I handed Jasper a tissue, and he let out a grateful groan as he took it from me."You probably think I'm a wimp, a cry baby," Jasper muttered, blowing his nose.I quickly spoke up, trying to clarify, "No, Jasper, I actually find it endearing when guys are in touch with their emotions."As soon as the words left my mouth, my cheeks turned red with worry that he might misunderstand my intentions. Did I just sound like a creep who hits on men when they cry?Jasper chuckled, finally breaking the tension. "You're funny, Jasper!" I protested."It's hilarious!" he retorted, using an annoying sing-song voice.With a mischievous mood, I grabbed a cushion and initiated another thrilling pillow fight. We both ended up on the carpeted floor, gasping for breath and feeling drained. As I regained my composure, I glanced over at Jasper. His smile had returned, and whatever had been bothering him earlier appeared to have dissipated. I decided not to pry into his private affairs, assuming that it was a
Mirabel was in a tight spot financially, unable to afford quitting her job. As a student, finding employment was tough for both of us.Dan had been a constant annoyance for Mirabel, but she had always rejected his advances. However, when I joined the job three weeks ago, he shifted his attention towards me.During my shift, I worked tirelessly, juggling responsibilities between the kitchen and serving tables. When my much-needed break finally arrived, my legs were pleading for rest. I made my way to the staff room and laid down on the bench. I closed my eyes for a moment, but when I opened them, I was horrified to see Dan's hand creeping up my leg.My attempts to scream were muffled as he forcefully covered my mouth with his hand. I stared up at him, my eyes wide with fear, realizing that I was utterly helpless in his grip. Despite the blaring music in the café, no one would be able to hear my cries for help unless they were standing right outside the door.Dan's hold on me tightened,
As I settled in to watch a sci-fi movie, my attention was abruptly pulled away by Cassandra, who had begun to shiver uncontrollably. Worried, I approached her and realized that she was lost in a terrifying flashback, trembling with fear. My heart raced in my chest as I held her close, trying to comfort her in any way I could. Her eyes slowly opened and met mine, and I saw relief flood over her as she clung to me gratefully.I let out a deep breath that I hadn't realized I had been holding, relieved that Cassandra wasn't having a seizure. But then I noticed tears streaming down her face, and she was sobbing inconsolably. I was taken aback, wondering what could have caused her such profound distress."Oh, no. I wish it were that simple," she said with a heavy sigh, her voice filled with sorrow. "It's something that happened to me during my college years."My heart sank as I grasped the gravity of her words. I steeled myself for what she was about to reveal. "What happened?" I asked, my v
As I was in the midst of a tickle war with Jasper, the bedroom door suddenly swung open, and Mrs. Madison stormed in wielding a frying pan with a determined expression on her face. She quickly assessed the situation, but her eyes widened with surprise and embarrassment as she realized her mistake. Apologetically, she explained that she had thought there was a more serious disturbance going on.Jasper, always the smooth talker, diffused the situation with a charming smile and an explanation of our harmless antics. Mrs. Madison shook her head, muttering something about locking bedroom doors, while Jasper gave me a mischievous grin.I was left breathless and sweaty from the tickle war, but I managed to catch my breath as Jasper released my hands from his playful grip. I couldn't help but smile, imagining how this scene must have looked to an outsider.After Jasper left to take a shower, I eagerly dug into the delicious breakfast Mrs. Madison had prepared. Soon, we were on our way to my ap
"Wait and see," he smirked, taking a leisurely sip of his coffee.As I forced down the last drops of my drink, I excused myself and headed towards the restroom, hoping to escape the building tension. Jasper nodded nonchalantly in response. As I walked down the hallway, my nerves eased a bit. Maybe Dan wasn't even here, I tried to reassure myself. But just as I was about to exit the passage, my path was blocked by someone. Before I could react, a hand clamped over my mouth, muffling my scream. My heart pounded in my chest as I looked into Dan's furious eyes, and my body froze with fear."So, Cassandra, you finally decided to show up, huh?" he sneered, his gaze traveling up and down my body. I squeezed my eyes shut, whimpering in terror."Well, you do look stunning," he taunted, licking his lips with a sinister grin. I felt revulsion surge through me, tears streaming down my face. I hated myself for showing any sign of weakness. I tried to resist, to fight back, but it only seemed to amu
Aiva was unyielding in her stance. "Absolutely not," she scolded her brother. "Women experience false labor for a reason. It's like a practice run for the real thing, and you, my dear brother, have failed miserably."David attempted to defend himself. "It's not my fault, Aiva! You and Teddy practiced for it, not me!""Exactly," Aiva retorted. "So now we're all going to practice." She clapped her hands together, and I looked at her with disbelief. She didn't appear to have just gone through false labor. Wasn't it supposed to be extremely painful, even if it was false? I was inclined to support David's suggestion of a nap."She's right, you know," Cassandra chimed in. "We need to get organized in case it happens for real."I arched my eyebrows in surprise as I looked at her, and she returned the expression with a determined look. "So, Aiva, where's your room?" I inquired.Aiva pointed towards a door, and Cassandra gestured for all of us to follow her. David and I exchanged resigned glanc
Without hesitation, we rushed down the stairs. However, in our hurry, David's leg became entangled with mine and we tumbled down several steps before painfully landing on the floor.As we lay groaning in pain, Cassandra suddenly appeared with her hands on her hips, disapprovingly clicking her tongue. "Boys, remember rule number one: no running. People can get hurt," she scolded.I shot her a dirty look, unable to suppress my frustration. "You could have warned us," I grumbled under my breath.Cassandra simply rolled her eyes, as if my comment was absurd. But how was I supposed to know not to run? I had never had to rush a woman in labor to the hospital before!A sudden interruption of tense silence was made by Aiva's voice. "Hey! I'm having labor pains here!"In response, David rushed towards the door, while I picked up Aiva's travel bag, and Cassandra hurried over to Aiva's side. We followed David outside, where he stood frozen in front of the garage. Then, unexpectedly, Aiva let out
Concern etched across my face, I expressed my worries to her. "You don't seem to be okay," I said."I'm fine," she replied abruptly.I observed her for a moment before questioning, "Are you certain?"After pausing for a moment, she finally admitted, "No."Frustrated, she observed as my expression became one of confusion. She yearned to make me comprehend what was bothering her. Her emotions overwhelmed her, and tears streamed down her face silently.Why was she acting so emotional, like a pregnant woman?"She named her daughter after me, Jasper," she blurted out, barely above a whisper.I was taken aback. "I believed you were thrilled about it!""I am," she responded, her voice trembling. "But what if they find out the truth? What if they discover our arrangement?"She looked at me as her words sunk in. What would happen then?I found myself at a loss for words, completely dumbfounded by her question. The car ride home was marked by an unsettling silence, with Cassandra's troubled expr