The first thing she did was find Brook. She had to know why she’d published this. She’d asked for a draft, not the final revision! She found her in the room set apart for the class paper, shuffling through different documents.As Mia made her entrance, Brook looked up. “Ah. There’s my star writer. That article sure is making the rounds. I’ve never had so many requests for copies!”Brook looked genuinely chuffed. Did she not get the drama this was causing?“What the hell Brook? I thought we said a draft! I didn’t know you were going to publish the damn thing!”“What’s the problem? You were obviously happy with it. You wouldn’t have sent it otherwise.”Mia put her head in her hands. “I was…a bit drunk. I never would have sent it otherwise.”“Ohhhh,” Brook tapped the table. “That’s why there was so many spelling and grammar m

Mia had woken up earlier than usual. If she was going to pull this off, she had to be one of the first people in school.When she appeared at the breakfast table 30 minutes before the usual time, her mom raised her eyebrow.“Are you okay? You’re never down here this early.”Mia grabbed a piece of toast and coated it with a quick swipe of butter from the dish before taking a chunk out of the corner. “Yeah,” she said through a mouthful of crumbs. “Good. I need to get in early this morning. No time to stop.”Carla followed her daughter to the hallway, watching Mia place the bit of toast in her mouth so she could use both hands to pull on her shoes.“Does this have anything to do with the grand gesture you’re planning?”Mia grinned. “Maybe. Anyway. Gotta go.”Carla waved her off and hoped that whatever Mia was planning, it wasn’t going to get her into too much t

“Where the hell were you?”Carla was trying really hard to keep her voice down. She didn’t want the girls to hear them arguing. Not when they’d just given them a long speech about trying to get on. But Bob’s nonchalant attitude was really starting to grate on her.“I told you. I was in a meeting with an important client.”He wasn’t giving her a lot of direct eye contact. This only made her more suspicious.“And what about Mary-Jane’s phone? Why was that off too?”Bob sighed and went to the fridge. “Because she was in there with me. Honestly Carla, can you give this a rest now?” He pulled out one of the cans from the fridge and took hold of the ring pull.  “But even your office line wasn’t answered! Surely Mary-Jane steps out for calls?”Bob swung round to face her, his mouth set into a thin line. “It isn’t any of your busi

 “He used those exact words?”Tilly was perched on the edge of Mia’s bed while Mia proceeded to pull out every item in her wardrobe.“Yep. Part of me wish he hadn’t because now I’m even more nervous than I would have been.”She slumped onto her desk chair and looked at Tilly. After the big apology speech over the school PA, Tilly had phoned Mia later that night to forgive her. Mia had never felt so relieved in her life. Losing Tilly had reminded her what having a friend was like. Now she had her, she didn’t want to be without her.“Look. It’s going to fine. He’s seen you from looking like a mess to looking a million bucks.”Mia sighed. “True. But I don’t want to look like I’ve tried too hard, but also not like I’ve not bothered either…” Mia knew she was rambling, but she couldn’t help it.Tilly fished around on the floor am

Mia was lost. She was lost in him. The first kiss had been wonderful, but this was something more. It was as if this time neither one of them was holding back. The passion she felt was pure, yet addictive.As their lips moved against each other, Ryan’s grip around her waist tightened. He couldn’t get enough of her. He was sure it had never felt like this before. Not even with Savannah. It was as if Mia’s touch held something so powerful he could barely breathe.Neither knew how long they stayed locked together like that, their arms entwined, and mouths joined, and neither of them cared either. They were the only two people in the world in that moment, and nothing else mattered.But then Ryan felt something inside him shift. He could feel his hands itching to feel other parts of her that he was sure had remained untouched. As much as he wanted to give in to his urges, he respected Mia too much to go to fast. And they were hardly in the right pla