All Chapters of To the two boys I like: Burn me the safe way: Chapter 81 - Chapter 87

The walk from AP Literature to trigonometry was usually a mindless blur. Elena had her routine down to a science. Keep your eyes on the worn linoleum tiles, hold your binder like a shield, and don't stop moving until you hit the classroom door.But today, the air in the main corridor felt thick. Different.As Elena walked deeper into the crowded hallway, she started to notice the subtle shifts. A group of sophomore soccer players stopped talking as she passed, their eyes tracking her before they instantly huddled closer together. Two girls by the water fountain were leaning over a single phone screen, their mouths dropping open into identical small circles of gossip before they looked up, directly at her.It wasn't just a paranoia. People were actively staring, their thumbs flicking rapidly over their screens, whispering behind their palms. Her skin started to prickle, a cold sweat breaking out under the collar of her uniform shirt.Suddenly, a hand reached out from a narrow space be

The kitchen was too bright.Wednesday afternoon sunlight poured through the massive bay windows, hitting the white marble island and making everything look sterile. Clean.Elena poked at her food with a heavy silver fork, her appetite completely gone, though she forced herself to keep up appearances.Claire was sitting right across from her, sipping her green tea and eating slowly. It was supposed to be a quiet, normal afternoon. A small breathing room before the evening chaos.Then the phone buzzed.The sound was sharp, a violent rattle against the solid stone counter that made Elena’s shoulders lock up instantly. She didn't move. She didn't breathe. Two seconds later, it gave a second, identical vibration.Elena reached out, her fingers slick against the glass as she slid the phone toward her lap, keeping it well below the edge of the island, out of her mother’s direct line of sight.She tapped the screen, her heart instantly doing that familiar, heavy thud against her ribs.The fir

Every step up the staircase felt like ascending a platform toward an execution. The walls were lined with more photographs, a visual timeline of a perfect life. Liam as a chubby baby. Liam holding a little league trophy. Liam grinning with his arm around a tiny, toddler-aged Maya. There was no sadness here. No secrets.Maya dragged her into a bright, messy bedroom filled with stuffed animals and bright pink plastic toys. A half-finished lego structure sat in the dead center of the carpet, looking slightly lopsided."See?" Maya said, dropping to her knees on the rug and pointing to the plastic bricks. "Liam tried to fix the roof but his hands are too big and he just smashed the front gate. He's so clumsy when he's not playing sports. Are your hands small, Elena? Can you fix the gate?"Elena slowly sank down onto the floor, tucking her legs beneath her skirt, her binder resting against her knees. She picked up a small white lego piece, her fingers trembling slightly as she tried to foc

The night air was crisp, cooling the lingering heat on Elena’s cheeks as she and Liam walked down her street.The dinner at the Carter's house had felt like a marathon, but now, out here under the dim orange glow of the streetlights, everything was quiet. It was just the two of them. Their shoes made a rhythmic, comforting clicking sound against the clean asphalt.Liam was walking close, his shoulder occasionally bumping gently against hers. His fingers were laced through hers, his palm large and warm, holding onto her with a kind of steady, unbothered certainty that made her throat feel tight.He was still buzzing from the evening, a happy, relaxed smile playing on his lips."My mom really loved you, El," he said softly, his voice a low rumble in the quiet night. "I mean, I knew she would, but she was practically beaming when we were clearing the table. And Maya? You’re officially her favorite person now. She’s probably going to demand you come over every single weekend to fix her le