NORAI rushed into the house, shutting the door behind me with a slam. My heart was racing, and I leaned back against the door, my hand pressed against my chest. I closed my eyes, trying to calm my racing thoughts and the steady blushing mess I was becoming. And then I opened them, looking up and finding myself staring into the stern face of my father. He was standing in the hallway, his arms crossed over his chest, a scowl on his face. "Where have you been?" he asked, his voice low and stern. I opened my mouth to answer, but no words came out.I scratched at the back of my neck, trying to appear casual, but my father's gaze never left my face. I could feel the tension in the room, and I just wanted to escape. But before I could make a move, a maid appeared in the hallway, carrying a tray of tea. I saw my chance and started to edge away, but my father's voice stopped me in my tracks. "Nora, I’m going to ask again," he said, his voice hard and unyielding. "Where have you been?"At t

NORAI could feel Jordan's breath on my neck, his words echoing in my mind. I tried to focus on my notes, but I couldn't seem to get my thoughts in order. I felt a hand on my shoulder, and I jumped, startled by the touch. I turned to see the teacher standing behind me, a concerned look on her face. I forced a smile, trying to hide my nervousness. "Are you alright?" she asked, her voice gentle. I nodded, not trusting myself to speak.As soon as the teacher walked away, I felt a shiver run down my spine. I could hear Jordan's voice in my ear, a smug smile on his face. "I guess I really left you dumbfounded, huh?" he said, his tone light and teasing. The bell rang, signaling the end of class, and I bolted out of my seat. I gathered my books and rushed out of the room, my cheeks burning with embarrassment. I heard a snicker behind me, and I knew it was Jordan, enjoying my discomfort. I kept my head down as I walked down the hall, trying to avoid eye contact with anyone.His words wer

JORDANI tapped my fingers against my leg, watching my stepmother pace the floor with nervous energy. She kept glancing at the door, as if expecting someone to barge in at any moment. Her jaw was clenched, and her brow was furrowed in worry. I could tell she was on edge, which shouldn’t be my business but I found myself seated awaiting whoever it is she’s attempting to let in at this hour of the day. As Sawyer continued to pace, she turned and suddenly noticed me in the corner. Her eyes widened as she approached me, her steps slow and deliberate. She stopped in front of me, her face neutral but her eyes probing, as if trying to read my thoughts."You never told me I assigned you as my watch guard," she said, her voice cold and measured. "What are you doing here?"I met her gaze, keeping my expression blank and my posture relaxed. "I'm here because I wanted to be," I said. "Is there something wrong with that?"A flicker of annoyance crossed her face, but she quickly recovered her c

NORAI felt like I was instantly blazed by fire. I became utterly terrified, forced air clogging my breath as I realized what the hell I had just done. I blinked up at him miserably as I snapped distance in between our lips, even though the deed was done already. It was safe to say I shocked the heck out of us both. I wasted no time wrenching my body from him also. Seeing as his face was still firmly alarmed, I knew he wasn’t expecting it also. Neither was I. Courtesy of my goddamn foot.“I-m so sorry, I wasn’t looking.” I couldn’t even form a coherent word. I quickly grabbed my handbag from the floor and took off, fleeing down the street as fast as I could. I could still hear the sound of his laughter behind me as I ran, and I felt my heart pounding in my chest. I finally reached the end of the block, out of breath, and stopped to catch a breath. I leaned against a wall, closing my eyes, her head spinning."Are you okay?" a voice said, and I opened my eyes to see a concerned-look

NORAI stirred in my sleep, my eyelids fluttering as I began to awaken. As I opened my eyes, I found herself staring up at a dark ceiling, and for a moment I wondered where she was. I reached for the bedside lamp, only to find nothing there. A rush of panic filled me as I realized I wasn't in my own bedroom. It slowly dawned on me that I was in Lucan's room.The last thing I remembered was passing out in the hallway at school. I hesitantly lowered my feet to the floor, expecting the room to spin around me. Instead, I felt a strange sense of calm. I let out a slow breath, surprised by my body's sudden stillness. Slowly, I stood up and walked out of the room, my bare feet padding softly across the wooden floor. The hallway was silent and dark, and I felt my heart begin to race again but it was nothing. As I reached the end of the hallway, I turned the corner and saw a light spilling from the living room, the sight of it was somehow comforting. I stood in the shadows by the living r