All Chapters of ONE KISS TO TAME THE BAD BOY : Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

[Ava’s POV]My books clatter onto the ground in front of me, pages and papers scattering across the tile, and I just stand there trying to take in the scene in front of me. Ryan has Sophie pressed against the lockers, his hands tangled in her hair, her mouth moving against his like they have all the time in the world. Ryan. My boyfriend of two years. The one person I would do everything for. The one person who ever made me feel useful. My stomach drops so hard I feel it in my knees, but I force myself forward anyway, each step sharper than the last. The two of them are so lost in each other that they don’t notice anyone else until I am close enough to touch.Ryan pulls back first, lips still shiny. He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand while Sophie tries to straighten her dress, the wrinkled fabric only making everything look worse.“Come on, Ava, it’s not what it looks like,” Ryan says, stepping toward me. I take a step back.“It’s not what it looks like?” My voice comes out

[Ava’s POV]Kyle bends down without a word and starts gathering the notebooks and pens still scattered across the tile. He picks them up one by one, stacking the books neatly and sliding the smaller things into the front pocket of my bag like he has all the time in the world. Every movement draws more eyes. People who had started to drift away now stop again, watching him handle my things as if this is the most interesting show of the morning. When the last paper is tucked away he zips the bag closed and holds it out to me.I take it from him, push the rim of my glasses higher on my nose, and shut my locker with more force than necessary. Then I turn and walk as fast as my feet would allow. My shoes hit the floor harder than usual, but I can still hear his footsteps following at an easy pace behind me. The crowd parts without anyone saying a word. They step aside for him, not for me, and the stares that land on my back are a strange mix of anger and something sharper, something th

[Ava’s POV]The second I push through the back door the noise hits me like a wall. Bass thumps so hard I feel it in my teeth. Colored lights sweep across bodies that move too close together. Women in dresses that barely reach mid-thigh laugh too loudly. Men watch them with eyes that stay too long. I keep my head down and walk faster, the change of clothes clutched tight against my chest.In the staff room, I strip out of my ordinary jeans and sweater and pull on the uniform they make us wear. The top is lower than anything I would ever choose. The skirt sits higher on my thighs than feels safe. I stare at myself in the cracked mirror for one second, then look away. Staying home will not pay for Theo’s medication. Staying home will not keep the lights on. I push the door open and step onto the floor.Two of the other girls are already stacking trays. One of them glances up and grins.“You’re a little late today, Ava. What’s wrong?” she asks, tilting her head.The second girl leans o

[Ava’s POV]Morning light slips through the thin curtains earlier than I want it to. I sit up slowly, rub the sleep from my eyes, and force myself out of bed. The apartment is quiet except for the soft sound of Theo moving around in the small kitchen. I pull on a plain sweater and jeans, tie my hair back, and join him.I make eggs and toast the way he likes them, nothing fancy, just enough to fill us both. We eat at the narrow table without talking much. When the plates are empty I reach for my bag.“I can drop you at school first,” I tell him.Theo shakes his head, already standing to rinse his plate. “I’m fine. You should just go ahead. I don’t want to make you late.”I watch him for a second, then nod. He is getting older, more independent, and some days that makes the weight on my shoulders feel heavier instead of lighter. I grab my backpack, check that his medication is still on the counter, and leave.The walk to the academy feels longer than usual. Every corner I turn, I half

[Ava’s POV]I stare at Kyle, still standing in the courtyard with his hands in his pockets and that unreadable expression on his face.“What could you possibly have to tell me?” I ask, my voice tighter than I want it to be.He steps closer and rests both hands lightly on my shoulders, the touch steady enough to keep me from moving away. A small smile pulls at the corner of his mouth.“Relax, little kitten,” he says, eyes warming just a fraction. “It’s just something that might make you a little happy.”I feel my brows draw together. The nickname catches me off guard more than the words themselves. I push lightly against his chest with one hand, trying to create space.“Just say it already.”Kyle reaches behind him and pulls out a folded piece of fabric. He holds it out toward me without another word. I take it carefully, still watching his face, then unfold the material. It is a jersey. His jersey. The name WEST is printed across the back above a bold number, the same one I have seen