LOGINJuniper.
“Juni, Juniper. Wake up. It’s time for school” my mum lightly shook me making me open my eyes. “Good morning mum” I murmured as I got out of bed. “You’re going to have to start setting alarms to wake you up because I might not always be around to wake you up. Hurry now and go shower and then come down for breakfast before you leave for school” she said as she left my room. “Okay mummy” I answered walking into the bathroom to pee. After I finished doing my business, I brushed my teeth and took a nice shower. I wore my bathrobe and walked into my room feeling fresh. Opening my closet I brought out my new uniform that hung on the rack. My uniform was a white shirt with a sewn in red bow tie, blue blazer with the school’s badge on it, a short trimmed blue pleated skirt. I put on my underwear and finally wore my uniforms, the skirt length reached my mid thigh and I felt a little exposed by it but I just pushed it to the back of my mind. Pairing it with my knee length white stockings and shiny black loafers. I brushed my curly full hair letting it fall down in soft heaps unto my shoulders as I placed my pink hair band on my head using it to push back my hair from my face. I had already packed my backpack last night putting everything necessary I would need for school. I applied my nude peptide lip tint to my lips to make it moist and shiny, wore tiny pearl shaped earrings and spritzed myself with my favorite perfume which had a lavender scent. I unplugged my phone from charging and looked at myself in the full mirror. I looked gorgeous and I gave a full on smile admiring how cute I looked in my new uniform. Taking quick mirror selfies of me in my new uniform, I walked out of my room feeling really good and hope all goes well for my first day. My mum dropped me off at school since I didn’t know the way, but she explained how I could get back by taking the subway. The pictures online didn’t do this school much justice because as I stood right outside I was knocked off my feet at how majestic it looked. The building stood tall with historic architectural features with a huge banner hung from the roof with the school’s crest and name spelt out in full welcoming students for a new school year. Students filtered outside in small crowds looking so posh and classy in their uniforms, most of their accessories, shoes and bags designer brands. The nerves immediately came back in full force as I stood stuck wondering how I was going to fit in with all of these elite wealthy kids. Time was running out and if I kept on standing outside like a fool I’d miss my first class and end up making a bad first impression of me to my teacher. I pushed the nerves to the back of mind, walking hurriedly into the school putting on my resting bitch face ignoring all the curious looks by the other students. On getting to the reception office after asking politely from students for directions, I walked in coming to face a middle aged looking woman who sat at her desk staring at her computer screen typing in something. “Good morning” I greeted getting her attention. “Hello, you must be the new transfer student?” She asked curiously “Yes, I’m here to collect my class schedule” i answered She opened the side of her desk bringing out a small sheet of paper and handing it to me. “Your first class is about to start, you should hurry” she advised nicely. “Thank you” I said as I hurried out of her office looking straight for my locker so I can put some of my stuff in it. Finally able to locate my locker, I unlocked it with the combination written at the back of the paper. I removed my text books and notes from my backpack and arranged them neatly inside. I had homeroom first but I had no idea where that was, I noticed a girl not that far from my locker putting her things in hers so I closed my locker and walked up to her politely asking her directions to where I could find my homeroom.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







