جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 40

Caleb’s P.O.VWhen I returned back to the school building, I headed straight for the girl’s locker room, with the extra set of clothing that Caroline always kept inside my car in case of unexpected emergencies.‘How is she holding up?’ I had asked Caroline via our mental link.‘Bring the change of clothes I keep in your car…’ Caroline had spoken almost hesitantly. ‘Aurora’s clothes…they’re ripped.’I let out an involuntary growl as I clutched the bag with Caroline’s clothes in it, my claws ready to slice through. ‘I know.’ I told her through the link. ‘I’ve got the clothes.’‘Cal, please be calm,’ Caroline reminded me gently. ‘She’s scared as it is. We don’t need to terrify her anymore.’Knocking on the locker room door, I handed Caroline the bag of clothes and waited outside patiently while Aurora got dressed. I tried not to eavesdrop, because that would’ve been the polite thing to do; but every now and then, a sob or a stutter escaped Aurora’s lips and my ears would inevitably pick

Aurora’s P.O.VBack at my house, the familiar walls wrapped around me like a fragile cocoon, offering a semblance of safety that I wasn’t sure I could trust anymore. I moved through the space on autopilot, careful to keep my emotions in check, especially with Riley nearby. He had no idea what had happened, and I intended to keep it that way. There was no use in worrying him, no point in making him see the darkness that had brushed against me tonight.In the shower, I scrubbed myself clean in the bathroom, over and over again. But no matter how many times I cleaned myself, I could still feel that man’s touch…it felt like thousands of bugs were crawling all over my skin, making me want to cry out in pain.How did I not see this coming? After the way he had cornered me the first time last week? I may not have known the reason behind his actions but his intensions had been clean even then. Why had I thought that ducking my head and just leaving it as it was would help me find a solution?M

Aurora’s P.O.VI shivered in the cold as I threw the fishing rod into the pond, watching the water rippling and hoping with all my heart that I would be able to find something here today.It was five thirty in the morning and the sun had yet to rise, but there was still light in the horizon and it was enough to help me see my way around the broken pieces of wood and other debris lying on the muddy area.The pond was located in the middle of the woods right behind my house, and usually, it wasn’t safe to come out here for fishing since this was a risk-prone zone and recently, there had been an increase in wild animals in the area.However, when I had woken up this morning at five, after a fitful night’s sleep, I knew I wouldn’t be able to go to school today and face everyone. I needed some time off to process what had happened to me.Usually, I wasn’t one to skip school, but today, I wanted to spend the whole day with Riley, just so I could get my mind off of things. That’s why I had ev

Aurora’s P.O.VSo…our plan of skipping school, didn’t exclude completing our homework. Which was why, Riley and I sat on the table that evening, and I helped him with his art project that he had to show to school the next day.I had no idea what tomorrow was going to bring, so I had stopped trying to care about school for the moment, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t help my little brother.I sat beside Riley, watching as his hands moved across the page, his fingers tirelessly blending colors, bringing life to the image in his mind. The scent of pastels and freshly sharpened pencils lingered in the air, mixing with the faint hint of soap on his skin. He was always so focused when he painted, his brows furrowing in deep concentration, his lips slightly parted, lost in a world of his own.I had always admired that about him—the way he could pour his entire soul into his art like it was his whole world, how he could see beauty in things I would have overlooked. But it also made me envy him

Aurora’s P.O.VI swallowed hard, forcing a breath through my nose as I raised my head to meet the principal’s expectant gaze. He was smiling, as if he truly believed he was changing my life for the better, as if this was some great act of kindness that I should be grateful for. And maybe, in another reality, I would have been.But not this one. Not when I knew that accepting this meant becoming a charity case, a burden, a responsibility that someone else had decided to take on without my consent. My jaw tightened as I forced a small, polite smile, one that didn’t reach my eyes.“I appreciate the offer, sir,” I said, my voice calm but firm. “But I can’t accept it.” The principal’s brows furrowed slightly, confusion flickering across his face. “Aurora, I don’t think you understand—this scholarship covers everything. Tuition, books, even living expenses if needed. You wouldn’t have to worry about anything.” I nodded, my fingers tightening their grip on my skirt. “I understand,” I sa