shove him out of my room like my skin was on fire. I've been staring at the ceiling throughout the whole night. I don't even know what to do anymore. My mind keeps drifting to the kiss Jon and I shared. Because it was. I press the back of my hand to my lips, remembering the way his mouth moved on mine...hungry, desperate, real. I had felt every emotion he poured into me like it was my own. And that is what scared me. Not the kiss. The way I felt during it.Jon’s hands gripping my waist, his lips claiming mine like he was drowning and I was his ai
AURORA’S POV: The scratch of pens, the low hum of the overhead projector, and the half-hearted drone of Mr. Haynes lecturing about cell division fill the classroom. I’m staring blankly at my notebook, pretending to take notes, but my thoughts are still tangled in the locker room incident and the strange, gold-eyed man who vanished like a ghost.I shouldn’t be thinking about it. But I am. "Seer," he’d whispered. The word echoes in my head like a bell tolling underwater. I don’t even know what it means. And worse, I haven’t told anyone. Not Jon. Not Arc. Especially not Arc.A crumpled note lands on my desk. I blink, glancing down. In messy, rushed handwriting, it says: You okay? You’ve been zoning out for ten minutes.- J I glance up. Jon is two rows ahead, angled just enough to watch me without making it obvious. Our eyes meet. He offers a small, concerned smile. Warm. Comforting. I smile back, but before I can write a reply, I hear the exaggerated clearin
Aurora’s POV: Darkness isn't empty. It hums. It breathes. It waits. That’s the last thing I remember before I come crashing back into consciousness. My eyes flutter open to harsh white lights above me, blurry and too bright. Everything feels... off. Like I’m underwater, and the surface is too far to reach. My tongue is thick in my mouth. My head pulses in a slow, agonizing rhythm. I blink, trying to bring the world into focus.Where the hell am I?A dull ache blossoms in my ankle, radiating up my leg, and that’s when it clicks; the game. The court. The spike. My fall.Jon’s voice, distant and panicked.Arc’s face, twisted, unreadable. "Hey, hey, Aurora?" A familiar voice cuts through the fog. I turn toward it too fast, and pain shoots through my skull. I groan. Cali leans over me, her brows knit tight in concern, her messy bun frizzed around the edges like she’s been tugging at it. There’s a bandage on her wrist, probably from catching me. "Thank God," she says with a
Aurora’s POV: There’s something about the air today. It’s too still, too expectant. Like the sky itself is waiting for something to go wrong.After the announcement, the entire school practically combusts with excitement. There are whispers in every hallway, speculation about the itinerary, what cities we’ll visit, and who’s rooming with who. It’s all anyone can talk about.I try to care. I try to smile, nod, laugh at Cali’s jokes, but something inside me is still trembling from the blackout. From the spike. From Arc.Jon, however, is practically glowing. "You don’t understand," he says as we sit beneath a tree in the courtyard, late afternoon sun draping over us like a soft blanket. "I haven’t seen my mum in two months. Two bloody months." His accent thickens when he talks about home, and it makes something soft ache in my chest. "You’re really from there?" I ask, chewing on the straw of my smoothie. "Not just here to trick us all with your mysterious exchange student vibe
AURORA'S POV: The bus is already in sight when Jon and I finally round the corner, out of breath, our shoes slapping against the pavement like war drums. The early morning air is cold, biting at our cheeks, but adrenaline keeps us warm.Believe me, I want my bed so bad. "We’re so late," I pant, clutching my duffel tighter. Jon chuckles, his hand brushing against mine for a second longer than necessary. "Not my fault you turned off your alarm in your sleep." "You literally sleep like the dead. I had to throw a pillow at your head!" We skid to a stop as we reach the cluster of students gathered near the bus. Mr. Granger, one of our chaperones, gives us a narrowed glare but doesn’t say anything. We made it...barely. But still. A win is a win. As we board the bus, Jon flashes me a crooked smile. "Well, we’re officially on our way to Australia." My stomach tightens. The idea of being away from everything familiar makes my nerves dance. I should be used to this
Aurora's pov: I didn't die of hunger. I'm very much alive thanks to the pancakes Jon made for us. I want to eat more but I have to pretend to be demure. We’re all sitting in silence now, bellies full and hearts still tangled in confusion. The movie playing on the TV is some random rom-com Arc picked probably to distract me. I've accepted that he can be sweet sometimes. Key word: sometimes. I’m nestled in the corner of the couch, legs tucked beneath me, nursing a cup of tea that’s gone lukewarm. Jon lounges on the floor, his back to the couch, close enough that I can feel his warmth. Arc is sprawled on the other side of the couch, arms crossed, pretending to watch the screen but really just stealing glances at me every few minutes. None of us are saying anything. The air still feels thick like the answers we need are hiding just behind the silence. Arc is the first to stir. He shifts forward, lips parting like he’s finally going to speak.But then, a voice come
AURORA’S POV: The moment the door locks behind us, her energy shifts again. Jon’s mother is no longer just stunned instead she’s unraveling. She steps closer, slow and unsure, like I’m a dream she’s afraid to touch. Her hand trembles as it rises to cover her mouth, eyes glistening as if holding back a tide of memories too heavy to bear. What have I done now?Tears spill. Just like that. No warning. No sound. Just soft, wet streaks that break something inside me. "Ma’am…?" I whisper again, more timid this time. Fear starts to grip my heart at her reactions to my existence in get living room. Jon steps forward, instinctively, like he’s about to put an arm around her, but she lifts a hand. "Wait,"she breathes out, voice shaking like a leaf in a storm. "Just… wait here. I'm coming. Just hold on!!"Then she turns and bolts.Up the stairs.The fuck just happened?!? Her footsteps echo across the walls until all that’s left is silence. Thick. Unbreathable. I blink af
AURORA'S POV: I finished taking my bath a while ago in my room and left Cali there. I wanted to ask her to come along but I remembered that not only is it not my place to invite her to someone else's home, something 'weird' might happen and I don't want her to be dragged into this whole situation. She was even talking about going to hang out with one of the guys she met on the plane yesterday. Apparently, they wanted to hook up. Typical Cali. I did remind her not to get pregnant because I wasn't ready to start baby sitting. Her godfather would also tear the guy to shreds... Anyways, I am now on my way to Jon's room. The room is quiet except for the faint sound of fingers on glass and Arc’s keyboard clicking steadily across the room. I step inside and pause, my eyes locking briefly on Arc. He's sitting on the edge of the bed, laptop perched on his knees, eyes scanning the screen with laser focus. His brows are slightly drawn, lips tight. He looks… intense. But
AURORA'S POV: Arc's eyes narrow immediately, jaw clenching as he gestures to the two of them on the bed. "What’s going on? Where are you taking her?" Jon stiffens. "Relax. I’m just taking her to my mum’s place. For a meal. That’s all." Arc’s eyes flick to Aurora, then back to Jon. "You think dragging her all over town after last night is a good idea?" "It is not 'all over town', it is my house. She will basically just be sitting down and eating a meal. Quit the dramatics." Oh shit. I need to stop this before things escalate. I quickly interject, stretching her arms and flashing a sheepish grin. "Okay, tension police. I’m craving apple pie, and I’m starving. Like… genuinely could eat a dragon." Arc crosses his arms. "She shouldn’t be moving around so much, especially not with you. I don’t trust you to take care of her."Jon's face darkens immediately. This keeps getting worse. Jon’s voice sharpens. "Excuse me? Just because you were able to help her just once
THIRD PERSON POV: Arc bursts into the bathroom, eyes darting to the crumpled figure on the floor- Aurora. His breath catches. For a second, everything stills.Then he starts moving. "Aurora," he calls sharply, his voice a gravelled mix of panic and urgency. He rushes to her side, scooping her into his arms with more gentleness than he thought himself capable of. Her skin is clammy, her lashes trembling slightly against her pale cheeks. She’s still breathing but faintly. Jon barrels into the room behind him. "What the hell happened?" "She fainted." Arc’s voice is tight. "I just came in and saw Cali banging on the door. She was having a panic attack. By the time I opened the door, she was already unconscious." Jon’s eyes narrow as he follows Arc out of the room. They head straight for Arc and Jon’s room down the hall. Jon throws the door open and Arc sets Aurora gently down on the first bed he sees. Together, they work in silence at first. Jon dampens a cloth
ARC’S POV: The second we step into the room, I already know it’s going to be a goddamn disaster. It smells like pinewood and overpriced cologne. Two twin beds sit across from each other with a narrow aisle between them. One window. One bathroom. Zero exits from the fact that I’m stuck with him. Although, on the plus side, it's a very spacious room. If I'm careful enough, I can avoid him totally. I will stay on my side and he will stay on his. Hopefully. Jon throws his bag onto one of the beds and turns to look at me like he’s been waiting to do this all day. "Of all the people I could’ve ended up with," he mutters, jaw tight. "Why the hell did it have to be you?" I close the door behind me and toss my duffel onto the floor. "Trust me, mutt, I’m not thrilled about it either."His nostrils flare. "Don’t call me that." "Then don’t act like one," I shoot back, stepping past him. Our shoulders bump. The tension is sharp, electric, thickening the air between us.Jo
AURORA'S POV: The bus is already in sight when Jon and I finally round the corner, out of breath, our shoes slapping against the pavement like war drums. The early morning air is cold, biting at our cheeks, but adrenaline keeps us warm.Believe me, I want my bed so bad. "We’re so late," I pant, clutching my duffel tighter. Jon chuckles, his hand brushing against mine for a second longer than necessary. "Not my fault you turned off your alarm in your sleep." "You literally sleep like the dead. I had to throw a pillow at your head!" We skid to a stop as we reach the cluster of students gathered near the bus. Mr. Granger, one of our chaperones, gives us a narrowed glare but doesn’t say anything. We made it...barely. But still. A win is a win. As we board the bus, Jon flashes me a crooked smile. "Well, we’re officially on our way to Australia." My stomach tightens. The idea of being away from everything familiar makes my nerves dance. I should be used to this
Aurora’s POV: There’s something about the air today. It’s too still, too expectant. Like the sky itself is waiting for something to go wrong.After the announcement, the entire school practically combusts with excitement. There are whispers in every hallway, speculation about the itinerary, what cities we’ll visit, and who’s rooming with who. It’s all anyone can talk about.I try to care. I try to smile, nod, laugh at Cali’s jokes, but something inside me is still trembling from the blackout. From the spike. From Arc.Jon, however, is practically glowing. "You don’t understand," he says as we sit beneath a tree in the courtyard, late afternoon sun draping over us like a soft blanket. "I haven’t seen my mum in two months. Two bloody months." His accent thickens when he talks about home, and it makes something soft ache in my chest. "You’re really from there?" I ask, chewing on the straw of my smoothie. "Not just here to trick us all with your mysterious exchange student vibe
Aurora’s POV: Darkness isn't empty. It hums. It breathes. It waits. That’s the last thing I remember before I come crashing back into consciousness. My eyes flutter open to harsh white lights above me, blurry and too bright. Everything feels... off. Like I’m underwater, and the surface is too far to reach. My tongue is thick in my mouth. My head pulses in a slow, agonizing rhythm. I blink, trying to bring the world into focus.Where the hell am I?A dull ache blossoms in my ankle, radiating up my leg, and that’s when it clicks; the game. The court. The spike. My fall.Jon’s voice, distant and panicked.Arc’s face, twisted, unreadable. "Hey, hey, Aurora?" A familiar voice cuts through the fog. I turn toward it too fast, and pain shoots through my skull. I groan. Cali leans over me, her brows knit tight in concern, her messy bun frizzed around the edges like she’s been tugging at it. There’s a bandage on her wrist, probably from catching me. "Thank God," she says with a