Chloe's POV. I didn’t want Hardin to drive me home.I couldn’t look at him, not right now. Not after everything that had just unraveled like a cruel twist of fate in front of Hayes... his eyes, his trembling voice, his heartbreak. all because of me. I had caused it. I had made this mess.So I stood stubbornly by the curb, trembling, refusing Hardin’s extended hand and barely meeting his eyes when he called my name with that low, frustrated murmur.“Chloe, let me at least make sure you get home safe.”I shook my head furiously. “No. Just… just go, Hardin.”He exhaled, jaw clenched, torn between anger and concern. His eyes lingered on me for a beat too long. searching, but I couldn’t let him find anything. Not now.The taxi pulled up, and I got in without another word, slamming the door shut behind me like I was sealing off every horrible choice I’d made tonight.The ride was quiet, filled only with the noises from the street as we drove by. I sat with my head leaning against the cool
Hayes's POV.I dragged my feet frustratedly into the club and went straight to the bar section."A shot please," I said to the waiter.This will make it the second time that I will be in a buzzing underground club ready to soak myself with some really hot liquor, all for the sake of heartbreak.When am I ever going to learn huh?First it was Elisha, and now Chloe. What exactly have I done to deserve this? Have I not been loving enough? Is there something that I am not doing right? It hurts because I truly loved Chloe more than I have ever loved another woman. She really held a place in my heart. Why did she have to hurt me like this when all I have ever done was to love her unconditionally. It hurts more because despite how hard I was trying to shut her out, somehow, I just couldn't and it was infuriating the hell out of me.I should hate her, I should shut her out and cast her away from my life for hurting me so bad, but somehow, all I could think of was her wellbeing, I couldn't s
Hayes's POV.I slowly opened my eyes trying to take in the environment but it posed a big threat, my eyelids were heavy and my head too.I squeezed my eyes back shut and relaxed, I didn't care about my environment anymore, it felt safe and conducive, not even the problems I was dealing with popped up in my head, I felt at peace.I suddenly felt a presence beside me, I assumed it was Chloe, she stirred and laid her head on my chest, snuggling deeper into me, and in turn, I wrapped my arms around her, in the process, I inhaled the scent of her hair and it sent an unexplainable calmness down my spine.It suddenly occurred to me that this is in no way Chloe's scent. And Chloe and I aren't even in a good place right now for her to be sleeping beside me. My nose suddenly caught her scent again, this time, my eyes popped open in shock.And to more shock, it was an unknown lady lying on my chest, looking closely, I suddenly realized that it was the lady from the club last night.What is she
Chloe's POV. The moment I stepped out of the elevator and into the wide, glass paneled lobby of Hayes’s firm, I felt like I was trespassing on a dangerous ground.I continued to feverishly put one feet after another, my footsteps thumping in sync with the unease curling in my stomach. I hadn't seen Hayes in days. Not since... the party. Not since the bathroom. Not since he found out. My heart clenched at the thought.The receptionist looked up with a warm smile that faltered the second she recognized me.“Um... Miss Chloe. I’m not sure if Mr. Hayes is available”“Please.” My voice cracked, and I cleared my throat quickly. “Just let him know I’m here. I won’t stay long. I promise.”She hesitated, clearly torn between professional courtesy and the pitiful look on my face. Eventually, she picked up the phone and dialed.A moment passed. Then two.Finally, she looked up at me with an apologetic glance. “He said… he’s busy.”“I’ll wait,” I said stubbornly and sat on the plush leather couc
Third book alert!SEXT PARTNER.Hailey's parents moved to a new city due to job promotion and she transfers to a new school, only to discover that her secret sext partner was the hottest boy in school, and he was dating the hottest girl in school as well. She stood no chance of having him, but what if she was underestimating the intense hold she had over him. Chapter one."You know I'd really love to see you!" His text popped up on my phone just as I plopped down on the bed. "Well, I am not what you call the perfect lady!" I texted immediately. "I highly doubt that." His reply came and I chuckled to myself. Aiden and I bumped into each other in a weird app, exchanged numbers and have been keeping each other's company intimately, since then. We haven't met, neither have we seen each other. Our interaction was strictly over text and I think we are both okay with that. We are both 18 and in 12th grade."We will eventually see each other someday you know." He texted. "Yeah?" "Yes
Hailey’s POV.The rain had started just as we left the house, the kind of rain that blurred everything... buildings, streets, even emotions. It matched the heaviness pressing against my chest as I sat in the back seat of the car, silent, still, and aching in ways I couldn’t yet explain. I didn’t say a word. I couldn’t.Outside, the familiar streets greeted me. Trees I used to race past on my bike stood tall and wet, their leaves seemed to be whispering silent goodbyes. Mr. Howard’s bookstore with the bell that never worked right, the little coffee shop where Marissa , Liam and I used to cram for tests and gossip over muffins too dry and coffee too bitter. Everything looked softer in the rain, like the city was crying with me.Mom glanced at me through the rearview mirror. She didn’t say anything either. Maybe she saw the tears that had started to slide down my cheeks. Maybe she didn’t. I didn’t bother to wipe them away.This was it. We were really leaving.Dad’s transfer came three w
Hailey's POV.The plane had barely landed before I was itching to disappear. Not into a new place or new beginning like everyone kept saying... but to dissolve. Just vanish. Because arriving didn’t feel like an arrival at all.I clutched the strap of my backpack tighter, head down, ignoring everything, my parents. Everything . It all made me sick.The drive from the airport took another eternity. I didn’t care about the clean streets or the fact that the weather here was “nicer.” My chest ached like a balloon filled too tightly, ready to burst with the slightest jab.When we finally pulled up to the new house... big, modern, ugly in its perfection... I didn’t wait for anyone. I grabbed my duffel bag, ignored Dad’s attempt at a half smile, and walked straight in without a word.I stomped up the stairs, turning corners I wasn't used to, passing empty rooms and unfamiliar walls. I picked the room at the end of the hall just because it was farthest away from everyone. It didn’t matter
Hailey’s POV.A week.Seven whole days since we moved.You’d think that might be enough time for me to at least unpack or open the blinds or look around the neighborhood. But no. I stayed in my room like it was a bunker and the rest of the world was at war. The most I did was drag myself to the kitchen for water or snacks, and even that felt like crossing enemy lines.I didn’t care about the house fridge or the stupid backyard with trimmed hedges that looked like they belonged in a brochure.I don't want any of that."Wakey wakeey, sunshine." Aiden's text was the first to wake me up. "Hey." I simply texted him. "Are you still pissed about moving?""Very much so.""C'mon, try to let it go, and enjoy the city." "But I won't be able to see you again." "What made you so sure that I lived in California and you could find me there?" That seemed to strike a bell. "I don't know, I just had a feeling." A knock suddenly came on the door before I could get his next message. “Hailey,” mom
Hailey's POV. The drive back home felt longer than usual. My head was in a state of chaos and it was all because of him.I couldn’t get his face out of my head.I had only seen him for a second, maybe two, before Mom dragged me out. There was something... familiar about him, even though I’d never seen him before.Maybe it was the way his hair fell over his forehead, just a little too long, or how his eyes, those brief, shadowed eyes, looked calm.Maybe he looked like someone I knew back in California but I really doubt that. I couldn't stop replaying that fleeting moment over and over.Who was he?I didn’t even catch his name. I had been too caught up in my own anxiety. I really wanted to know who he was.I wanted to know why seeing him made my heart stutter like it had forgotten how to beat.I leaned against the car seat, pressing my back against it and letting out a slow breath.What was it about him?Maybe it was the way the world seemed to tilt just slightly when our eyes coll
Hailey’s POV.A week.Seven whole days since we moved.You’d think that might be enough time for me to at least unpack or open the blinds or look around the neighborhood. But no. I stayed in my room like it was a bunker and the rest of the world was at war. The most I did was drag myself to the kitchen for water or snacks, and even that felt like crossing enemy lines.I didn’t care about the house fridge or the stupid backyard with trimmed hedges that looked like they belonged in a brochure.I don't want any of that."Wakey wakeey, sunshine." Aiden's text was the first to wake me up. "Hey." I simply texted him. "Are you still pissed about moving?""Very much so.""C'mon, try to let it go, and enjoy the city." "But I won't be able to see you again." "What made you so sure that I lived in California and you could find me there?" That seemed to strike a bell. "I don't know, I just had a feeling." A knock suddenly came on the door before I could get his next message. “Hailey,” mom
Hailey's POV.The plane had barely landed before I was itching to disappear. Not into a new place or new beginning like everyone kept saying... but to dissolve. Just vanish. Because arriving didn’t feel like an arrival at all.I clutched the strap of my backpack tighter, head down, ignoring everything, my parents. Everything . It all made me sick.The drive from the airport took another eternity. I didn’t care about the clean streets or the fact that the weather here was “nicer.” My chest ached like a balloon filled too tightly, ready to burst with the slightest jab.When we finally pulled up to the new house... big, modern, ugly in its perfection... I didn’t wait for anyone. I grabbed my duffel bag, ignored Dad’s attempt at a half smile, and walked straight in without a word.I stomped up the stairs, turning corners I wasn't used to, passing empty rooms and unfamiliar walls. I picked the room at the end of the hall just because it was farthest away from everyone. It didn’t matter
Hailey’s POV.The rain had started just as we left the house, the kind of rain that blurred everything... buildings, streets, even emotions. It matched the heaviness pressing against my chest as I sat in the back seat of the car, silent, still, and aching in ways I couldn’t yet explain. I didn’t say a word. I couldn’t.Outside, the familiar streets greeted me. Trees I used to race past on my bike stood tall and wet, their leaves seemed to be whispering silent goodbyes. Mr. Howard’s bookstore with the bell that never worked right, the little coffee shop where Marissa , Liam and I used to cram for tests and gossip over muffins too dry and coffee too bitter. Everything looked softer in the rain, like the city was crying with me.Mom glanced at me through the rearview mirror. She didn’t say anything either. Maybe she saw the tears that had started to slide down my cheeks. Maybe she didn’t. I didn’t bother to wipe them away.This was it. We were really leaving.Dad’s transfer came three w
Third book alert!SEXT PARTNER.Hailey's parents moved to a new city due to job promotion and she transfers to a new school, only to discover that her secret sext partner was the hottest boy in school, and he was dating the hottest girl in school as well. She stood no chance of having him, but what if she was underestimating the intense hold she had over him. Chapter one."You know I'd really love to see you!" His text popped up on my phone just as I plopped down on the bed. "Well, I am not what you call the perfect lady!" I texted immediately. "I highly doubt that." His reply came and I chuckled to myself. Aiden and I bumped into each other in a weird app, exchanged numbers and have been keeping each other's company intimately, since then. We haven't met, neither have we seen each other. Our interaction was strictly over text and I think we are both okay with that. We are both 18 and in 12th grade."We will eventually see each other someday you know." He texted. "Yeah?" "Yes
Chloe's POV. The moment I stepped out of the elevator and into the wide, glass paneled lobby of Hayes’s firm, I felt like I was trespassing on a dangerous ground.I continued to feverishly put one feet after another, my footsteps thumping in sync with the unease curling in my stomach. I hadn't seen Hayes in days. Not since... the party. Not since the bathroom. Not since he found out. My heart clenched at the thought.The receptionist looked up with a warm smile that faltered the second she recognized me.“Um... Miss Chloe. I’m not sure if Mr. Hayes is available”“Please.” My voice cracked, and I cleared my throat quickly. “Just let him know I’m here. I won’t stay long. I promise.”She hesitated, clearly torn between professional courtesy and the pitiful look on my face. Eventually, she picked up the phone and dialed.A moment passed. Then two.Finally, she looked up at me with an apologetic glance. “He said… he’s busy.”“I’ll wait,” I said stubbornly and sat on the plush leather couc
Hayes's POV.I slowly opened my eyes trying to take in the environment but it posed a big threat, my eyelids were heavy and my head too.I squeezed my eyes back shut and relaxed, I didn't care about my environment anymore, it felt safe and conducive, not even the problems I was dealing with popped up in my head, I felt at peace.I suddenly felt a presence beside me, I assumed it was Chloe, she stirred and laid her head on my chest, snuggling deeper into me, and in turn, I wrapped my arms around her, in the process, I inhaled the scent of her hair and it sent an unexplainable calmness down my spine.It suddenly occurred to me that this is in no way Chloe's scent. And Chloe and I aren't even in a good place right now for her to be sleeping beside me. My nose suddenly caught her scent again, this time, my eyes popped open in shock.And to more shock, it was an unknown lady lying on my chest, looking closely, I suddenly realized that it was the lady from the club last night.What is she
Hayes's POV.I dragged my feet frustratedly into the club and went straight to the bar section."A shot please," I said to the waiter.This will make it the second time that I will be in a buzzing underground club ready to soak myself with some really hot liquor, all for the sake of heartbreak.When am I ever going to learn huh?First it was Elisha, and now Chloe. What exactly have I done to deserve this? Have I not been loving enough? Is there something that I am not doing right? It hurts because I truly loved Chloe more than I have ever loved another woman. She really held a place in my heart. Why did she have to hurt me like this when all I have ever done was to love her unconditionally. It hurts more because despite how hard I was trying to shut her out, somehow, I just couldn't and it was infuriating the hell out of me.I should hate her, I should shut her out and cast her away from my life for hurting me so bad, but somehow, all I could think of was her wellbeing, I couldn't s
Chloe's POV. I didn’t want Hardin to drive me home.I couldn’t look at him, not right now. Not after everything that had just unraveled like a cruel twist of fate in front of Hayes... his eyes, his trembling voice, his heartbreak. all because of me. I had caused it. I had made this mess.So I stood stubbornly by the curb, trembling, refusing Hardin’s extended hand and barely meeting his eyes when he called my name with that low, frustrated murmur.“Chloe, let me at least make sure you get home safe.”I shook my head furiously. “No. Just… just go, Hardin.”He exhaled, jaw clenched, torn between anger and concern. His eyes lingered on me for a beat too long. searching, but I couldn’t let him find anything. Not now.The taxi pulled up, and I got in without another word, slamming the door shut behind me like I was sealing off every horrible choice I’d made tonight.The ride was quiet, filled only with the noises from the street as we drove by. I sat with my head leaning against the cool