The longer I looked at him, the more my anger simmered beneath the surface. He had an innocent face, one that seemed incapable of causing harm, yet he took a life. My fists clenched tightly as I felt my frustration boil over. In a moment of loss of control, I punched him hard across the face, and I watched as he wiped the blood from his mouth, his expression a mix of shock and something deeper.
“Why would you do something so terrible to someone like Mr. Collins?” I asked, my voice laced with disbelief, bracing myself for what I knew might be an empty response. He responded slowly, “I guess you don’t really understand what’s going on, do you?” I scoffed at his nonchalance. “What do you mean by that?” I asked, folding my arms defensively as I tried to read him. He looked at me, his eyes revealing a hint of pain. “The person truly responsible here is your dad. He exploited a poor man’s situation and forced him into committing murder.” His words struck me like a punch, and in a moment of raw emotion, I shoved him against the wall, gripping the fabric of his collar as chaos erupted in my mind. “Don't feed me that nonsense! What the fuck are you talking about?” He managed to push me away and straighten himself out, a disturbing calmness settling over him. “Listen,” he said, his tone shifting to urgency, “we’re both in this together. If you let the cops arrest me, I’ll expose your dad, the one who made all of this happen. I have proof—a recording. Or, you can let me go now, and I promise you’ll never see me or Olivia again.” I wanted to dismiss his claim, to shove it away as mere lies, but a nagging feeling in my gut suggested otherwise. My father’s sudden rise to fame, his apparent indifference to Mr. Collins’ death, and the way he seemed to avoid any conversation about it—everything was starting to make a twisted kind of sense. “Why is this happening?” I thought, grappling for control over my racing thoughts. “Have you thought about how Elian would react if he found out the truth about your dad?” His words lingered, and my heart sank. “If I’m arrested, it’s a losing game for both of us. I’ll provide the evidence, and your dad would be implicated. Plus, Elian wouldn’t look at you the same way ever again.” He stepped closer, invading my personal space, and I felt paralyzed by an overwhelming mix of emotions. “I know you love him,” he whispered, the weight of his words suffocating me. In that moment, I sank to the floor, running my fingers through my hair as despair washed over me. “Just get the fuck out of my face”I managed to seethe, and before I could say anything else, he slipped away into the shadows. Moments later, Elian and the police arrived. Elian rushed to my side, concern etched on his face as he knelt beside me. “Where is he?” a police officer asked, scanning the area. “I lost him,” I replied, feigning disappointment as they moved off in pursuit, making calls to the FBI. “Hey, Kay, what’s going on? You look pale,” Elian said softly, his voice filled with a worry that tugged at my heart. “I’m fine,” I replied, forcing myself to stand. “Do you really expect me to believe that? I know you're lying,” he persisted, his eyes searching mine for the truth. “I said I’m fine, just... let me be,” I insisted, feeling the walls closing in. “Kaelin, you’re not fine,” he countered, stubbornly refusing to back down. Frustration bubbled over, and I snapped, “Shut the fuck up, El, just leave me alone!” The words came out harsher than I intended, and I felt a swell of tears threatening to spill, but I wouldn’t let him see that vulnerability. I stormed out, climbed into my car, and lit a cigarette, a single tear escaping the corner of my eye as I wrestled with the chaos of my emotions.Rewrite the text to focus on Elian's perspective, maintaining the same events and themes as in the previous chapter.As I stepped into the classroom, my gaze instinctively swept around the room, secretly hoping to catch a glimpse of the new girl. Memories of our earlier encounter flooded my thoughts, how she had caught me staring—it made me smile. A few familiar faces looked our way, fidgeting with excitement, but Kaelin maintained his usual serious demeanor.“It's quite an impressive skill to chat away while everyone else seems completely uninterested,” Kaelin remarked, referring to Mr. Bates' notoriously dull lecture, and I couldn’t help but chuckle. Most of the class was glued to their phones, with only a handful of diligent students—I affectionately called them the nerds—actually paying attention. Kaelin’s funny comments about Mr. Bates kept me giggling, his humor lightening the mood even more.However, I quickly felt a chill sweep over me. Kaelin noticed immediately, sensing my
We slipped into the classroom through the back door, easing ourselves into the seats with a stealthy quietness. To my dismay, Kaelin and Elian were sitting right in front of us, blissfully unaware of our presence because we had chosen the rear entrance. “They’ll snub us anyway,” Ronald muttered, irritation heavy in his voice when I suggested we say hi. Mr. Bates was already at the front, droning on in a monotone voice that could easily be mistaken for the most tedious lecture in history.Elian sat there, laughter spilling from him in soft giggles as he and Kaelin were absorbed in their conversation, sharing some untold joke. Kaelin had his arms wrapped around Elian, a display of camaraderie that made me feel oddly envious. Meanwhile, Ronald was slowly succumbing to sleep, the sheer banality of Mr. Bates’ lesson pulling him under like a lullaby. With nothing else to occupy my restless thoughts, I found myself studying Elian’s profile intently.His hair was a cascade of soft, wavy brown
The chapter will be written from Olivia's point of view, but similar to the previous chapter.As I arrived at school, I was pleasantly surprised to see Ronald waiting for me by the gate. “Hey, are you waiting for me?” I asked, adjusting the straps of my backpack, a warm feeling spreading in my chest.“Obviously,” he replied, enveloping me in a warm embrace that felt reassuring .Our conversation quickly became lively, filled with laughter and shared stories. I couldn’t help but exclaim, “Wow! Kaelin is absolutely killing it with that outfit today!” It was a striking change from his usual all-black attire. The round neck white shirt he wore, paired with baggy navy pants, illuminated his features and infused an unexpected brightness into his typically enigmatic presence, making him seem even more captivating than usual.Ronald chuckled in agreement, and I glanced over at Kaelin, only to find my gaze unexpectedly meeting Elian's. He averted his eyes almost instantly, but I noticed, even i
We ended up getting to school late today, and I can't help but lay some of the blame on Kaelin. He took forever in the shower, and I was also caught up in trying to persuade him about what to wear. He insisted on sticking with his usual all-black outfit, but I felt today should be different—there's a time for everything, and not every day is meant for mourning. I wanted him to feel more comfortable and approachable, as I know his style can intimidate some of the other kids. In the end, I managed to convince him to wear something more colorful, and it was amazing to see how much that changed his demeanor. For once, he actually looked cheerful, which is a rare sight for anyone who knows him well. I ended up wearing his oversized clothes, but I didn’t mind—they felt comfortable.As we navigated through the bustling hallways, I asked him, “Hey, how’s the baby?” He looked a bit confused at first. I could tell he wasn't quite following me.“I mean, I thought you were having a baby in the sh
I woke up with a terrible hangover, my head pounding, and I instinctively reached for my phone to check the time. That’s when I felt Kae's hand resting gently on my waist, and it hit me — I was in his bed.What am I doing on his bed? I thought I was lying on the other side last night. I tried to get up quietly, hoping to grab my phone without waking him, but it was right by his leg. I lightly tapped him, whispering, "Hey, get up, or we’ll be late for school." He just hummed in response, curling deeper into his pillow.Looking at his sleeping face, I couldn’t help but notice how different he looked compared to when he was awake. There was a serene calmness about him that was almost jarring. Normally, he seemed alert and on edge, especially around others, which often worried me. But he never seemed that way with me.“Come on, Kae, get up or we’ll be late," I said, tapping him lightly again.“Who cares?” he groaned, barely opening his eyes.After a moment of hesitation, I decided to take
“Dad, I’m home!” I called out cheerfully as I stepped into our cozy kitchen, the warmth wrapping around me like a soft blanket. The unmistakable scent of simmering spaghetti sauce filled the air, mingling with the inviting aroma of freshly baked garlic bread. I dropped my school bag with a soft thud on the tiled floor, I was eager to embrace my dad, who was busy hovering over the stove, meticulously stirring the bubbling pot.“Did you find your classes engaging today?” he asked, his arms enveloping me in a warm hug, his rough hands brushing against my hair as he held me close. “Absolutely, Dad! Today was more than just interesting—I made a friend!" I said, my excitement bubbling up like the frothy sauce. “His name is Ronald, and I’m so grateful for the scholarship that opened the doors to such a prestigious school. It feels like a dream!”“That’s fantastic news, Liv! Anything else about your day you’d like to share?” Dad inquired, his brows lifting in encouragement as he adjusted the