“Do I have to go?” “No, you don’t, but it would mean so much to me if you came along.” Lyon had informed me about the anniversary of the Biggs industry nationwide last week and invited me to the party hosted at the company, but I forgot about it. It wasn’t my fault; I had a lot in my head. Without the constant reminder, I was bound to forget. The clinical training at the hospital was extended by two extra weeks at the request of the university, which had pushed their resumption to the next three weeks. The reasons were yet unknown, but after a little research and asking a few coursemates at the university, I learnt there was an ongoing outbreak of cold flu at Oxford, and the university was holding off resumption until they could determine containment or vaccines for the flu. It was just two weeks, and I didn’t complain much about the change. We were in the eighth week, and with the added weeks, it would be ten weeks of training in total. We were days into the ninth week already, and

“You have any plans made for your birthday? It’s also the last week of your clinical.” Jordan asked as I dropped from his bike, and we both unfastened our helmets.I had gone out with Jordan on a dinner date after work because it had been a while since we had seen each other. Jace had taken control of my mind and made himself the centre, so I no longer had time for myself and my friends.Jordan reached out to me while I was at work and asked if I was up for dinner much later to catch up on the last few weeks, and I agreed. It turned out he had found a girl he liked, and I was happy to hear that. She was the nurse who came to check on his mother every week. He told me he liked her and wanted to ask her out, but felt hesitant. When I asked why, he told me she was older than him. I told him if he liked her, he should go for it.We laughed, and he asked me if I had finally worked things out with my mystery man. It wasn’t a yes or no answer, and so I told him I was working on it. I told him

I didn’t get a call from Jace for the next few days that went by, not that I expected it. This was his routine: silence when things get too complicated. I had to stop myself from picking up my phone and calling him as well. I had gotten addicted to him in the past month, and he stayed on my mind every night and day. This, though, was never necessary for my mind. I left the ball in his court. If he felt anything for me like I did for him, he’d take the bold step and do what needed to be done. Every day, I prayed he would make the right one. The wait was killing me.As my birthday date drew closer, Jordan and Lyon joined forces to make preparations for it. The party would hold here, but I knew my choice to make the party relatively small would go unheeded. Lyon ignored my request, and it didn’t surprise me. I returned home from work and met them to brainstorm the last few details, and after showering, I joined them to observe them.Jordan and Lyon’s ability to work together came as a sur

I turned around to Jordan, whose presence the men that came to speak to me ignored for over three minutes.“I’m sorry,” I told him, but he shook his head.“It’s fine. I didn’t know you had so many of them.”I rolled my eyes. “They have this club. They are all in it.” I explained. “I think it was called The Island Billionaire Boys when I was younger, and I did not know if it was still the name they called it. They are business partners turned good friends, and they check up on each other from time to time. Some are closer than others.” This was the best I could go with explaining, and Jordan seemed to catch up on it real quick.“Good to know.”Two hours into the party, the party spirit was anything but done. I, however, felt exhausted, partly from the stress of the day and partly from not seeing the one face I wanted to see in the crowd.Everyone of Lyon’s friends was here, including Prince Harris, who barely showed up for just anyone, but Jace was nowhere to be found, and I wondered if

Estelle Biggs“Damn!” Jeff cussed as he hit his release before pulling out.Estelle lay in bed with her eyes fixed on the ceiling, just as she was when this whole act started. Saying she wasn’t into him would be an understatement. She hadn’t been into it in the last three months since they began dating and having sex, but she knew that wasn’t healthy. She needed sex; she needed that heart-racing, leg-quaking feeling that made her feel like she’d been taken.The only one who came close enough was Jared, her ex, but he proposed marriage after six months of being together, and she told him she couldn’t marry him. Not because there was anything wrong with him—goodness, he was perfect—but because she wasn’t good for him. Not at that time. She was in a deep, dark place, and she made some very poor choices.She ended the relationship a week later because she couldn’t stand to see the look of hope and optimism his eyes had for her. Also, she declined his offer of friendship because she knew it