LOGINChapter Sixty NineThree days passed in a total blur, and before I knew it, Friday morning arrived. It was finally time for the senior class camp trip. We were supposed to spend three whole days at a lakeside campground out in the woods, which everyone else was calling the ultimate end-of-year getaway. For me, I was just hoping it would be a nice break from all the stress at home.Zion had been acting like the perfect, sweet boyfriend the entire morning. When he picked me up, he insisted on throwing my duffel bag into the trunk himself, pulling me into a warm hug that smelled like clean laundry and expensive body wash. He was so genuinely excited about the trip, talking non-stop during the drive about the bonfires, the lake, and how glad he was that we’d finally get some time to just relax together.Driving up to the campground, the views were absolutely beautiful. The place was surrounded by massive pine trees and clear blue water. The second we parked, the atmosphere felt so aliv
I opened my notebook, trying to focus on the whiteboard, but my mind was completely spinning.The rest of the school day went by in a complete blur. Before I knew it, the final bell rang, and it was time to face my next big challenge: Spanish tutoring at the Graves mansion.Driving Zion’s brand-new matte-black Jeep over to his house felt wild, but my nerves were completely fried because of the heavy crystal pendant still resting against my collarbone.When I finally pulled into the massive, familiar driveway of the Graves estate, I turned off the engine and took a deep, steadying breath. I hopped down, slung my backpack over my shoulder, and walked up the grand stone steps to the front door.I reached out and knocked.A few seconds later, the heavy door swung open, and Noah stepped out. He was dressed casually, looking effortlessly handsome but wearing his usual expressionless mask.The exact moment his eyes swept past me and landed on the giant, aggressive matte-black Jeep parked rig
But after a long, tense moment, he just sighed, pressing another quick kiss to my forehead before pulling away. "I have to head to the office before the bell. I'll see you at lunch, Sunshine."We watched him walk down the hall, his tall frame moving with absolute authority through the crowd.The exact second Zion turned the corner and was completely gone, Xalia turned to me, crossing her arms and giving me a serious glare. "Khi, why on earth would you use my name to lie like that? You completely put me on the spot!""I am so, so sorry, Xal," I groaned, running my hands over my face in pure exhaustion. "I totally panicked. I don't even know if Zion and Noah have reconciled yet after everything that happened, and I really don't want to use this necklace to cause more issues between them. Zion would have completely lost his mind."Xalia stared at me for a second, her annoyed expression slowly softening into a heavy sigh. "Fine, I am going to let it slide this time. Mostly because you’ve
I started the engine, the loud roar echoing through the quiet neighborhood as I backed out of the driveway, officially heading toward school.The drive to school went by way too fast. When I pulled into the student parking lot, the massive matte-black Jeep instantly drew stares from everyone walking by. I chose a spot near the edge and shut off the engine, taking a deep, shaky breath.As I opened the door and stepped down, I spotted a very familiar car pulling into a space a few rows over. It was Xalia. She parked her own car, turned off the ignition, and hopped out, slinging her backpack over her shoulder.I locked the Jeep and walked quickly over to her, trying to blend in, though driving a giant luxury vehicle made that completely impossible.The moment Xalia looked up and saw me approaching, her jaw dropped all over again, and a massive, hyped-up grin took over her face. She practically jogged over to meet me halfway."Oh my god, Khione," Xalia breathed, her eyes darting from me
The cool night air hit my face as we drove back to the hotel, ready to finally crash in that massive penthouse suite after the craziest, most perfect nineteenth birthday ever.The next morning, the bright California sun came piercing through the massive floor-to-ceiling windows of the penthouse, waking us up way too early.The exact moment I opened my eyes, a throbbing headache hit me like a physical punch to the skull. My mouth felt completely dry, and my brain felt like it was floating in fog. Nineteen shots of tequila were definitely a mistake, and my lightweight body was paying the ultimate price for it now.I groaned, burying my face under the plush pillows, but I knew we couldn't stay in this luxury bubble forever.We all took turns scrambling to get ready, showering each to wash off the scent of the club and trying our best to wake up. Once we were finally packed up and standing in the hotel garage, Zion looked down at my pale face and rubbed my shoulder gently."I'll drop Xa
"I got you, Sunshine," Zion whispered tightly, holding me upright as my head completely rolled back against his shoulder.A few random people from the crowd immediately rushed up to us, completely hyped from the show I had just put on. They were high-fiving Xalia and trying to get close to me."That was legendary, girl!" one guy shouted, giving me a massive thumbs-up. "Happy birthday!""Yeah, happy nineteenth!" a girl with bright pink hair chimed in, leaning over the noise of the music to look at me. But then her face turned a little serious, and she gave me a weird, knowing look. "Just make sure you don't let the nineteenth curse get to you.My blurred vision blinked, my drunk brain trying to process what she had just said. The nineteenth curse? Before I could even mutter a confused question, Zion’s entire body went completely stiff behind me.His grip around my waist tightened instantly, and the warm, protective boyfriend energy completely vanished, replaced by a cold, hard defensiv
The next morning, the sharp blare of my alarm woke me up at exactly 6:00 am. It was time to get ready for class. I dragged myself out of bed and went through my daily routine—showering, brushing my teeth, and trying to wash away the stress of the day before.When it came to picking out an outfit, I
“How old are you, then?” Zion asked, leaning forward with genuine curiosity.“I am twenty-one,” Peach replied, before adding a playful wink toward Noah.“Though I like to tease him because I am technically the older one. Just a teeny, tiny bit.”“Oh, so you are the same age as Noah,” Zion noted.“I
"Zion punched Noah," I blurted out the exact second we cleared the school's double doors and hit the parking lot.Xalia froze dead in her tracks, her car keys slipping right out of her hand and clattering onto the asphalt. She didn't even bother to pick them up. Her jaw was practically touching the
The rest of the school day passed in a complete blur, and before I knew it, the final bell rang. School was officially over. Zion met me by my locker, his usual bright energy instantly lifting my spirits, and we went over to his house together. It was time for my Spanish lesson with Noah as usual.







