LOGINLUKE’S P.O.VRuth gets the back seat door for me, helping me in like I’m incapable of doing that myself.She has a lot of throw pillows for some reason, and she props them in a pile in case I want to get some shut-eye on the way.“How did you find me?” I ask a question that’s been whirling in my mind the moment I saw her.“My mum receives packages at that warehouse. I saw your car on my way out.”I notice the small parcel bandaged in duct tape marked as “fragile” on top of a small opened box.“Okay, you still hear from her?”Ruth forces a laugh. “Of course, Luke. Why else would I be receiving her packaging for her?”Ruth makes another quick stop at a gas station, but not for gas. When she returns, she hands me a bag.“What’s this?”She rolls her eyes. “It’s just a toothbrush, deodorant, socks and underwear. Things you’ll need.”I narrow my eyes, taking the bag somewhat grateful for them. Although the underwear part makes me a tad bit uncomfortable, it’s not like I have money to get an
LUKE’S P.O.VI drive around for what feels like hours, eyes burning from exhaustion while I look for a place to sleep for the night.But the nearest motel is way out of town, and I’m not allowed out to exceed my fifty-kilometre radius. I don’t even bother checking in. I have no money, no ID that the police didn’t take, and the last thing I need is someone recognising me as the disgraced star player who just confessed to leaking his girlfriend’s sex tapes. Eventually, I give up, and so does my car, because the gas tank is empty. With what’s left of the gas, I find a quiet, poorly lit spot behind an old warehouse on the edge of town and kill the engine. I climb into the backseat, folding my tall frame as best I can, and use my hoodie as a pillow. The leather is cold against my skin. Sleep doesn’t come easy, but eventually the exhaustion wins.The sharp sound of an alarm cuts through the silence the next morning.I jolt awake, disoriented, banging my knee against the seat in front of me
LUKE’S P.O.VMy phone buzzes for what seems to be the billionth time, but when I take it out after I park, it’s not my own—it’s Dre’s.Mine is long gone.I check the caller ID, and it’s Halle calling. But why will Halle call in the first place?She should be home with Dre.Shortly after that, Silver calls...then eventually, Ian.After Ian’s call, I quickly figured out what’s going on.Everyone knows Dre’s phone is with me. I don’t know about Silver and Halle– but Ian’s definitely trying to reach me.I shove Dre’s phone further down the depths of my pockets, sinking my elbows against the leather skin of my steering wheel, head buried in my hands.Today’s been a fucking day.I don’t know when my eyes close to sleep, but they fly open at the sound of relentless tapping on my window.I sit up quickly, rubbing my eyes, trying to get them to adjust to the darkness. I twist my head in the direction of the sound.The silhouette casts a light towards the face, peering at the window, and my sou
DRE’S P.O.V“What do you mean, Luke did that?” I ask in utter disbelief. “You’re lying. That can’t be right.”Silver’s eyes are full of sympathy. “He turned himself in to the principal this afternoon, he admitted everything. Said he had the tapes and that he was the one who distributed them. The police took him right after school. TJ’s still being questioned, and he’s definitely facing consequences for the original recording, but the mass leaking… they’re charging Luke for that.”I feel like the floor has dropped out from under me and I’m now suspended in mid-air. Luke? My Luke. The one who promised he was protecting me. The one who looks me in the eyes and tells me he loves me. He’s the one who did this?Bile rises in my throat. I press a hand to my mouth, fighting the urge to be sick.“Luke would never. It’s an obvious lie,” I choke. “Why would he admit to doing that?”Silver looks heartbroken. “I don’t know what was going through his head. None of us does. But the school is saying
LUKE’S P.O.VThe policeman’s hand feels heavy on my shoulder as he leads me out of the principal’s office to an empty classroom. My heart is pounding, but my mind is strangely calm. This is exactly what I planned, it's what has to happen.The hallway is lined with people; fortunately, word travels fast in Westfield. My teammates are gathered near the gym doors, faces twisted in disbelief and anger. Coach Adams stands at the front, arms crossed, looking like he wants to punch someone. Right now, I’m supposed to be with them for the final practice of the day— but that would’ve been on a normal day. But it’s no normal day; it’s the day Dre and I finally decided we want to go public, but the sender just can’t let us have that.A very bitter person.“Luke, what the hell is this?” Ian pushes through the small crowd, face red with fury. “You fucking idiot!” He turns to the principal and the two officers. “This is bullshit. He’s not the sender. He’s covering for someone. I swear to God, he’s
DRE’S P.O.VThe door clicks shut. I stay rooted on the edge of my bed for what feels like forever, staring at the floor. My hands are trembling. My whole body feels wrong, exposed and dirty, like I’ve been stripped raw and left for everyone to pick apart.Everyone knows.Westfield High knows. By tomorrow morning, the entire school will have seen clips of me having sex. Luiton’s bound to find out. I can already picture it—the admissions office getting wind of it. Composing a concerned email or a quiet withdrawal of my invitation. Who wants a future doctor who’s now known as the girl in the leaked sex tape? They wouldn’t want me at that place ever again.Mum is going to find out.The thought alone is gut-wrenching. She’s going to walk through that door, screaming about how the school called her about her daughter’s most private moments circulating like cheap porn. The shame burns so hot behind my eyes that I press the heels of my palms into them until it hurts.And Luke… He knew for m
PROLOGUE (THREE YEARS AGO) LUKE'S P.O.V The sexiest girl in the entire school agreed to go on a date with me...Me, Lucas Ford! I couldn't contain the excitement I felt. My phone trembled in my hands as I re-read the text she had just sent me. *See you then* Nia fucking Saint, the sexie
DRE’S P.O.V (Present day) The sound of the door closing jolts me awake. I sit up so fast I almost fall out of the chair. I look to the sofa opposite me, and Luke’s gone— that makes me fall out of the chair, straight onto my ass. I rub my bruised elbow, scrambling to my feet. *He just left.*
DRE’S P.O.VLuke kills the engine after parking smoothly in front of my house.He was quiet the whole drive here, and it’s been killing me.He’d been locked in Principal Dennis’s office for hours. Ruth and I had waited until the receptionist finally told us to go back to class.After school, he dro
LUKE’S P.O.V Dre sits cross-legged on the floor opposite me, scribbling in a notebook while she does homework. The medication had finally settled her, leaving her calmer and more focused than I’d seen in days. “Can you pass me my glasses on the table?” She asks, pointing toward the table witho







