- KATE -My eyes meet the messages pasting on my phone screen in front of me and an annoyed sigh rattles out of my lips. I'm offended. I know I shouldn't be but I am. Who the fuck rejects the advances of a woman he's in an engagement with? That jerk Killian! I stamp my hand on the car seat and regret it instantly. My fist hurts. A humourless scowl escapes my mouth and I stare at my phone screen again. Killian's messages gets me angrier. 'I'm leaving first.''I also invited someone home. You might enjoy the company.'This makes me roll my eyes. Of course he thinks I'll enjoy the company of a random person when I have no say in this. When he shoved me away to do God knows what! I scoff. It could've been my fault though, My anger wavers by the thought. After all, I was out of balance and high. Very high. Even now, the effects of the drugs still rummage in my head like a breeze. I still don't think that was a good enough reason to discard me like that. "Turn around. Take me to my d
- HAZEL - "Hazel, I need you to trust me and if not my words, my actions." "Trust the things I do for you that I won't for anyone else."Killian's words replay in my head the moment the doctor leaves the room.I think I have trust issues. I'm sure I've had it since my incident with Tristan and that's why I've been backing away from the good thing right in front of me to the one I thought I had. I'm referring to Killian and Kaiden by the way. I chose Killian. Heck, he has made his mark and I will choose him again over any man I meet at the moment but I never imagined my stalling was linked to the fact that I'm afraid. Afraid of being broken again. Afraid of what may happen if we indeed end up together. Afraid of what will befall my friendship with my best friend when she finds out. Afraid of being vulnerable with someone and falling deeper than I already have. I purse my lips to the side, trying to think. I rejected his proposal so thinking about it now, I had no right to be hurt
- KILLIAN - I press my nose on her hair and inhale. She scents so nice that I shut my eyes just to enjoy the euphoria I got by her scent. I can tell the shampoo she used is raspberry flavoured. I clutch my arm around her stomach and pull her closer to me. Hazel is fast asleep. She's been asleep since the moment I laid her on the bed, then there's me, hours later, still fully awake doing my own way of protecting. I swallow. That wasn't much of protecting. My mind argues, drifting to our short-lived moment in my living room. What I did earlier, waiting till she screamed before releasing her was wrong. I exhale briefly out my nose, holding her closer to me. Her back presses hard on my chest and I cuddle her from behind. Back then, I heard her. I heard her call my name regarding her hands but I didn't listen. I chose not to because my sick self took delight in hearing her whimper in pain. I wanted to inflict more. It turned me on badly and I hate myself for it. That's why I needed
- HAZEL - As much as I'd enjoy being his bed potato and let him take care of me, I have classes to attend and a life to live. Hence, school resumes. And not even this cold can shield me from skipping school. Especially not when I barely escaped the first time I missed classes. I plug my ears with my air pods as loud chatter fills the hall the moment the professor exits. We have another class in fifteen minutes. I could go get some fresh air, but I won't risk it. I turn to the side and dip my hand inside my bag, taking my water bottle out. I open it and drink some water. Now I carefully drop it back and return to making highlights with markers on my book pages. I'm only marking the most important parts to reread later. We haven't had tests in a while and I fear it's right around the corner. The good part about that is if it happens unannounced, I'll be prepared. I check the time on my phone which is on the books on my desk. I have ten minutes till the next class starts. That's go
- KILLIAN - 'Can the dinner be tonight?' Kate's text drops after I send a last text to Hazel. I promised to clear my schedule for her so I will. 'Definitely.' I text her back. 'Take care of yourself.' I drop my phone on my desk and roll in my office chair, keeping my eyes on the silver necklace dangling on my finger. Hazel lost this at the pool. I took it off her when I held her in my arms while heading to my car. It's a wonder she doesn't remember losing it, I don't know if I should be offended or not. I plan to return it to her today, but I also plan to give her a ring. The one I'm staring at right now on my hand, the same hand that holds her necklace. I'm not sure if I want her to be my girlfriend just yet, but this ring definitely seals a lot of things between us. A sigh escapes my lips and I rest my back on my office chair, swinging a pen in my fingers. My thoughts circulate on the other matters disturbing me. So the file's gone, I thought, still playing with my pen, I sea
- HAZEL -I'm standing outside the familiar mansion I've grown accustomed to aside from home. Getting out of the car with a man by my side, I take a deep breath. Kate's words when she poured her eyes out to me earlier today replays in my head; Please Hazel, help me take my mind off things. Everything is so choking. My family, my soon to be marriage, school.... just come tonight with Kaiden and let's have a good time. Kate needs this so here I am. I didn't know how to tell her that I wouldn't be with Kaiden anymore so I'm doing this for her. I'm sure the least she would've wanted to hear was my breakup in that state. I sigh. I've been so occupied that I forgot to leave him. Even if I wasn't occupied, how would I have broken it to her that I dumped him when she told me about this dinner long when I was hospitalised? The least I could've done, if I actually proceeded to end things with Kaiden, was wait till after the dinner. She would approve of that. I give a long gaze at Killian'
- KILLIAN -I can't keep my eyes off her. And annoyingly, off him too. My jaw tightens and I flash piercing gazes at the two of them. We didn't get to meet later today and tonight was not what nor how I expected us to see again. But of course Kate's supposed 'dinner' involved Hazel. Who else do I know that she knows that has been within these walls? I should've gotten the hint since day one when she told me. Now I have to spend a few hours pretending to be interested in this conversation and whatever Kaiden is blabbing about. I hold a glass and pour myself some liquor. While the gentlemen are allowed to drink alcoholic drinks, Kate and her friend aren't. I roll my eyes for what seems like the tenth time this evening. I'd rather have Liam annoy my life than listen to another word that comes out of this human's mouth. I'm pissed. Sighting him with her ruined my mood. What the fuck are they doing together?Why on earth did I not realise that they hadn't ended whatever was going on b
- HAZEL -I look at myself in the mirror after washing my hands. Tonight was calmer than I expected. Aside from those death glares I got from Killian every second, everything seems to be going alright. At least he's not being rude. I sigh and straighten my hair. I think he's not being rude because he's barely indulging in conversations.Maybe that itself is rude? I can't tell. I mean, I should be cross about his recent words fired at Kaiden but in a small get together, or date, where I can choose to be mad, I chose peace. Plus, my heart has been racing every time Kaiden's hands touched me. It's fun to see rage and what I think is jealousy across Killian's face but Kaiden's hands on my skin starts to creep me out. It just feels so wrong. I press my lips on each other, spreading my lip gloss evenly around and pout. My lip gloss is drier on my lips and I didn't come to the restroom with my purse so I can't apply more. I let my thoughts drift away from my lips back to dinner. How I su