When 17-year-old Juniper Torres transfers from Barcelona to the elite halls of Daleton Prep, she hopes for a fresh start and a chance to blend in quietly. But from the moment she steps into the historic, high-status school, she realizes she’s anything but invisible. As the only child of a cancer-researcher parents who relocate to New York for a high-stakes medical fellowship, Juniper is immediately overwhelmed by the posh crowd, designer accessories, and the mysterious hierarchy of the school’s students—especially the notorious Daleton Boys, a trio of dangerously charming and powerful guys who seem to rule the campus like kings. Things shift when she befriends Jasmine, a quirky, kind scholarship student who helps her navigate the minefield of social circles, secrets, and silent wars. But Juniper’s curiosity is piqued—especially when she locks eyes with Grayson Barrington, the icy and magnetic leader of the Daleton Boys, rumored to have a dark past and a murder charge lurking in his history. As Juniper gets pulled deeper into their world—balancing friendship, fear, and fascination—she must decide whether to play it safe or risk everything to uncover the truth behind Grayson’s secrets… and maybe her own.
View MoreJuniper
It was a very sunny morning when I woke up and walked downstairs to say my morning greetings to my parents. Taking small steps to the front of their bedroom door I knocked but there was no answer. It was a Saturday and my parents never went to the hospital for their shifts during the weekend so I wondered why I couldn’t find them in their bedroom sleeping in. I decided to check in the living room with the thought they might be watching the morning news or something but surprisingly they weren’t also in the living room. “Where could they have gone to?” I thought out loud. Deciding to get myself a bottle of water from the fridge, I saw a note to stuck to it that said “Juni. Your father and I have gone out to get something important, we’ll be back later in the evening. Make sure you have breakfast”. The note was clearly written by my mother but what could be so important to make my parents give up their weekend. They never miss a weekend to sleep in. Lately, I noticed they’ve been acting off and secretly busy planning something which they refused to tell me which I’ve countlessly tried asking about and most times when I manage to talk to them about it they always give me a vague answer so I just decided to stop trying and let them be. Whatever it is they’re secretly planning certainly wouldn’t affect me I’m sure. I’m the only child of my parents and I was dearly special to the both of them. Both my parents are doctors specializing in cancer treatments. It’s my dream to become like them also, I’m turning eighteen in two days and I plan on joining the medical outreach in my parents hospital for the summer to help treat various illnesses and diseases in rural communities in the Caribbeans. I’ve filled the forms but I haven’t submitted it yet since I’ve not discussed it entirely with my parents yet but I’m sure they’ll love it that their only daughter is setting out in their footsteps. As I tried preparing breakfast for myself deciding to eat toasted bagels and coffee my phone rang the screen flashing the name of my classmate and one of my good friends in school. “Hi Carlos, what’s up?” I greeted “Can’t I just call to hear your voice?” He teased playfully causing me to laugh. “That depends because you rarely call me” I threw back playfully. “Haha juniper, either way I wanted to ask what page our mathematics homework is?” “Uhm I think it’s on page 132, exercise 2a.” I answered trying to remember. “Okay, thanks. I’ll see you at school?” He asked sounding unsure. “Of course you will.” “Okay then. Bye” “Bye” and he hung up. While I decided to wait for my parents since I didn’t really have much to do or where to go, I sat in the living room watching tv. It was starting to get late and both their phones were switched off leaving me worried and more confused than ever. The door opened and my parents walked in looking tired and exhausted and I was so relieved to see them I ran towards them to give them a hug which surprised them at first but they eventually came around understanding why I seemed so nervous. My parents are my life and I wouldn’t be able to survive without them with me. “What took you so long?” I asked the both of them with a worried look on my face. “Sorry juni, we just lost track of time”. My mum replied with a tiresome smile on her face as she sat on one of our couches. “Juni, we have something important to discuss with you” my dad said firmly as he sat next to my mum, he also looked tired. “What is it?” I asked curiously “We’re moving abroad” they both said with smiles on their faces. “What?!” I screamed in utter shock.Juniper The hallway was nearly empty, the echo of slamming lockers and rushed footsteps fading as most students headed home. My own locker door creaked as I shoved my books inside, hands trembling too much to fit them neatly. My chest still felt raw, like my heart had been scraped open, and no amount of Jasmine’s soft words seemed to ease the sting. “Juni…” Jasmine said gently, her hand brushing my shoulder. “Grayson’s just… angry. He’ll come around, you know that.” I shook my head, biting my lip until it hurt. “You didn’t see his face, Jas. He looked at me like I betrayed him. Like I wasn’t—” My voice cracked, and I slammed my locker shut before I could completely fall apart. “Like I wasn’t his anymore.” Before Jasmine could respond, a sharp, cruel laugh cut through the hall. “Well, well,” Ciara’s voice drawled, every syllable dripping with venom. “Look who’s been knocked off her pedestal.” I froze, my spine stiffening as she sauntered up, arms folded, her perfect hair swaying
Grayson The water was the only thing that made sense right now. Stroke after stroke, I cut through it like I could outswim the image of Juniper with Archer’s mouth on hers. But no matter how deep I dove, no matter how long I held my breath until my lungs burned, it was still there— branded in my skull, taunting me. Her lips. His hands. Her silence. I slammed into the pool wall harder than I meant to, the sting shooting up my arm, but I welcomed the pain. It kept me from drowning in the storm inside my head. “Jesus, Gray,” Ivan’s voice echoed across the empty pool hall. “Trying to kill yourself or what?” I ignored him, pushing off again, my body cutting through the water in another furious lap. The chlorine stung my eyes, but I didn’t care. By the time I finally surfaced, Ivan was crouched at the edge of the pool, his elbows on his knees, watching me with that calm, steady look he always had. The look that made you feel like he saw too much. “You’re gonna tear yourself apart
Grayson The lounge was quieter than usual, a low hum of voices blending with the faint crackle of the fireplace. I was halfway through answering a text from my father when her perfume hit me — sharp, sweet, and suffocating. “Gray.” My jaw tightened before I even looked up. Ciara. She stood there like she owned the place, hair perfect, lips painted that same shade of red she used to wear when she wanted me distracted. I hadn’t seen her in weeks, not since I caught her tangled up with some other guy in the back of her car. “What do you want?” I asked flatly, already irritated. She tilted her head, fake innocence dripping off her voice. “Just checking in. You’ve been… busy. With her.” Juniper. She didn’t even have to say her name. The venom in her tone was enough. I slipped my phone into my pocket and stood, towering over her. “If you came here to run your mouth, don’t. I don’t have the patience.” But Ciara only smirked, stepping closer. “Funny, you look like a man who’s about t
Juniper I slid into my seat in Literature, still trying to shake off the way Grayson had kissed me in the hallway like he was drowning. My lips still tingled, my chest still tight. I told myself to focus, to bury myself in the lesson. But fate, of course, had other plans. Because Archer sat two rows over — and right beside him, his twin sister Sophia. Sophia was effortlessly beautiful in that Daleton kind of way: sleek dark hair, piercing eyes, and a smirk that could slice through anyone. She was Archer in feminine form, which made her twice as dangerous. The moment I caught her glancing between me and her brother, my stomach sank. “Juniper,” Sophia sing-songed across the table once the teacher stepped out for a moment. “Tell me the truth. Are you and my dear brother secretly dating?” My pen froze mid-word. Heat rushed to my face as the class perked up, some heads turning. “What? No! Of course not,” I blurted, too quickly. Archer leaned back in his chair, that lazy grin stretch
Juniper The library smelled of old paper and lemon polish, quiet except for the scratch of pens and the occasional shuffle of pages. Midterms had everyone buried in books, myself included. But no matter how hard I stared at the notes in front of me, the words blurred together. Because my mind wasn’t on history dates or formulas. It was on Archer. And Grayson. “Earth to Juniper,” Jasmine whispered, snapping her fingers in front of my face. Her braids swung as she tilted her head, giving me that look — the one that said she wasn’t fooled. “You’re not even here right now. Spill.” I groaned softly, dropping my pen. “I can’t, Jas. It’s… complicated.” Her brows lifted. “Complicated as in you’re caught between the two hottest Daleton boys and don’t know which one to choose? Yeah, sounds real complicated.” I shot her a look, but my cheeks burned anyway. “It’s not like that.” “Juniper,” she said firmly, leaning in. “They’re both circling you like wolves. Grayson with his dark, broodin
Grayson The lounge was our spot. Leather couches, the faint hum of music from Ivan’s phone, and the lazy sprawl of bodies after practice. It was where we could be loud, stupid, and just… us. But not tonight. Not for me. Because every time I leaned back, closed my eyes, tried to unwind, her face was there. Juniper. Her soft voice at lunch, her trembling hand in mine, the way Archer couldn’t stop looking at her. “Man, you’re wound tight as hell,” Ivan said, tossing a football up in the air. “You’re gonna give yourself a heart attack before senior year’s even over.” I grunted, not in the mood. Archer smirked from his corner, stretched out like he owned the place. “Maybe he’s wound tight because of Juju.” My eyes snapped open. “What did you just call her?” He tilted his head, grin widening. “Juju. What? I’ve called her that since forever. She doesn’t mind.” My jaw clenched. “Her name’s Juniper.” “Yeah, your Juniper,” Archer said, sitting forward now, his tone dipping sharp. “But
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