LOGINWren CarterThe first thing I noticed when I opened my eyes was the headache.God.It was awful.My entire head felt heavy, like someone had stuffed cotton inside my brain overnight. My eyelids felt heavier than usual too, and for several seconds, I simply lay there staring at the ceiling above me, trying to remember how I'd gotten here.My apartment.I was in my apartment.The familiar crack running through the corner of my ceiling was there. The old fan that squeaked every time it rotated was there too.Slowly, pieces of last night returned.The club.Gen.Adrian.The drink.That guy.Then Cyrus.My stomach tightened instantly.I shot upright.The room immediately spun around me."Ugh..."I grabbed my forehead. Everything felt blurry. How did I get home? I remembered leaving the club.No.I remembered Cyrus.Then...Nothing. My eyes traveled around my room. Everything looked normal. My shoes were beside the bed. My bag was placed neatly on the chair. Someone had even put a bottle of
Cyrus BlackwoodThe second I saw his hands on her, something inside me snapped.One moment I was standing across the room trying my hardest to respect her wishes and keep my distance. The next, I was already moving before my brain had time to catch up. Every sound around me disappeared beneath the roaring in my ears. The music. The lights. The people dancing around us. Everything faded into the background until all I could see was Wren backed against the wall with fear written all over her face.And him.His filthy hands touching her. His body pressed too close to hers.My blood boiled instantly."Wren..." he slurred, reaching for her again. "Don't be so dramatic. You're okay. Relax."Her breathing was uneven.She pushed him weakly. "N-no..."That one word was enough. I saw red.Before he could touch her again, I grabbed the back of his shirt and yanked him away from her so violently that he crashed into the opposite wall."What the—" My fist connected with his jaw before he could fini
Wren CarterI shouldn't have come.That was the first thought that crossed my mind the moment I sat back down. The music was still blasting around us. People were laughing. Some were dancing. Others were cheering at whatever dare was happening now.Meanwhile…I wanted the ground to swallow me whole. Because I was almost certain everyone here had witnessed the little scene Cyrus had created on the dance floor.Wonderful.Just wonderful.I grabbed a strand of my hair and tucked it behind my ear while avoiding everyone's eyes.Gen, unfortunately, was not helping. She leaned closer with a grin that instantly made me suspicious."Oh."I already knew that tone. "No."Her grin widened. "Ohhh."I sighed. "Gen."She wiggled her eyebrows. "Cyrus Blackwood really walked over there and said, 'My turn.'"I covered my face for a second. "Please stop."She laughed. "What?""Please stop.""I'm just saying…""Don't."She grinned mischievously. "That was dramatic."I groaned. "It was embarrassing.""It
Cyrus BlackwoodThis was torture. Actual torture.The game had been going on for fifteen minutes, and somehow every single minute had become progressively worse for my sanity. Wren was laughing.Not dramatically. Just little smiles here and there. The kind that made her eyes soften. The kind I never got to see.And every single time Adrian said something, she seemed a little more relaxed.God.Then the bottle spun. Everyone leaned forward. It slowed.Then finally…It pointed directly at Wren. Cheers erupted around the table. "Ohhhh!""Wren!""Finally!"She looked startled. Then immediately suspicious."I don't like that reaction."Gen laughed. "You should be scared."Wren narrowed her eyes."I already am."Someone grinned. "Truth or Dare?"She sighed. "Dare."The entire group erupted."YES!""Oh, she's brave.""No she's not," Wren muttered.Everybody laughed. Then one girl leaned forward."Dance with the person sitting next to you."The room instantly cheered. My body went rigid. Beca
Cyrus BlackwoodI was already regretting coming here.The music was loud enough to shake the walls, colored lights flashed across the packed dance floor, and everyone around me seemed determined to have the time of their lives.Everyone except me.Ryan was halfway through his second drink. Ethan was arguing with Lucas about something completely stupid. A couple of the guys had already disappeared toward the dance floor.Meanwhile, I sat back in the booth nursing the same drink I'd been holding for twenty minutes."You're doing it again." I looked up. Ryan was smirking."Doing what?""That thing.""What thing?""The thing where your body is physically present but your soul has left the building."Lucas snorted.Ethan rolled his eyes."He's thinking about Wren again."I glared at them.Ryan pointed triumphantly. "See?""See what?""That look.""What look?""The 'if you say her name one more time, I'll throw you through a wall' look."A few laughs erupted around the table. I groaned and
Wren Carter We were just reaching our classroom when Adrian suddenly cleared his throat. The sound immediately caught my attention. Because it sounded suspiciously like he was trying to bring something up. "What?" I asked. Adrian rubbed the back of his neck. For the first time since I'd met him, he actually looked awkward. That alone made me suspicious. "What?" "Nothing." I narrowed my eyes. "Adrian." He sighed dramatically. "Okay, fine." "There it is." A grin tugged at his lips. "I was wondering something." "That's never a good sign." He laughed. "Relax." The word immediately made me nervous. People only told you to relax when they were about to say something that would do the exact opposite. Adrian shoved his hands into his pockets. "Do you maybe want to come somewhere with me tonight?" I blinked. My brain immediately short-circuited. "What?" The grin vanished. "Oh God." "What?" His eyes widened slightly. "No." "No?" "No." I stared at him. He stared back. Neither
Wren CarterI stood cornered as my shirt clung to my body; my hair was plastered on my face. My lips were pale as the cold was slowly starting to take its toll on me. The water was dripping from my hair as I saw someone back up with a bucket. I felt my blood rush to my ears as I turned around to se
Wren CarterI felt cold water seep in my bones as I was pushed into the river. The last face I saw before getting swept away was my father’s. He had a vile smile on his face as he waved while I was struggling, trying to hold onto something. When I looked back, Cyrus was standing where my father sto
Cyrus BlackwoodI felt my muscles burn as I ran the last lap and got us another goal. Loud roars of celebration ran through the team as I took off my helmet. My hair was plastered on my forehead as I wiped my face. The coach patted me on the shoulder as he whistled to another player. The coach was
Cyrus BlackwoodThe sun was hidden behind the clouds, which made the environment dim. It was drizzling lightly, making the already damp environment more foggy and chilly. Everyone’s spirits were low as well considering it was the final day and the most important presentation as well. The tensions w







