All Chapters of Last Year - First Love : Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

Chapter 41The breeze rustled the leaves of the tree, carrying the faint sounds of laughter and chatter from the cafeteria across the yard. Annie sat cross-legged on the grass, her snack wrapper crinkling faintly as she fiddled with it. Claire, beside her, had just finished a sip from her water bottle, her face as unreadable as ever.“Not necessarily. But I’d like you to stop calling me a freak,” Annie had said, and to her surprise, Claire hadn’t shut her down. Instead, she had offered that half-dismissive mutter—Don’t give me reasons to.It wasn’t much, but to Annie, it felt like a crack in the fortress Claire had built.For a long moment, silence stretched between them again. Annie glanced at Claire’s neat lunchbox, then back at her own half-empty snack pack. Words buzzed in her head, restless, daring her to take a leap.“You know…” Annie began cautiously, “getting to know someone inside school isn’t always enough. The walls,

Chapter 43 By early afternoon, Annie arrived at Becky’s house, her stomach tight with nerves. Becky and Sussy were already waiting outside when Annie came rushing up the driveway.“You’re late,” Sussy teased, arms crossed. “You’re acting like it’s a wedding, not a hangout.”Annie ignored her, adjusting the strap of her bag nervously. “Do I look okay?” she asked Becky, spinning once.“You look fine,” Becky assured, giving her a once-over. “Relax.”Sussy smirked. “If Claire doesn’t like you by now, your jeans won’t save you.”Annie groaned. “Why are you like this?”“Because it’s fun,” Sussy shot back, laughing.They set off together, the walk to the amusement park buzzing with energy. Annie kept glancing at her phone, checking the time, her steps quickening as they neared the bright, towering rides in the distance.When they reached the gate, the three of them stood together, the crowd flowing

Chapter 45The amusement park glow lingered in Annie’s mind long after the Ferris wheel ride ended. When they finally spilled out of the gates, tired but buzzing with laughter, the air felt lighter somehow. Becky hugged everyone with dramatic flair, Sussy slapped Annie on the back hard enough to make her stumble, and Claire… well, Claire gave a quiet wave before heading toward the waiting taxi that had pulled up at the curb.“Later,” she said, voice calm but carrying just enough warmth to stick in Annie’s mind.“See you,” Annie replied, waving back.The trio parted ways not long after, each heading toward their separate houses. Annie trudged home with her stuffed bear tucked under her arm, the streetlamps glowing softly in the dark. She wasn’t expecting anything else that night. So when her phone buzzed just as she was about to collapse into bed, she nearly dropped it.Claire: I had a good time today.Annie sat up strai

Chapter 47The bean bags squished beneath them as the girls settled into a circle. Becky clapped her hands like an official referee.“Alright, ladies. Truth or Dare is the most sacred of sleepover games. And since it’s Claire’s house, she has to go first.”Claire raised a brow. “That rule makes no sense.”“It makes perfect sense,” Sussy countered, smirking. “Host starts. Non-negotiable.”Claire sighed dramatically but leaned back with calm resolve. “Fine. Dare.”Becky and Sussy gasped in unison. Annie giggled nervously.“She went straight for dare,” Becky whispered. “Brave.”Sussy tapped her chin mischievously. “Okay. I dare you to call your mom right now and say you want to sleep in her bed tonight because you’re scared of the dark.”Annie slapped her knee, laughing. “Sussy! That’s evil!”But Claire only smirked, picked up her phone, and hit the call button. She put it on speaker.“He

Chapter 49 The morning crept by slowly, each tick of the clock echoing louder in Annie’s ears as she sat perched at her window. Her chin rested against the wooden sill, eyes trained on the Williams’ compound across the street. The curtains fluttered slightly from the fan in her room, but she barely noticed. She had been waiting—watching—for Damien. Hours slipped by. She saw their gate open once, then twice, but it was only neighbors passing , Damien never appeared. Annie’s patience stretched thin, her legs cramped, but she stayed glued to her spot. By the time the wall clock struck two, a shadow moved across the compound. Annie’s heart skipped. Damien finally emerged, hands shoved into his pockets, walking quickly as though he was late for something. Annie ducked, heart pounding, waiting until she was sure he had gone far down the street. She leapt into action, rushing to her w