The memory of the kiss lingered on my lips, even after the sweetness had faded. It wasn't just the kiss, but the way Nico had held me, the warmth of his hand on my cheek, the way his eyes had met mine, filled with something I couldn't quite define.Sleep was impossible. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Nico's face, heard the echo of his laughter, and felt the phantom press of his lips against mine. I tossed and turned, the sheets tangled around my legs like a restless sea.I had tried to stay away from him, convinced that distance was the best cure for the growing attachment I felt towards him. But distance, I realized with a bitter smile, had only made the heart grow fonder.The night replayed in my mind like a film on fast-forward. The elegant ballroom, the swirling music, the laughter and chatter of the guests. And then, Nico appeared out of the crowd, his eyes seeking mine alone.There had been a spark, undeniable and electric, from the moment our eyes met. We danced, our bodies

34."He did what?" Ariana sat star-struck almost dropping her raspberry smoothie.After our class ended, Ariana, Claire, and I decided to hang out after I had written an emergency text on a group chat Ariana created for purely gossip and boys…not a single thing about books."Wait he said he liked you ... then asked you out?" Claire did a run down of what I had made mention of before.I nodded, covering my face in my palms. What was I supposed to do now?"But why are you girls surprised though?" Claire had this sly smile on her face. "I thought we all saw this coming."Claire was right. A blind person could see through Michael's feelings for me. I just chose to ignore it because I never wanted to be over myself or wrong, so I ignored every green light I saw, hoping it would come to nothing. Besides, I didn't want to get involved with any guy yet.'Any guy except Nico……'"So…?" Ariana sipped from her drink, very loud. A very evident sign that she was curious about my next action."So wh

The body lay on the ground completely motionless. I moved to have a closer look."Step away from him," Thomas growled.They came in their numbers. I had never seen so many of them. I could only recognise Richard and Lola, the rest were unknown.I moved back in fear of being hurt by ferocious humans who may have just had another human for dinner. They all glared at me, wanting to pounce on me I could tell. My steps withdrew with caution as I watched Richard cover Nico with a jacket.Somehow their clothes were all ripped and they managed to wear it that way, except for Nico who they brought an extra jacket for."This will not go unspoken about," Thomas warned with dead eyes "I would let this go for tonight because we don't have that luxury of time and because for some reason alpha Nico fancies you…..but the next time I see you….be sure to explain what you were doing here," he carried Nico and paused to eye me for one last second before he ran off with the other.I tried to avoid Lola's

A few years ago…..I stared at Nanny suspiciously. "You want him to date her Nanny?"Nanny sighed deeply and dropped her knitting rope. "I am not saying she has to be the one he would date. All I am saying is that your papa should have the chance to love again, after the painful loss of your mama." Her eyes held pity."But what if….what if I don't want him to? What if he forgets Mama?" my chin dropped.Dad deserved all the happiness in the world, but at this moment I wasn't sure if dating my school teacher was one of them. I didn't want to have a school teacher as a stepmom, and maybe also because I wasn't prepared to let go of Mom just yet and accept another, something I also expected from Dad."Oh child," Nanny stretched out her hands to reach mine. "Loving someone doesn't make a person forget those who are important to them. If your Dad finds happiness in Miss Penelope … be rest assured that your Mama would want him to stay happy, she would want him to give a second chance with lov

The bus rumbled through the morning mist, each groan of its engine echoing my internal turmoil. My mind, still reeling from the whirlwind of emotions I and Nico had shared. His words were laced with a bitterness that surprised me.Nico's hatred for his father was a topic he'd broached with a fierceness that made me somehow uncomfortable. The anger in his voice was so raw and unfiltered, it contrasted so much with his carefree, sarcastic, and ultimately gentle side he had only been bold to reveal to her. Speaking about his dad was a glimpse into a darkness he usually kept well-concealed, and it shook me.The memory of my stupid question to Nico flashed through my head, causing a hard groan from my throat that made me groan, a sound swallowed by the bus's roar. After the heat of our shared vulnerability, I blurted out;"So... does this mean we're, like, a thing now?" The question, dripping with teenage insecurity, had hung in the air, heavy and awkward. Nico's silence was followed by a