Nine Perfect Strangers Novels & Stories

Beneath the sheet was the body of a man in his 50s or 60s. "What's going on? If that's not Sophia, then where is she?"

I looked into his eyes — those beautiful eyes — and asked one last time, "Do you still love me?" He laughed like I'd said something funny, came back over, patted my head, and answered without missing a beat. "Of course I do. Don't overthink it. I'll be back tomorrow. We'll celebrate our anniversary then — I already made a reservation." He sounded so sure of himself. I nodded. "Okay. I'll wait for you." For the first time in nine years, I lied to him. I turned and started walking back to my room. But Jason — who had been in such a hurry to leave — was still standing by the door. He hadn't moved.

"I have something urgent. I'll come see you tonight. You're out of danger now. Let's leave the past in the past." In my head I almost laughed. “Yes. Let's leave all of it in the past.” Not long after he left, an Instagram notification lit up my phone. Sheila had tagged me in a video. She was in a nearly transparent white dress, kissing Julian at a pool party. So that was the urgent business. Watching it, I felt nothing. They could have been strangers. I opened a voice recorder and called every man who had been in those photos with Sheila. One by one, I got each of them on the record confirming the photos were real, and confirming the woman in them was Sheila.

"Hallie's a good kid. Your mother and I would be at ease if you two end up together." As I watched Hallie watering flowers with Mom, I found my answer. She understood me, respected me, and treated Mom with sincerity. This was the warmth I'd been searching for all along. When the news of our engagement broke, I wasn't bothered by the chaos back home in the slightest. Uncle Hubert told me that the Conners were on the brink of bankruptcy and that Elton had been arrested for fraud and attempted aggravated assault. Karma had finally caught up with them.

I opened the room door which had a big sticker of twenty-nine pasted on it and to my greatest surprise, I saw a guy lying on his stomach, watching a movie or so. It dawned on me that he watching porn when I heard the weird sounds coming from his laptop. He hadn't noticed my presence since he was very engrossed, so I quietly stepped out of the room and let out a big sigh of frustration. So this was my new roommate? Great! Just what I needed!

After Isak's old flame, Julia, came back to town, she made a bet with me: he gets nine chances to choose between us in life-or-death situations. The one he abandons for the ninth time has to walk away. I agreed. The ninth time, a single phone call from Julia was all it took for Isak to leave me on the side of the road again. "Drive! Go!" Isak's voice was sharp, laced with a panic I'd never heard before. I clutched the gunshot wound in my stomach, blood seeping through my fingers, staining my white silk shirt.

"No, you're Jenna. You've finally returned." Tears streamed down her face in thick rivulets. "I'm so sorry for letting you suffer for nine long years. But now, you have me, and all my love is yours. You don't need to be afraid anymore. That little wretch is gone. She got exactly what she deserved, just like that monster…" Fear coursed through Anna, making her body quake. She flailed in a desperate and weak frenzy, as if she might crumble into pieces. Mom rose, carrying a bowl of her ever-greasy stew. "Jenna, just drink a little…"

Lavi pushes Anna aside, shielding her but both of them are staring wide eyed at Nine. Her short dark hair has turned white and her eyes are glowing in a violet shade. Raising her hands, she shoots another purple blast at the men, separating them from Anna and Lavi. But Nine is on the other side of the barrier, trapping herself with Damien and his men. “Go!” She exclaims. “Just go!” “Nine-” Anna yells but Lavi pulls her away. “We have to save her!” Anna demands. “She will be fine!” Lavi assures her. “She knows what to do.”

However, she somehow made it look like I was the bad guy. I tried hard to keep down the fear and anger bubbling up inside me. "I'm sorry, Seth. I missed you so much that I forgot to knock." Seth was still a bit mad. "What took you so long?" My eyes started to tear up. "I heard that chicken soup tastes better if you let it cook a bit longer. That's why I'm late, Seth. Don't be mad, okay?" Janice snuggled up to Seth, blinking her big, doe-like eyes. "Seth, did you know Nevaeh climbed a snowy mountain just to get snowmelt for you?

He shyly smiled looking at his Dada who nodded him to go before he accepted Nine to hold him. "Oh my ..... Let me introduce myself. I am Nine William. You can call me Nine. Uncle Nine. And you"? He was standing beside Jack holding Evan in his embrace. Pulling for a conversation. "I... I am Evan. Evan Charles". He introduced himself with a serious tone and this time Nine laughed out hugging him tightly before kissing his forehead... "So what’s going on"? He turned to Jack, wrapping his free arm around his shoulder. "Nothing just a little photo-shoot. Our new Photographer is trying new camera. So". Jack told with a certain smirk, pulling himself closer to Nine. He didn’t miss even a single cha