All Chapters of Last Year - First Love : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Chapter 11 The next morning came with a weight Annie couldn’t quite shake. She had slept, but not really rested. Damien’s smirk from under her window replayed itself over and over in her head until she wanted to scream into her pillow.By the time she got to school, she was already on edge. It didn’t help that Becky was practically bouncing in her seat when Annie walked in.“You look suspiciously cheerful,” Becky said, narrowing her eyes. “What were you doing last night? And don’t say homework.”Sussy leaned in with a grin. “Yeah, Annie. Someone looked way too happy on her phone.”Annie froze. “What? How do you—”Becky smirked. “Your mom’s WhatsApp status. ‘My daughter won’t stop smiling at her phone.’ Ring any bells?”Sussy gasped dramatically. “Ooooh, busted.”Annie groaned and covered her face with both hands. “She did not post that. No way.”“Oh, she did,” Becky said, looking way too ente

Chapter Thirteen The music was loud, the laughter louder, yet Annie felt smaller with every passing second. She had tried to blend in, to enjoy herself, but the buzzing noise in her chest wouldn’t quiet down. Her smile kept slipping, her fingers kept fiddling with the hem of her dress, and her eyes darted nervously around the crowded room.Adrian noticed.From across the party, he had been watching her—her unease, the way she hugged herself like a shield, how her friends were caught up in the fun while she drifted away. Something inside him tightened, and without overthinking, he made his way toward her.“Hey,” his voice was softer than the chaos around them, “you don’t look too good.”Annie blinked, caught off guard by his presence. “I’m fine—”“No, you’re not.” He offered a reassuring smile. “Come on, let’s get you some air.”Before she could protest, Adrian gently guided her out onto the balcony, holding th

Chapter 15 The rest of the school day dragged on like an endless punishment. Whispers trailed Annie in every hallway, the echoes of Emelia’s smirk haunting her with every locker slam and every hushed giggle. Even people she didn’t remember seeing at the party seemed to know her story—or at least, the twisted version of it. Becky and Sussy stayed close, like a protective shield, shooting dirty looks at anyone who dared to laugh too loudly.Damien, however, acted as though none of it mattered. He cracked jokes in between classes, distracting her when the silence became too heavy. It annoyed Becky and Sussy that he wasn’t taking the situation seriously, but for Annie, his presence felt like the one steady thing in the middle of a storm.The ClassroomFirst period was torture. As soon as Annie walked in, conversations dipped, and a ripple of stares followed her to her seat. She dropped into her chair, eyes glued to her notebook, preten

Chapter 16 The weekend crept in slower than Annie expected, dragging the heavy silence of unanswered questions behind it. She replayed Damien’s words over and over—He’s not who you think he is. They echoed louder than the whispers at school, louder even than Emelia’s smug laughter that had stalked her through the hallways.On Saturday morning, her phone buzzed again. Adrian.Adrian: Hey Annie, can we meet today? Just talk. I promise it won’t take long.Her heart squeezed. She stared at the screen, torn between curiosity and guilt. She hadn’t replied to his last message, partly because of Damien’s warning, partly because she didn’t know what to say.Becky noticed the frown when they met up at Annie’s house later. “Who’s texting you like it’s a life-or-death situation?”Annie locked her phone quickly. “No one.”Becky raised an eyebrow. “Uh-huh. Sure.”Before Annie could respond, Sussy chimed in, ploppin

Chapter 19 Annie woke the next morning with her pillow damp and her throat raw, as if she’d cried all night without realizing it. Her phone lay untouched on the nightstand, screen dark but heavy with unread messages. She didn’t need to check to know who they were from. Just thinking about it made her stomach twist.She moved through the morning in a haze, spooning cereal into her mouth without tasting it, nodding absently at her mom’s chatter. The silence between her words and Annie’s silence felt heavier than the clatter of dishes.On the walk to school, Annie braced herself for the whispers—but the hallways were strangely subdued. People weren’t staring the way they had the day before. Some still glanced, curious, but it was clear that the heat of the gossip had already begun to fade. Yesterday’s drama had been devoured, digested, and now the crowd was hungry for something new.Becky noticed it too. “Looks like the circus packed up an