All Chapters of The Line I Shouldn't Cross : Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

40 Chapters

Chapter 1: The Topic We Shouldn’t Touch

"Liya said to wait inside. She’s running ten minutes late," I said. My voice sounded small and shaky, much tighter than I wanted it to be.I sat right on the edge of the cheap fabric couch. My laptop was open right on my knees. The screen glowed with the blank presentation slides we were supposed to finish writing together tonight.Leo did not answer me at all. He did not move away either. Instead, he dropped his weight down onto the cushion right next to me. The old couch dipped low, tilting me slightly toward him. He smelled like cold winter air, sharp soap, and the faint, bitter smell of tobacco. He was not wearing his usual leather jacket tonight. He just had on a plain black t-shirt that made his chest look wide in the dim light of the living room."She’s always late," Leo said. His voice was a low rumble. It was way too close to my ear. "But you’re early, Ivy. As always.""It is just professional," I muttered. I stared hard at the bright screen. My fingers hovered over the plasti

Chapter 2: The Daytime Freeze

I scrambled to the opposite end of the couch so fast my knee caught the edge of the wooden coffee table. The sharp pain did not even register in my mind. I jammed my laptop screen down fast, my chest heaving up and down as I stared right at the front door.Leo did not blink. The sudden heat that had been pressing against my neck vanished in a second. His face went totally blank, stripping away every single trace of that teasing look from a second ago.The front door swung open wide. Liya walked right in, dropping her car keys into the ceramic bowl by the entryway."Oh my god, Ivy, I am so sorry!" Liya called out, shutting the door behind her. "The traffic on Route 4 was a total nightmare. Tell me you didn't die of pure boredom while waiting."Before I could force a single word out of my dry lips, Leo stood up. The couch shifted as his weight left the cushion. He looked down at me with cold, unbothered eyes, treating me like I was nothing more than dust on the fabric.With a loud scoff,

Chapter 3: Shaking in the Dark

I pulled the woolen blanket all the way up over my face, staring straight at the glowing green numbers shining on my small bedside alarm clock.11:30 PM."Just sleep," I whispered out loud to myself in the dark. "Just stay right here in bed. He is just messing with your head."By 11:45 PM, I was walking across the dark campus quad, the freezing night wind cutting straight through my oversized sweater. My sneakers squeaked against the damp pavement as I neared the old campus gym. The building looked completely dead, a massive shadow standing tall against the starry night sky. I reached the side entrance, my fingers trembling as I gripped the cold metal handle of the basement door. I pulled on it, expecting it to be tightly locked, expecting to go right back to my room and prove to myself that this whole thing was just a sick joke.The door swung open inward with a low, groaning sound.The air inside the stairwell was thick and stale, smelling faintly of old rubber, sweat, and dust. I wa

Chapter 4: The Spill

"Come on, just blend," I breathed out, leaning so close to my dorm room mirror that my breath fogged up the glass.I jabbed the small concealer stick against my neck again, layering the thick beige cream over the dark, bruised mark Leo had left there last night. It was purple and bruised in the center, and no matter how much makeup I slapped onto the spot, the edges still peeked through like a neon sign. I yanked the collar of my shirt up high, pinning it tight with a small safety pin from the inside, praying to God it would stay put.Ten minutes later, I was crossing the main campus courtyard, my hands gripping the straps of my backpack like a shield. The morning sun was blinding, making my eyes sting after barely getting two hours of sleep."Well, look who finally decided to show up for air," a sharp voice cut right through the morning air.I stopped dead in my tracks. Standing right in the middle of the concrete path was Maria Cole, flanked by her usual shadows, Gloria and Meg. Mari

Chapter 5: The Wrong Set of Hands

I pulled the thick black hoodie over my head, letting the soft cotton swallow my soaked shirt completely. The scent of winter air and faint tobacco immediately wrapped around me, acting as a warm shock to my shivering skin. I yanked the collar up high, checking the locker mirror to make sure the dark bruised mark on my neck was completely buried under the fabric."Rough morning, huh?"I jumped so hard my locker door nearly slammed shut.Mason was leaning against the metal locker right next to mine, his arms crossed casually over his chest. He wore a loose gray jersey, his bright eyes fixed right on my face. When he saw me startle, he smiled softly, a deep dimple appearing on his cheek."Mason," I breathed out, my heart still racing from the courtyard disaster. "You scared me.""Sorry about that. Didn't mean to," he said, shifting his weight. He leaned a little closer, his head tilting as he examined my flushed cheeks. "I saw what happened out there with Maria. That was totally out of l

Chapter 6: Pulled from the Hallway

I violently jerked my head back, stepping away from Mason so fast his fingers dropped into thin air."I have to go," I muttered out, my voice high and entirely.Mason blinked, his hand still hovering where my face had just been a second ago. "Ivy? Wait, what about lunch? Are you okay?""I can't. I forgot I have a quiz in my next class," I lied, my eyes darting past his shoulder.Leo was already moving, his boots making a sharp, threatening sound against the floor tiles as he strode away from the dented locker, not looking back once. Jax scrambled to pick up the bouncing basketball, jogging to keep up with him. The sheer, explosive tension left behind in the corridor felt like thick static in the air."Ivy, hold on—" Mason reached out again, but I was already backing up, my sneakers hitting the concrete."I'll talk to you later, Mason. Thanks anyway!"I turned and bolted down the opposite corridor, the thick fabric of Leo’s black hoodie feeling heavy against my skin, shielding the cold

Chapter 7: Closet Confessions

The room went pitch black, smelling strongly of pine cleaner, bleach, and the sharp scent of cold winter air. My back hit the hard wood of the door so fast a sharp jolt ran straight up my spine. Before I could even open my mouth to scream, a broad palm clamped firmly over my mouth, cutting off my air."Shut up, Ivy. It's me," a low, ragged voice growled right against my lips.Leo.He let his hand slide down my face, but he did not step back. The janitor's closet was tiny, packed tight with shelves of plastic bottles and tall brooms. There was barely enough room for the two of us to stand, forcing our chests flat against each other. I could feel the fast, wild beat of his heart pounding against mine. His breath came in short, hot gasps, his chest rising and falling hard against me."Are you completely crazy?" I hissed, my voice a sharp, angry whisper in the dark. I raised my hands, shoving my palms right against his chest to push him away. It felt like trying to move a brick wall. "Let

Chapter 8: Breathing through the Wood

My hand shot up, slapping firmly over my own mouth. I clamped my fingers across my lips so hard the skin pinched, desperately suffocating the ragged gasp trying to burst out of my lungs.Maria was right there. Right on the other side of the thin wooden door.Leo did not drop me. He did not pull back an inch. He stayed anchored completely inside my space, his thighs keeping me pinned flat against the wood while my legs remained locked around his waist. The terrifying weight of the situation made my chest feel like it was collapsing. His chest heaved violently against mine, a frantic rhythm of hot air rushing between us in the dark closet.A single bead of sweat broke from Leo’s temple, trailing slowly down the side of his sharp jawline. He glared straight at the door, his eyes wild, his jaw locked so tightly that the muscles in his neck stood out in thick, rigid cords. He held me completely steady, his large hands squeezing my hips with strong pressure to keep me from sliding or making

Chapter 9: The Presentation Day

"Are you ready, Ivy?" Liya whispered, nudging my elbow as we stood at the base of the lecture hall stairs."Yeah," I lied, my voice cracking slightly. I adjusted the high collar of my button-down shirt, making absolutely sure the fabric didn't shift. "Let's just get it over with.""We've got this," Liya said, carrying her laptop up to the presentation podium. "The slides look perfect. I still can't believe we changed the topic, but you were right—it's way more interesting than trade routes."I didn't answer. My hands were shaking so violently I had to grip the edge of the wooden podium just to keep from dropping our printed notes. The lecture hall was packed, at least two hundred students staring down at us from the tiered rows. The hum of their voices sounded like a swarm of bees in my ears.I forced myself to look up, my eyes instantly darting toward the very back row.Leo was sitting right there, sandwiched between Mason and Jax. He was leaning back in his plastic chair, his long l

Chapter 10: The Bathroom Threat

I ignored Maria completely and turned right away, walking fast down the steps toward the exit."Ivy, wait up!" Liya called out as the lecture hall emptied around us, but I could not stop my feet."I'll catch you at the dorms, Liya! I really need to use the restroom," I yelled back over my shoulder, keeping my head down as I ducked into the first girls' bathroom down the quiet side corridor.I pushed the heavy door open, desperately needing to splash cold water on my face and calm my spinning head. The room was empty, smelling sharply of sweet cherry soap and bleach. I walked straight to the line of white sinks, leaning my hands hard against the cold marble edge. My heart was still hammering against my ribs from the way Maria had called me out in front of two hundred people.The heavy bathroom door groaned behind me.I looked up, catching the reflection in the mirror. Maria walked in, followed immediately by Gloria and Meg. Gloria turned around instantly, grabbing the brass lock on the

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