“Do you want to go to lunch together?” I asked Asher and he briskly nodded his head. “I can tour you around campus if you want since your new here. I can tell you the nice places to hangout and the places you should always avoid.” He said, and my nose scrunched at the last part. “There are places that I should avoid? Why?” I asked curiously. “Well…there are good guys and bad guys here. I just don’t want you to get into trouble, especially since they can be pretty territorial around here,” He replied and I nodded in understanding. It should be a no brainer, how silly of me. In my previous school there are also those who think so highly of themselves, of course I wasn’t one of those students who get picked on because of my status, but it’s just sad that there are people who thinks they are above the law. I really hate those kind of people. However, it can’t be helped, that is the rule of the world, only the strong and wise remains, so if you want to
“Be careful of him Bella, he’s a disgusting freak, you shouldn’t associate yourself with him,” Aiden said, and I looked at his friends who were quiet, but I could tell that they agree with him. But why? “You’re being harsh Aiden, you shouldn’t talk to someone like that,” I reprimanded him. I thought he would calm down but it made him even angrier. “Why are you defending him!?” “Because you’re being an asshole!” Aiden’s brows were pressed together as he gazed at me, it seems he wants to say something, but in the end, he decided to just leave away with heavy steps. … “What was that about?” I asked his friends but they all just shook their heads as they looked Asher. “Why don’t you ask him,” Leon said, looking at Asher. Both him and Therese followed Aiden, and now I was left with Asher, and I really hope he could give me an answer, since I have lots of questions for him. “Are you okay?” I approached him, and he just stiffly
“I just thought you need privacy since you seem to…” “To what?” He asked, not a single strand of emotion laced on his face. “I just thought with what happened last time that I should be more careful with coming into your office,” I explained, articulating my words so that nothing inappropriate comes out of my mouth. “You mean the time you saw me have sex?” My jaw dropped. I was trying to be professional and sensible but this man just broke it without even trying. He was so blunt that I couldn’t process what I should reply to him. ‘Um, yeah, that,” it was all I could muster to answer. I know its pathetic but I really don’t now how to recover form what he just said. Sigh, so him and Aiden do have similarities. Both just say whatever comes to their minds. “You don’t have to worry about that anymore, I’ll not be doing anything indecent as long as you’re here, so feel free to come in and out as you please,” he said making me flush. What
“Good morning,” Hayden greeted me as he sipped his coffee while skimming at a stack of papers in the dining table. “Hi,” I replied, settling into the seat on his right as the maids began serving breakfast. “How’s school with Aiden so far?” He asked casually, his eyes still on the paper. “It’s been fine,” I answered curtly, not wanting to have a lengthy conversation with him. I could feel his gaze shifting toward me, but I pretended not to notice, not wanting to feed this unhealthy feelings I have towards him. It’s not like this is anything serious. How long have I even known him? You can’t possibly get attached to someone you’ve barely scratched the surface with, right? “I heard he had an altercation with someone yesterday,” Hayden said, lowering the papers, “Do you know something about it?” "I’m not sure I should be the one to—" My words faltered when Aiden entered the room, his eyes locking onto mine almost
“Excuse me?” I said, narrowing my eyes. “The girl you just called a witch,” he replied with an infuriating smirk. “I get that,” I shot back, crossing my arms, “What I don’t get is why are you in the girl’s restroom?”. He shrugged nonchalantly. “I just happened to see you on my way to my room,” his gaze shifted to the stain on my shirt, and he chuckled softly, then he moved his eyes back to me, “I figured you might need some help,” he said and reached into his bag and held out a black hoodie. I blinked at the hoodie in his hands, torn whether to accept it or not. It’s weird for someone to be this kind, and that instantly raised my suspicions. Perhaps this guy has ulterior motives? “I’m not planning to do anything sketchy, I just want to help,” he suddenly spoke, as if reading my mind. His voice was calm, but it startled me nonetheless. I cleared my throat. I hesitated before finally taking the hoodie from him.
After a long three hour lecture the bell finally rang. The exhaustion hit me like a wave. Imagine, this was just the first day! The professor hadn’t even bothered with introductions, he immediately dived straight into teaching. I guess he is the kind of person who doesn’t like to waste time. “Before you leave,” The professor’s voice cut through the chatter. “I will give you all your first task in my subject.” The prof. said, and groans instantly erupted across the room.“Quiet!” He snapped, his weathered face etched with disappointment. “No need to make a fuss, this is an easy one, but I will require you to have a partner for this which I already made last night. I’ll send to you all the details in your school email account.” He said without waiting for further protests, shaking his head he gathers his materials and strode out.I packed out quickly, eager to escape, when an obnoxious sound came from beside me.“Psst…” I ignored him, pretending I didn’
“We weren’t doing anything. We were just playing around and suddenly that guy showed up and punched me!” The huge guy who had been harassing Asher earlier started spouting blatant lies when the headmistress Bega asking her questions, trying to investigate what happened.I glanced at Hayden to see his reaction, but as usual, his expression was unreadable. Sometimes I wonder if this guy ever experienced being frazzled. He stood there, calm and unaffected, like a towering boulder unmoved by a raging tide.“Is this true?” The headmistress asked, turning to me and Asher for answers. I noticed her hesitating slightly, her gaze flickering nervously toward Hayden before returning to us.I wonder what’s up with her. Was she... afraid of him? Then again, considering Hayden’s family practically funded this entire academy, her reaction wasn’t surprising.The bully fritted his teeth and glared at Asher with a menacing look, silently warning him of th
The day ended in a blur. I waited for Aiden in the parking lot as we had agreed, but he was still not here. I was curious what was going on with him. I remembered he had basketball practice, so I headed to the gymnasium to check. When I got there, it was already empty. Disappointed, I turned my heels around and decided to just wait for him in the car but then I heard a loud sound. Instinctively, I followed the noise, my curiosity peaking. I walked and when I was turning in a corner near the restrooms, I froze when I saw Asher talking with someone. His face was filled with fresh tears. His eyes riddled with pain. I was about to walk away, not wanting to intrude, but then I noticed a reflection in the glass wall.Aiden.What were they doing here alone? Oh my God! Aiden might be bullying him again! This idiot!I was about to intervene to put a stop to it, but Asher's broken voice resonated in the quiet room, stopping me.“You,” he said, trembling, his voice low and strained. Asher’s h
Breakfast was quiet. Hayden and I sat across from each other, sharing a normal meal like we always did. He had cooked bacon and eggs, and I made toast. The smell of coffee lingered in the air, wrapping the kitchen in its warm aroma. It felt normal, but even if you’re an outsider you could easily tell with one glance that something was wrong. I couldn’t shake the tension tightening around my chest. We didn’t talk about the news.We didn’t talk about Cedric. We just…stopped talking. I’ve always known that growth with your partner is tough, but I didn’t thought it would be to this extent. Probably because I’ve been too accustomed to Hayden being the one who did all the protecting, and now…I have to step up, to support him in all the turmoils he’s facing.I kept looking up from my plate, watching Hayden’s face carefully. He looked calm as he ate his breakfast. Should I ask him?My fingers trembled slightly as I buttered my toast. Then—out of nowhere. The front door slammed open.I jump
The drive back from Cedric’s place felt like walking through fog. I declined his offer when he said he’d drive me back and called myself a cab. My body was in the car, but my mind was somewhere else entirely. Every word he said played on loop in my head—about Cassie, about Hayden, about what supposedly happened. About how Cedric claimed Hayden was the reason she was gone.And worst of all, he sounded like he believed it with every inch of his being. I leaned against the window, staring blankly at the passing streetlights. Should I ask Hayden? Should I tell him what Cedric told me? What if it wasn’t true? What if it was?By the time we reached my place, I hadn’t made a decision. I thanked the cab driver before getting out. The moment I stepped inside the house, I felt something strange. The lights were dim, the television was left on in the living room, and toys were everywhere. A little red truck sat sideways on the armrest of the couch. A stuffed bunny lay on the floor as if Blake
“I tried to keep the family together, but it wasn’t enough. Our parents blamed each other. Eventually, they separated. Fiona... she drifted too. I could never get her back. Not until recently.""You talked to her?" I asked quietly.He nodded. "Yes. She seems happy now. Genuinely happy."There was a small, sad smile on his face before he looked back toward the hallway. "You probably have a lot of questions, don’t you?"I hesitated, but the moment had come. "I do," I admitted. "Why do you dislike Dominic and Hayden so much?"For a moment, his eyes dimmed. He didn’t speak. Instead, he turned and started walking up the stairs. I followed. Not because I trusted him fully, but because I could tell he wasn’t trying to hurt me. I was starting to understand his pain.He opened a room at the end of the hallway, and as soon as I stepped in, I felt it. The scent was faint, but it was there—a mix of lavender and old books. Cedric walked to a tall cabinet and opened it, pulling out an old photo al
I stepped out of the restaurant, feeling drained. The meeting had gone well, but my energy was completely spent. All I wanted was to go home, take off these heels, and maybe sleep for a week. I pulled out my phone and started tapping on the cab app, already thinking of what presents I should take home with me for Blake. But my actions halted when I saw him.I wore a confused look as I approached him, as he leaned against the door of his car. His black car gleamed under the afternoon sun, parked just a few meters away from the restaurant's exit. The moment he saw me looking, his face lit up. He pushed off the car and made his way toward me."Perfect timing," he said with a smile. “I was getting bored. Hop in, I’ll drive you back."I opened my mouth, ready to decline, but before I could say a word, he raised a hand and said, "I know you have questions. A lot of them. And I’m willing to answer all of them."That made me pause. I studied him carefully, unsure of what game he was playing
I was already running a bit behind schedule when I rushed out of the house, tossing my bag into the passenger seat and starting the car. Today’s meeting wasn’t in the city, but somewhere a little more private. Aleo Country Club, a good thirty-minute drive from here.The roads were quiet the deeper I drove. Fewer cars, fewer houses, just long stretches of trees and grasslands. It wasn’t creepy, not really. Just… serene. I even opened my windows to catch the fresh breeze of the morning air.I was halfway there when the car gave a weird jolt. I frowned and tapped the gas, but nothing. “Uhh…what now?” Another jolt. Then the engine sputtered like it was choking. And then — silence.“Seriously?” I muttered, hitting the steering wheel lightly. I tried the ignition again. It coughed, clicked, then died.“Great, just another one of my bad days.” I pulled over to the side, looking around trying to find someone that could help me. However, there was nothing but empty fields and trees. Not even
Later that evening, I parked in front of the house and immediately heard chaos bursting from the living room.I opened the door, and a squeal echoed through the space.Hayden was running after Blake, who was waving a sock triumphantly above his head, giggling like a madman. “Give it back, you little thief!” Hayden laughed, nearly tripping over the coffee table.Blake was fast for someone his size, ducking under furniture, tossing pillows to block Hayden’s path. I had to cover my mouth to stifle a laugh.When I travelled my gaze around the room, in the cone row my eyes, I saw two people standing across the room, standing near the doorway were Uncle Nathaniel and Auntie Elena. Elena spotted me instantly, her face lighting up.“Oh, sweetie, there you are!” she chirped, bustling over to me in her high heels as if they were sneakers. “Are you okay? You look rather tired. Is Hayden treating you right? If he’s not, just say the word, and I’ll set him straight!”I laughed as she cupped my fac
The early morning light slipped through the cracks of the curtains, painting faint gold lines across the bed. I stirred awake, groggily opening my eyes, my body still heavy with sleep. Slowly, I turned to my side and found Hayden beside me, sleeping peacefully, a soft snore escaping his lips.A small, sad smile tugged at my mouth. I brushed a few strands of hair from his forehead and leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss against his temple. He didn’t move, he just let out a deeper sigh before settling again.I slipped out of bed quietly, grabbing my purse and phone before heading out.One of the things Kara had found, one of the things that really got me worried, was that Hayden had regularly visited a mental health clinic years ago. Right after Cassie’s death. The timing wasn’t a coincidence. It couldn’t be. Whether it was guilt, grief, or something worse, I needed to know what demons he was fighting. That’s why I’m going to that clinic to find the details I need. My car rumbled softly
Hayden and I walked in silence toward the parking lot. My hand was still in his, but it felt like there was a glass wall between us.Just as we reached the car, I stopped abruptly, pulling my hand away from his. Hayden immediately turned to me, confusion flashing across his face."Bella? What's wrong?" he asked, his voice low and careful.I didn’t answer right away. I kept my eyes on him, gathering every stray thought running wild in my head. Finally, I found my voice."I’ve been trying to understand everything," I muttered. "You said before that you couldn’t tell me what was bothering you, and I respected that. I really did." I took a step closer to him, needing him to see how much I meant it. "But now... maybe you can at least give me assurance. That what happened inside there—with that Cedric—isn’t something I should be worried about."Hayden’s eyes dropped to the ground. He sighed, running a hand through his hair, looking every bit as tired as I felt."Nothing will happen," he sa
My body tensed slightly, the air growing a little too heavy, and I didn’t know why. Something just didn’t feel right.Cedric turned to me with a glint in his eyes that I couldn’t quite read. I thought this guy was simple, but I guess in this room full of people, the word “simple” wouldn’t sound right after all. “So, Isabella,” he began, his tone light but I could sense he was just pretending. “Are you Hayden’s girlfriend?”The question caught me off guard. My lips parted, but the words didn’t immediately come out.Cedric continued before I could even respond, “You know, my sister and Hayden have a long history.”I blinked at him. “Fiona and Hayden are close?” I asked, trying to steady my voice, even though my chest felt like it was tightening.Cedric chuckled softly, tilted his head, then glanced at Dominic. “Not Dominic, Cassie,” he clarified, enunciating the name clearly. My heart stopped.He turned back to me, still smiling. “I mean, the three of you did have a long history toget