|•| ANDRÉ BAUDELAIRE |•|I could almost taste the relief on my tongue when I crept out of the shadows and saw the lights on in her room. My forehead automatically creased into a frown because, again, her windows weren't locked and her curtains were lazily pulled together, plunging my body into a reflex that made me clench my hands in a tight fist. But then, it soon dawned on me that my sense of protectiveness and anger right now was useless because my nature had driven a long-lasting wedge between us.I shut out those thoughts and moved swiftly across the street, closing the distance between the tree I was hiding behind and her apartment in a matter of seconds. A trail of excitement mixed with nervousness shot up my spine as I pushed the sheer curtains aside, but it was nothing compared to the satisfaction that filled me up when I caught her scent that lingered in the room.It came with a sense of newness that left me starving for more. It was as though I hadn't smelt her in ages when

|•| IRIS CORTEZ |•|I heaved a sigh out of boredom, tossing my phone into my clutch. I picked up my tumbler, taking a sip from the little rum that was in the glass as my gaze travelled lazily across the room pulsing with energy.Again, in the sea of the drunken crowd and sweaty bodies, music blaring from the speakers hidden somewhere in this ridiculously large Penthouse with its living room bedazzled in red neon lights, my eyes caught his for the umpteenth time.I wasn't quite interested at first. That was because I was bored out of my mind and I was beginning to think that coming to this party was one of the worst decisions I had ever made. Not counting the fact that it was lame, but the energy around here was only ruining my vibe.However, the lean blonde seated amidst his loud friends wouldn't stop glancing at me since I stepped into this party, and given that boredom tends to make me cranky, I didn't see a reason I shouldn't put up with whatever it was he had in mind.So, with my

|•| DESIRÉE DOYLE |•|I slipped into the Cafe, the thick glass door slamming itself shut behind me. I was instantly repulsed at the sight of the all-in-your-face decor and the bustling energy of my surroundings but I had skipped work enough to know that any other slip-up from me was going to be my ticket out of there, so I swallowed my revulsion, taking a step forward.My eyes instantly caught Charlotte's brown ones from across the room and her eyes lit up immediately. She threw me a childlike wave and my stiff lips stretched in a smile to reciprocate her excitement, even though she was the last person I wanted to be around right now.Charlotte had a way of being a pest with how inquisitive she could be whenever she sensed that something was going on with me. I wouldn't want to be the reason our friendship strains because I knew the new me wouldn't hesitate to go off on her if she pushed the wrong buttons.Funny how it has only been less than two weeks since my whole life crumbled and

|•| DESIRÉE DOYLE |•|I drowned out the eerie silence trailing behind me from outside when I stepped into my apartment. I switched on the lights, tossing my bag somewhere in the disorganised space. My muscles and limbs ached from standing all day and I could barely feel my legs. The only thing I wanted to do was to get in bed and sleep the whole day.I shimmied out of my jeans, kicked off my sneakers, and sauntered into the kitchen to fetch myself a glass of water.I didn't miss how weird the atmosphere seemed when I came back to the living room. It flat-out felt like I was being watched, goosebumps creeping onto my skin. The coldness from the inside radiated outwards and I felt myself shiver from the effect. Even if I wanted to dismiss everything. I couldn't dismiss the sheer curtains that were blowing fiercely. I mentally cursed myself for forgetting to lock the windows.I suppressed a shiver, garnering the courage to advance forward. I hastily dropped my glass of water on the centr

|•| DÉSIRÉE DOYLE |•|I stirred awake, catching a whiff of his aftershave lingering on the sheets that were carelessly wrapped around me.I pushed my hair off my face tiredly, my eyes drifting through the room, catching my panties lying carelessly away from the bed—a blush crept up my neck to my face—before it occurred to me that he wasn't in the room with me.Unlike the first time I woke up in bed with him to find him missing, I wasn't freaking out and going out of my mind. Instead, it gave me time to come to terms with the fact that we spent the entire night exploring our bodies. But somehow, I feared that it might not have been enough because I lacked experience in bed and I might not have been able to satisfy him last night.My chest twisted, and embarrassment washed over me. I didn't know why my insecurities decided to weaponize themselves against me, conjuring an image of a dark-haired bitch pleasing André in ways I never would. A frown mounted on my face, and I shook my head to