ELLA'S POVThe hallway was filled with the roar of hundreds of voices, bodies jostling together in the sea of students. But I barely registered any of it, too consumed by the memory replaying over and over in my mind - Trent's arms wrapped tightly around me, the warmth of his solid chest pressed against my own, the electric tingle of his lips moving over mine.I lifted a trembling hand to my mouth, my fingers ghosting across my tingling lips as if I could still feel the imprint of that kiss. Heat flooded my cheeks at the recollection and the desire unfurling in my belly. How was it possible for one person to upend my entire world with just a simple touch?Trent's husky murmur echoed through my thoughts - "I've always loved you, Ella." The words unlocked something deep within me, laying bare the truth I had fought so hard to deny for far too long. I was in love with him, irrevocably and overwhelmingly in love, and now there was no going back.I was so engrossed in revisiting every heat

ELLA'S POVRyan's arms were still wrapped tightly around me. At first, I froze, too stunned by the unexpected hug to react. But as the moments ticked by, panic began to set in. This was all wrong - the scent of his perfume, the roughness of his palms across my back, the way his heart hammered against my own. It made my skin crawl in a way I couldn't fully understand.Slowly, I placed my hands flat against Ryan's broad shoulders and gently pushed. "Ryan, I...I'm sorry, but I can't do this," I murmured, my gaze dropping to the floor.To my relief, Ryan finally loosened his grip. He stared at me for a long moment before he finally nodded. "I understand." There was an awkward silence. I couldn't bring myself to meet his gaze, instead fixing my eyes on a spot over his shoulder as I cleared my throat. "I think...I think it's best if you leave now," I managed. "Of course. Thank for that......" He trailed off.I nodded stiffly unsure of how to respond. As he turned to go, he paused at the

ELLA'S POVI sat on the bleachers, my gaze fixed on the court where Trent dribbled the basketball and weaved between his teammates. I smiled as I watched him sink a perfect throw into the net. He high-fived his teammates and as if sensing my eyes on him, Trent turned and grinned at me.I mouthed, "Looking good!""Can I sit down with you?"A soft voice startled me. I turned to find Amelia hovering beside me, her fingers twisting together nervously as she nodded towards the empty space on the bleacher.."Uh, yeah, of course," I stammered, scooting over to make room for her.Amelia sank down beside me, her shoulders hunched, her entire body radiating tension. She drew in a deep breath, her gaze fixed on her hands folded in her lap."Hey, are you okay?" I murmured, leaning in closer. "You seem...I don't know, really on edge about something."She shook her head. "I...I actually have something to tell you," she began, her voice barely above a whisper.My brow furrowed as I studied her prof

ELLA'S POVThe walk to school seemed to stretch endlessly before me as my mind kept replaying Ryan's suggestion over and over again. "How about becoming my own personal...Server? And private tutor."I worried my lower lip, the surprise proposal replaying in my mind. When I'd asked Ryan why he needed a "personal server" as he'd first put it, he'd clarified - not quite a server in the traditional sense, but more like an...aide of sorts. Someone to help out around his home, running errands, assisting with tasks and such. And the "tutor" part? Apparently Ryan was struggling in some of his math courses and could use extra academic support.At first, I'll admit, I was a bit taken aback by the job offering. An attendant and private tutor for one of my classmates? It seemed...highly unusual, to say the least. Not to mention, Ryan and I just got close. Why would he single me out like this?But then the dollar amount he'd quoted flashed through my mind, and I couldn't deny how sorely I needed

ELLA'S POV"Cheers!" We raised our glasses, the crisp clink of glass on glass ringing out in the crowded bar. Amelia, Susan and I had ended up at this trendy little cocktail lounge in downtown Westbury - Susan's choice, of course. She had insisted we all go out for a "girls' night" to celebrate my newly confirmed relationship status. "We have to toast your budding romance!" Susan had proclaimed earlier when she pitched the idea, waving her hands enthusiastically. "Celebrating love is the best way to attract it into our own lives, you know."I rolled my eyes at her logic, but couldn't help laughing. Leave it to Susan to turn any mundane event into some cosmic ritual meant to summon romance. "You know I literally just started dating Trent like a week ago, right?" I'd teased. "We're hardly a fairytale epic yet."Susan had fixed me with one of her patent looks. "Exactly, Ella! That's why we have to mark this moment - to ensure your new love story only grows stronger from here." She wink