When the bell finally rang for break and the statistics teacher rounded up his lecture, I was out of my seat in an instant. I headed straight for the door, needing to get out of that classroom ignoring the murmurs and stares. I needed to clear my head and make sense of what I'd just heard. I couldn't focus on the class, my mind kept drifting back to what had happened the night before and that morning. I was sure of one thing. I needed therapy. Romeo had done so much damage and it was going to take a lot of work to heal from it. It was my fault too. I could have stopped things from going as far as they did, but I hadn't. I'd let myself be swept up in the moment, and I regret it now. I was so stupid. Always easily deceived by his words and his innocent eyes. I felt so foolish, ashamed. My stomach twisted into a knot at the thought of everyone finding out what happened. I was afraid of the rumors that would spread about me. Obviously, I would be blamed and the topic of discussion woul

The song I was listening to ended just as I was preparing to get out of James' car. I watched as he climbed out of the driver's seat. The corners of my mouth curled upwards as I watched James approach my side of the car and open the door for me. I couldn't help but feel flattered, even though I knew he was only trying to be a gentleman. It was the little things that really mattered. "Thank you," I murmured as I stepped out of the car. "Anything for you," James replied, his eyes crinkling in a warm smile.As James had said in the text he sent to me earlier in the day, he had picked me up after school. He told me he wanted to show me something, but I also liked that we were at his house. It would be a nice break from the hectic day I'd had at school. At least, it would be a distraction from the stress and drama of the day, I would not be able to think about all that happened. I took a moment to look around, admiring the grandeur of James' home. It was a beautiful mansion, with lush g

"Prom night, prom night, prom night!" That was the phrase that echoed through the halls of our high school. It was all anyone could talk about, even though the date had not been announced yet. On Monday, which was yesterday, we were told that prom was coming up soon. And ever since then, that was the topic of every discussion. Everyone was buzzing with excitement, even though it was only April and prom was likely next month. But that didn't matter to my peers. They were already dreaming of that magical night in May when they would dress up and dance the night away. As I walked to my history class, I had my earbuds in, but I wasn't actually listening to music. I just wanted to give the impression that I was. To be honest, I didn't care what anyone was saying about me. I was used to being the subject of gossip, and I had grown numb to it. But lately, I noticed that people don't whisper and lean in close to each other when they see me coming. It seemed like they had gotten tired of t

Romeo had been out of my mind for the past week, but he had somehow found his way back in. Maybe that had been his goal all along — to make me think about him. Maybe that was why he had helped me out in history class, and why he was staring at me so intently. He wanted to get my attention, to make me think about him.And it seemed like he had succeeded. He had creeped his way into my thoughts, whether I liked it or not. Damn, I didn't like it. I hated that I was thinking about him. It was a little unsettling to think that he had such an effect on me. Just as I was thinking about the devil, Romeo walked into the English class. It was another class we shared. Everyone in the class fell silent as he came in. I was not surprised. He was the school's baddest boy. But, I found the silence annoying.I almost let out a hiss when I saw Samantha walk in too. Honestly, I was not jealous — I just didn't like her.I watched as Samantha took Romeo's hand, a huge smile on her face. She was head ov

"Oh," James muttered, his tone soft and confused.I avoided his gaze, not wanting to see the look on his face. He must have so many questions, so many thoughts. I didn't know where to begin explaining it all to him. I didn't know if I wanted to tell him everything going on."Should I leave?" He asked quietly. "You have a visitor."He paused, then added, "Your ex, I mean."The tone of his voice told me everything I needed to know. He was hurt, and I could feel the jealousy in his words even though he must be trying to hide it. I didn't know what to say.I swallowed hard and finally met his gaze. He had a blank look on his face, but I knew it was a facade. I knew he had a lot going on in his head. "Actually, I didn't have plans to see him. I have no idea why he's here," I explained. James said nothing, and I hated the silence. "You can stay if you want," I added, feeling the need to fill the void. James ran through his hands through his hair, looking away from me."I don't want to s