Three months later...Lilly's POV"Lilly, it's your turn," Mrs. Garcia said, pulling me out of my thoughts and urging me to read my line.I shook my head as my eyes scanned the words written over the script in my hand, "It's just, I don't find this story realistic in any way," I commented, "What's the whole point of the lead girl? She is sad, she is weak and fragile," I scoffed, "And then just like that a guy comes and saves her. The feminist in me can't accept that!""No, no, it's not like that at all!" Mrs. Garcia said, offended by my accusations toward the main character in her play, "She has just been making all the wrong choices in her life, she didn't care about herself enough to make the right choice," She added, "She is a bit reckless, a little immature at times, but definitely not weak.""Somehow, she always picks the bad guys for her and that's how she reached here.""Sounds pretty realistic to me," Chase said from beside me, his lips curled up as his eyes traveled from Mrs.

Lilly's POVWaking up next to Chase, wrapped up in his warm embrace, wearing his clothes and smelling just like him, are things that I can get used to so easily.But I probably shouldn't, considering in a couple of months, he might not be here for me to do that anymore. Still, that won't stop me from sneaking these pleasurable moments and enjoying them as long as I can.My fingers gently moved up the side of his neck and made their way to his defined jaw. His light subtle brushed against my fingertips till they reached his soft kissable lips. I traced the lower one with my finger and contemplated on the idea of kissing him. Asleep or not, I really don't care. I've missed him like crazy.The logical part of my brain argued and flashed the words sexual assault in big red letters. I groaned in annoyance and my fingers resumed their discovery, tracing every little details. They moved up his nose and stopped by the threshold of his eyes.Sensing my touch, lines formed between his eyebrows

Lilly's POVNerves jack-hammered my heart and wrapped around my throat, the anxiety slipping all over my spine as I stood there waiting for his reaction. I felt him stiffen a bit, shock and pure confusion emanated from his eyes in waves."Zack?" He asked, like he couldn't comprehend the thought, "How is this Zack's fault? I don't get it."I swallowed down the nervousness tightening my throat and explained, "On the game day, they were going to pick up the best player on the team for a full scholarship, and Zack wanted that scholarship so bad, so he exchanged Chase's medicine with something else," The thought alone had anger rushing back to my chest and my jaw tightened, "It triggered his attack, which had the coach discarding him from the game, which removed the actual best player from Zack's way."With every word I said, the shock in his eyes doubled and for a moment I got scared he might not believe me. Zack is his nephew after all. If he went and asked him, Zack would definitely dec

Chase's POVAt the moment, everything felt so uncertain.What will happen next, is still an unknown. Will I ever be able to get through this and pull myself back up? I have no idea.I still feel lost and out of character. I am still angry and hateful toward life for this cruel twist in events.But, when she laid her head over my chest like this, when her arms wrapped around me, that wild muscle beating against my ribcage calmed down a bit. The voices throbbing against my skull became a fading echo as a peaceful comfort rushed down my veins, and for the first time today, I felt relaxed.For the very first time today, I could breathe. In and out, without the pain pressing up against my chest.I let my eyelids drop as my cheek pressed against the top of her head and her flowery scent invaded all of my senses.It was insane, how much I felt for this girl. It was even crazier that somehow, she felt the same.She edged her head back a fraction and looked up at me. Her eyes fell on mine, the

Zack's POVMy fingers tightened over the ticket in my hand, my eyes tracing the time written in big bold numbers, my brain calculating how much time I have left, wondering if there is one place I can stop by before leaving for good.My gaze flickered from the piece of paper to my uncle, "Your mother also agreed to this," He said, the muscle of his jaw worked as his eyes drifted away, as if he couldn't stand to be here now, looking at me, talking to me."Your bad grades, the drugs, and everything that happened was enough for the school to kick you out," He clarified, and I understood, our Ivy league school won't accept someone like me trashing its reputation, "You'll stay with your aunt in Texas, your papers are already transferred to a school there," He added, totally unbothered, "I am not sure if you will be able to graduate this year, and you already know that you lost the football scholarship for university, so whatever you're gonna do, it's all up to you from now on."The way he t