เข้าสู่ระบบWhen I slid into the driver’s seat, dried clumps of mud shook loose from the fabric and scattered onto the floor. I should have cleaned myself up first. I knew that. I should have wiped my boots, brushed off my clothes, donesomethingto make myself look less like what she had just seen.But Sarah sat curled into herself in the passenger seat, arms wrapped tightly around her torso, her gaze fixed straight ahead through the windshield. Outside, sparse trees blurred past in muted shades of green and brown. Her profile was rigid, sharp with tension, like a sculpture carved from ice. Every explanation I had rehearsed in my mind—every carefully chosen word—jammed in my throat, heavy and useless.The sound of the engine starting tore through the silence, far too loud in the enclosed space. Sarah flinched, barely perceptible, but enough to make my ches
My mouth has never betrayed me the way it did today.Every time I think about that idiotic line—“If he actually gets a girlfriend, I’ll sleep with him”—I want to go back in time and strangle my past self.The moment the idea of actually ending up in bed with Fitch crosses my mind, my whole face feels like it’s on fire.“Me? Sleeping with him? Impossible. No. Never!”I exaggeratedly shrugged, pretending the thought gave me goosebumps.In reality—just imagining his hands on my waist makes me feel like a dumpling steaming in a bamboo basket.But I would never admit that.“You’re not allowed to sleep with him yet!” Silvia warned me like a homeroom teacher.“Right—‘never say never,’ sweetheart.”Evelyn grinned like she knew everything.“So what am I supposed to reply to him?”I hurriedly dragged the conversation back into safe territory, before the two of them turned my sexual fantasies into their favorite topic again.“Easy.” Sam spread his hands, completely serious. “Call him and tell hi
“So—you really went to his grandparents’ old house?”Evelyn asked the question again, leaning forward with both hands planted on her knees, her eyes gleaming with an intensity that made her look less like my best friend and more like a detective who had just discovered a crucial clue.“I literally just said that,” Melissa replied, rolling her eyes so hard I thought they might get stuck. Without warning, she grabbed a pillow from behind her and flung it straight at Evelyn’s head.Evelyn yelped and swatted it away, laughing, but the moment barely registered for me.I was curled up on Silvia’s bed, my back pressed against the headboard, legs tucked beneath me, surrounded on all sides by judgment, curiosity, and far too much estrogen. Three girls. One date. And me, forced to give a full oral report like I was testifying in court.So I did.I told them everything—from the awkward beginning, to the quiet moments that felt heavier than they should have, to the way the air had shifted when we
“Why would you pick a Benz?” Fitch raised an eyebrow at me. We’d been playing Twenty Questions—or something loosely resembling it—for hours now, trading barbs back and forth. The strange thing was, I wasn’t annoyed in the slightest. I was actually… enjoying myself.It turned out that as long as Fitch was willing to be serious, he wasn’t an idiot at all. He could tell jokes, listen to me complain, and even find something interesting in the most mundane topics. We laughed nonstop, as if we’d stepped into a completely different world.I snorted. “A better question would be—why wouldn’t you choose a Benz?”“Well said!” He burst out laughing, leaning back so hard his whole body tilted, shoulders shaking as if he were dancing to an invisible beat.We’d finished the sandwiches a long time ago—so delicious they made me suspect Michelin stars were somehow involved. When I asked, he admitted shyly that his butler had prepared them. We drank cola, nibbled on chocolate, and somehow, without any p
The doorbell rang, and Silvia sprang out of bed like a compressed spring, sprinting downstairs. A few seconds later, I heard her pull the door open and let Fitch in.Evelyn pressed a hand to my shoulder and turned me to face her.“You look great,” she said seriously. “Just remember—don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”I couldn’t help laughing and wrapped my arms around her. She patted my back lightly.“I love you. Go on—he’s waiting for you.”“You’re not coming with me?” I asked.“I need to reclaim all my stuff before Melissa discovers this makeup apocalypse,” Evelyn said, gesturing helplessly around the room.I looked around. Oh God—it looked like a tornado had passed through. Clothes, brushes, palettes, bottles of every shape and size were scattered everywhere.“I’m genuinely curious how Melissa manages to stay calm on a daily basis,” I muttered.“So am I.” Evelyn shrugged. “Now go. Have fun.”I looked at her and thanked her sincerely.“Hey, stop thanking me. Go already—go see your pri
I gave a soft snort, folded my arms across my chest like I was strapping on armor. Fitch ate his lunch quietly while I repeatedly hurled imaginary knives at him with my eyes.I could have ditched my tray and walked out of this cafeteria—where gossip density exceeded the ozone layer.But I was really hungry.And more importantly, this was my territory. If he dared to provoke me here, why should I be the one to retreat?In the end, I picked up a forkful of pasta and forced my attention back into my lunchbox, pretending not to notice the way his gaze kept flickering over—like he was sneaking glances while trying to look casual.The following week was basically a stress test for my sanity.Fitch didn’t just make a statement—he acted one out. An inspirational sports movie, starring himself, announcing to the world that he wasn’t leaving my side. As a result, every eye on campus locked onto me like a grid of searchlights.Every morning before first period, he stood by my locker on the dot.







