Who knew I'd enjoy being housebound? Enjoying it so much in fact, that I'm reluctant to pack a bag for the week Priya and I promised our parents we'd spend with them over Christmas. I actually considered faking an illness, but Priya pointed out that wouldn't help because knowing Amma, she'd turn up on the doorstep to look after me here instead."I've promised Kira and my parents I'll stay home for a bit too, then hopefully something else will have happened so the paps won't still be camped out outside here and we can get back to a normal life." Kenji tells me, although I notice he's yet to release his arms to allow me to leave the bed and get packing."I know. And I know it's just a week. I hate myself for being this girl." I roll my eyes, pushing against his arms which tighten, pulling me closer to him as he rolls above me, his hair still scruffy from sleep."I love that you're being this girl." He leans down to kiss me. "It makes me feel better about missing you as much as I know I

My parents are pretending Kenji doesn't exist. He's become a taboo subject in my house without anyone officially announcing the fact, but any time my cousin's mention his name, they are silenced and the subject is quickly changed. On Christmas Eve, Danny comes to visit and my parents dote on him as though he is royalty, but even his passing question about whether Kenji would be visiting was quickly diverted by my Amma piling our old photo albums onto the table in front of him, insisting she go through each one with him so she can point out whether it's Priya or I in each one.While we're sitting there quietly, my phone starts vibrating in my pocket and seeing Kenji's name on the screen, I excuse myself to talk to him in the privacy of my own room."Hey." My stomach flutters like it's filled with butterflies when I hear his voice."Hi, how are you?" I whisper back, locking my bedroom door so no one walks in while I'm talking to him."Are you at home? Can you talk?" He asks and he's wh

"Are you sure I look ok?" I ask my friends, turning my body left and right to look in Rory's mirror. Tonight is Kenji's work party thing and I spent a small fortune on a dress, dragging my friends along and also texting pictures to Akira to get her approval too.It's a figure hugging black dress that reaches my knees, with a v neckline and sheer long sleeves, then, just because it's a music party, the entire thing looks like it's been doused in glitter. I loved it in the shop and everyone agreed it was perfect, but now I'm dressed and ready to leave, I'm not sure if I should be wearing something entirely different. I might be underdressed or even overdressed.If Kenji turns up wearing jeans, I'm changing!"You look stunning." My sister tells me, holding out the silver necklace that I chose from Shane's mum's collection earlier and everyone else voices their agreement, but my nerves are making me doubt everything."Listen…" Rae takes my hands in hers and pulls me away from the mirror.

"Bye, see you tomorrow." Maeve calls out as she and Maeve leave me in the lecture hall, my eyes on Michael Carpenter as he packs away his paperwork."You got a ninety-seven, will that do?" He sighs. Almost as if he senses me there, he places my repeated assignment onto the desk in front of me without looking up. "Yes, thank you so much." I clutch the paper to my chest and grin from ear to ear."This was a one time arrangement Jeniliya, you are a very capable student but I cannot make these sorts of arrangements again." He says, sitting down and looking at me over the rim of his glasses. "It's not fair on the other students and more importantly, I don't have the time for it.""I understand, thank you. Thank you so much." I'm so happy I'm practically dancing from foot to foot in front of him."Ok, go, do whatever it is you do to celebrate." He waves his hand at me and I bow, because apparently my brain isn't working properly. Michael chuckles and returns to sorting papers as I swiftly

I sit on my bed staring at my phone, I'm not sure what time it is or how long I've been sitting here, but I just can't bring myself to move. Texts come through, making my phone buzz in my hand but it's like my brain's shut off because I can't fathom quite what they say. Well, at least that part of my brain isn't working, there's another part that is more than active. The part that's going wild about the fact that Kenji actually thought I'd slept with those men. I never doubted him, even with the photos, but he didn't even question it, I can't shake that look in his eyes from my mind. He didn't trust me and without trust, how can we say we're in love? It feels like I've been in a sort of bubble since getting together with Kenji, there's been so much drama, one way or another, maybe that's why it feels like we've fallen for each other so quickly. But what do we really know about one another? Why do we like each other? Aside from physical attraction? Do we even have anything in common?