LOGINIsabelle Rain hammered against the window, while my hotel room felt too quiet. I grabbed my phone, thumbs flying before doubt could stop me. “I can’t sleep, the storm is bad, are you awake?” Lucas’s reply came in seconds. “I was just about to text you, are you alone?” “Yes, please.” I replied back, trying to understand why he had asked that. My heart raced as I waited in nothing but an oversized t-shirt and pale blue panties. When the soft knock finally came, I cracked the door. Lucas slipped inside, drenched from the downpour, dark hair plastered to his forehead. Water dripped from his jacket onto the floor, but his eyes, goodness, those intense, locked on mine with pure need. “I had to see you,” with his usual rough voice. He kicked the door shut and pulled me against him without another word. Our mouths crashed together. His lips were cool from the rain, but his tongue was hot, and demanding. My hands fisted in his wet shirt as he backed me toward the wall, fingers alrea
Isabelle I sat across from Lily in the hotel suite, as we faced each other on the small couch. My hands twisted in my lap, the memory of the heated hallway exchange with Lucas still fresh. "Isabelle, I keep replaying that confrontation in the hallway outside our rooms. The way Lucas showed up demanding to talk, confessing his feelings so openly while I tried to block him. It feels like the whole world is watching and judging every move you both make," she said softly now my voice was shaky at first, realizing her plan wasn't solid proof was the character development she needed. Lily leaned forward with concern etched across her face. "Isabelle, I heard every word. Lucas crossed a line with those declarations. But we cannot let this define us. The rumors about you and him are everywhere, and people are talking. We need to appear normal, stable as a united front. What do you think about getting back out there socially? Showing everyone you are moving forward?" I took a deep breat
Lucas I gripped the steering wheel so tight my knuckles turned white as I sped toward the hotel. My phone still glowed with that message from my buddy at school. Tyler was just at the hotel with Isabelle. The words tasted like acid. Tyler, the perfect guy who never caused drama, swooping in while I was stuck at home replaying every mistake. I pulled into the parking lot, slammed the door, and marched straight up. No front desk nonsense, I texted Mom for the floor and room details and caught the elevator before she could stop me. My heart hammered against my ribs, I knocked hard on the door. Mom opened it just a crack, her face shifting from surprise to fury in seconds. "Lucas? What are you doing here? You cannot just show up like this after everything that's happened." "I need to talk to Isabelle right now," I demanded, trying to look past her into the suite. "I found out Tyler visited her earlier today. He cannot keep seeing her, Mom, not after what Isabelle and I have been th
Isabelle I stared at the thick textbook on the hotel desk, the pages blurring after hours of forcing myself through equations and history notes. Suspension sucked, no classes, no normal routine, just this sterile suite that still smelled like fresh paint and someone else's perfume. I flipped another page, muttering under my breath. "Why do they make this stuff so dry? It's like they want me to fall asleep." My phone buzzed on the nightstand for the hundredth time that morning. I glanced over, then immediately regretted it, the screen lit up with another notification, some gossip site headline screaming about me and Lucas again. I snatched it up, scrolled for two seconds, and felt my stomach twist. "Seriously? Now they're saying we ran away together? Who even believes this garbage?" I tossed the phone face down and paced to the window. The city stretched out below, cars crawling like ants. Living here felt temporary, like I was in limbo waiting for the world to forget my name.
Isabelle Lucas grabbed me by my waist and kissed me passionately, as I let myself melt into his arms, I remembered our parents were just down the hall, so I pushed back. “Let's leave from here,” Lucas whispered into my ears, “I will go first, meet me by the car.” And we did just that, I stared out the windshield as Lucas pulled the car into the quiet overlook, the engine humming down to silence. The view stretched out below us, but my mind was anywhere but on the scenery. My heart pounded so hard I could hear it in my ears. “Isabelle, we need to talk about everything,” Lucas said, his voice low and serious as he turned toward me. “Our feelings, the complications with our families, what this really means for all of us. I cannot keep avoiding it anymore.” I turned to face him fully, my hands twisting in my lap. “What do you want me to say, Lucas? That I am terrified every single day? That every time we get close I forget you are my stepbrother? Our parents are married. What ar
Isabelle I stood my ground in the packed hallway, lockers pressing cold against my back as Sienna loomed closer. Whispers rippled through the crowd of students slowing to watch. “No, I am not transferring anywhere. Delete whatever fake things you created and leave me alone. You are not bullying me out of my school, Sienna, this ends here.” Sienna stepped even closer, her voice dripping with venom. “Brave words from someone who is clearly guilty. I have explicit edited moments ready. Last chance, or the entire school sees exactly who you are.” “I said no,” I answered firmly, raising my voice so it echoed down the corridor. “I am staying right here. You are desperate for doing all this just because Lucas defended me once. Delete your content and stop harassing me, Sienna. What kind of person wastes their days creating lies about family? It is sad and desperate.” Her face twisted with pure rage. “You think you are untouchable? Lucas only pays attention because you are the new play
ISABELLEShe turned and left, I moved my feet slowly. My cheek was still burning when I walked out of that bathroom.I kept my head down, my hand not touching my face because touching it would make it even more real, and I needed it to not be real for at least the next three minutes. I made it to
ISABELLEThe game came faster than I expected.I almost talked myself out of it three times before I even left the house. I stood in front of my locker in a grey hoodie and dark jeans and told myself it was just a hockey game, I had watched hockey before. I was familiar with the concept.The fact
ISABELLE The next morning I went to school. Even though I didn't want to be there. Hood up, earphones in with nothing playing, eyes on the floor. I survived four classes without incident if I don't count the two separate moments someone laughed at something on their phone and went quiet when I w
ISABELLEMy hands were shaking.The laughter from the small crowd bleeding into my ears as the guy beside me watched his phone openly. He didn't even try to hide it."Four hundred likes already," the girl behind him said, her voice dripping with amusement. "She literally just stood there staring at







