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

20 Chapters

Chapter 1: The Topic We Shouldn’t Touch

"Liya said to wait inside. She’s running ten minutes late," I said, my voice tighter than I wanted it to be.I sat on the edge of the fabric couch, my laptop open on my knees, staring at the presentation slides we were supposed to finish tonight.Leo didn't answer. He didn't move away either. Instead, he dropped his weight onto the cushion right next to me. The couch dipped, tilting me slightly toward him. He smelled like winter air, sharp soap, and the faint, bitter trace of tobacco. He wasn’t wearing his usual leather jacket, just a black t-shirt that made his shoulders look twice as wide in the dim light of the living room."She’s always late," Leo said. His voice was a low rumble, way too close to my ear. "But you’re early, Ivy. As always.""It's professional," I muttered, staring hard at the screen. My fingers hovered over the keyboard, completely frozen. I wanted to shift to the other side of the couch, but that would show him he was getting to me. On campus, Leo made a sport ou

Chapter 2: The Daytime Freeze

I scrambled to the opposite end of the couch so fast my knee caught the edge of the coffee table. The sharp pain didn't even register. I jammed my laptop screen down, my chest heaving as I stared at the front door.Leo didn't blink. The heavy, suffocating heat that had been pressing against my neck vanished instantly. His expression went totally blank, stripping away every single trace of that intense, teasing look from a second ago.The front door swung open. Liya walked in, dropping her car keys into the ceramic bowl by the entryway. "Oh my god, Ivy, I am so sorry! The traffic on Route 4 was an absolute nightmare. Tell me you didn't die of boredom."Before I could force a single word out of my throat, Leo stood up. The couch shifted as his weight left the cushion. He looked down at me, his eyes cold and completely unbothered, as if I were nothing but a piece of dust on the fabric.With a loud scoff, he flicked his wrist. My notebook went flying off his lap, hitting the hardwood floo

Chapter 3: Shaking in the Dark

I pulled the blanket all the way over my face, staring at the glowing green numbers on my alarm clock.11:30 PM."Just sleep," I whispered to myself. "Just stay in bed. He’s messing with you."By 11:45 PM, I was walking across the dark campus, the freezing wind cutting straight through my oversized sweater. My sneakers squeaked against the damp pavement as I neared the old gym. The building looked completely dead, a massive shadow against the night sky. I reached the side entrance, my fingers trembling as I gripped the heavy metal handle of the basement door. I pulled, expecting it to be locked, expecting to go home and prove to myself that this was all a sick joke.The door swung open with a low, heavy groan.The air inside was thick and stale, smelling heavily of old rubber, sweat, and dust. I walked down the concrete steps in total darkness, my hand scraping against the cold wall until I reached the bottom. A single dim bulb flickered at the end of the narrow hallway, casting long

Chapter 4: The Spill

"Come on, just blend," I breathed, leaning so close to my dorm mirror that my breath fogged up the glass.I jabbed the 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, almost black in the center, and no matter how much makeup I slapped onto it, the edges still peeked through like a neon sign. I yanked the collar of my shirt up, pinning it tight with a small safety pin from the inside, hoping 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 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 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. Maria was wearing a crisp white designer j

Chapter 5: The Wrong Set of Hands

I pulled the heavy black hoodie over my head, letting the thick cotton swallow my soaked shirt. The scent of winter air and tobacco instantly wrapped around me, a warm shock to my shivering skin. I yanked the collar up high, checking the locker mirror to make sure the dark bruise on my neck was completely buried under the fabric."Rough morning, huh?"I jumped, my locker door nearly slamming shut.Mason was leaning against the metal locker right next to mine, his arms crossed over his athletic build. He wore a loose gray jersey, his bright eyes fixed right on my face. When he saw me startle, he smiled, a deep dimple appearing on his cheek."Mason," I breathed, my heart still racing from the courtyard disaster. "You scared me.""Sorry. Didn't mean to," he said, shifting his weight. He leaned in closer, his head tilting as he examined my flushed cheeks. "I saw what happened out there with Maria. That was totally out of line.""It's fine. I'm fine," I muttered, staring down at my wet sne

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 blurted out, my voice high and entirely frantic.Mason blinked, his hand still hovering where my face had just been. "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 heavy 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 heavy static."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 heavy against my skin, shielding the cold coffee stain and t

Chapter 7: Closet Confessions

The darkness was absolute, smelling of pine cleaner, bleach, and the unmistakable, heavy scent of winter air and tobacco. My back hit the hard wood of the door, the impact sending a jolt up my spine. Before I could scream, a heavy palm clamped down 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 didn't move away. The janitor's closet was tiny, cramped with shelves of plastic bottles and heavy brooms. There was barely enough room for the two of us to stand, forcing our chests completely together. I could feel the rapid, violent thud of his heart hammering against mine. His breath was coming in short, harsh gasps, his chest rising and falling heavily against my breasts."Are you completely insane?" I hissed, my voice a sharp, furious whisper in the dark. I raised my hands, jamming my palms right against his broad chest, trying to push him back. It felt like trying to move a bri

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 heavy, ragged gasp trying to burst out of my lungs.Maria was right there. Right on the other side of the thin wooden door.Leo didn't drop me. He didn't pull back an inch. He stayed anchored completely inside my space, his heavy thighs keeping me pinned flat against the wood while my legs remained locked around his waist. The sheer, terrifying weight of the situation made my chest feel like it was collapsing. His chest heaved violently against mine, a frantic rhythm of hot, heavy air rushing between us in the suffocating blackness of the 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

Chapter 9: The Presentation Day

"Are you ready, Ivy?" Liya whispered, nudging my elbow as we stood at the base of the massive 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, hi

Chapter 10: The Bathroom Threat

I just ignored her and left the hall "Ivy, wait up!" Liya called out as the lecture hall emptied, but I couldn't stop."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 corridor.I pushed the heavy door open, desperately needing to splash cold water on my face. The room was empty, smelling sharply of synthetic cherry soap and bleach. I walked straight to the line of porcelain sinks, leaning my hands against the cold marble edge. My heart was still hammering against my ribs from Maria's public call-out.The heavy bathroom door groaned behind me.I looked up in the mirror. Maria walked in, followed immediately by Gloria and Meg. Gloria turned around instantly, grabbing the heavy brass lock on the inside of the door and twisting it until it clicked into place."Going somewhere, Ivy?" Maria asked, her voice echoing off the tiled walls. She didn't look sweet anymo

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