LOGINIt was the last day for tests. Julianne sat quietly and listened in on the students’ conversations about their plans after today. Most of them planned on going home for the short break, spending time with families and hanging out with old-time friends back at home.For Julianne, she didn’t have such plans. She moved her eyes toward Marianne’s seat and stared long at it. If she were still alive, maybe they would have made their plans together.She got up and took her bag, and she started to make her way out of the classroom. The moment she stepped out, Ryker came from behind and called her in urgency;“Julianne.”She turned and blinked at him. “Hi, Ryker,” she greeted. “Do you want to see me?”Ryker exhaled and stammered, “Uh…I-I was thinking if you can spare some uhm—”“Alright,” she said and smiled.Ryker raised his brows and blinked. “Did you know what I was going to say?” he asked.“You probably wanted to ask to see me privately. Just tell me when.”Julianne knew he had always wa
Julianne felt totally helpless as Cassian took her lips in his. She gripped his arm and as she started to feel faint, he moved his hand to the back of her neck, holding her in place. He moved his thumb slowly below her chin and traced it down.Julianne felt aware of everything he was doing, but she couldn’t keep up with him.When he stopped, she opened her eyes and her heart skipped a beat when she saw how intense his gaze was. He reclaimed her lips, and this time, her body seems to be at his mercy. She has never felt this way with Shane before. It was as if Cassian knew exactly what her body wanted, and was also making her discover new sides of her she didn’t know she had. For the first time, she decided not to think of anything else. She kissed him back and curled her feet. Cassian smiled when she started to take over and he bit her lower lips. A gasp escaped from her lips and it only made him want her more. He went down her neck and Julianne sucked in a sigh when she felt his bre
Julianne turned her head to see Cassian and her lips slightly parted. She didn’t know if he had been standing there long enough to hear what she and Ryker said. “It’s fine,” she said. “I’ll return to my dorm.”She saw a frown on Cassian’s face as soon as she said that, but she does not know if it was because she had just rejected going to his room or because of something else. “I have something to say to you,” Cassian said before she could take a step.Julianne saw him looking at Ryker even as he spoke to her and she turned her head to Ryker, only to see him take a step away from her as he made to leave.“I’ll leave her in your care,” Ryker said and started to leave.Julianne couldn’t understand what just transpired between them, but one thing she sensed is that, even though Ryker may have joined their group, there is still a clear boundary between him and Cassian.She followed him quietly and they entered his room.Julianne doesn’t feel familiar to his room. She thinks it’s because
Every student was busy with their mid-semester tests. Julianne didn’t study hard like everyone did, but she answered the questions easily without thinking too much into it. Whenever she finished a test, she would look over at the empty desk at the front. It was where Marianne used to sit.Ryker became concerned every time he saw Julianne sitting still and not interacting with anyone. Just three weeks before that, they were in the cafeteria with the others, talking about Velvet and planning their next step. Then all of a sudden, she became completely silent and zoned out.Once he saw her take her bag to leave, he followed her and stopped when he saw her at the front of the library. She stood there for some minutes before leaving, and he followed her again until she stopped at the bleachers where the field is. He watched her from a distance and knew to let her be. He knows she must be feeling Marianne’s absence, but he didn’t expect it to suddenly get worse like this.After taking abou
“Velvet is gone,” Julianne told the boys after meeting up in the cafeteria for lunch.“I figured,” Cassian said, holding up a spoon. After she explained what happened in the dorm, he said, “The headmistress must be desperate right now.”Maximus came in. “But Velvet is like her right-hand man. Why would they suddenly turn on each other?”“Isn’t it obvious?” Cassian asked. “Velvet has something she wants back, and that must be the same thing we are all looking for. My guess is that Velvet went into your room and took whatever Marianne left behind.”Julianne was lost in her thoughts for a moment. What did Marianne leave behind that the headmistress is so desperate to get back? And why would Velvet steal it from her, risking her own life in the process too? She was soon interrupted by a loud clatter and she turned her head to the direction, only to see Aurora picking up the food tray she had dropped. She saw the students in the line laughing at her and saw her rushing out of the cafeteri
“Who do we think is the culprit?” Remus asked. He was sitting on a small wooden box at the center of the room. Cassian sat by the desk, tapping his fingers on the table. His expression has been grim ever since he walked in. He stopped tapping and said, “I believe we all have the same person in mind.”Maximus nodded in agreement and Julianne held her hands together. She just couldn’t believe that headmistress Eldryn would kill Marianne just to get to her.“But we need evidence against her to prove she did it,” said Cassian.“And Lucien is gone,” Maximus inserted.They all looked at Julianne, and when she realized they were waiting on her to say something, she readjusted herself and held her hands together.“Why do we think it is headmistress Eldryn?” she asked openly.Everyone seemed like they have something to say, but no one uttered a word.“The day I came back with Cassian and went to the dorm,” she started, “Marianne left me a letter. She mentioned a gift and said we had things to
Cassian stared at the same spot for seconds and his jaw twitched. He blinked and pulled the corner of his lips a bit. Finally, he asked her another question, one that was unrelated to what she said, “Did Tim do or say anything to you the other day you came to the dorm?”Julianne wasn’t expecting a
“How are we going to figure out Julianne? Any plans tonight?” Maximus asked Cassian who was busy dressing up. His hair was still damp from just getting out of shower and from the looks of it, he doesn’t intent on drying it.“It’s freshman party, Max. I would rather not do anything tonight,” replied
“Cassian. Cassian!”“Is he dead?”There was the sound of footsteps receding and a door slightly creaking open.“What will we do? I heard that people died, but they managed to come back. I can’t believe they carried him all the way back.”“Is he still breathing?”“I don’t know. I thought the medicin
Once classes ended on Friday morning, Julianne hurried to the dorm to pick out the dress she would wear for the freshman party that would take place by evening. Like Marianne said, she didn’t want to miss out on anything ‘fun’ so she wouldn’t be the one to regret it later. She emptied her wardrobe







