All Chapters of Don’t Tell Our Parents : Chapter 1 - Chapter 5

My mind went completely blank, the background noise of the restaurant fading into a sharp, high pitched buzz.No. This has to be a joke. A hallucination from sleep deprivation.But as I stared across the white table cloth, the harsh reality didn’t melt away. Lael didn’t look like a drowned rat anymore. He looked effortlessly handsome, ridiculously expensive, and completely untouchable by the disaster two days ago. The only thing that hadn’t changed was the lethal, and calculating look in his eyes.“Avery, honey, are you alright?” My mother asked, her hand gently touching my arm, anchoring me. She was looking at me like I had seen a ghost.“I…I am fine,” I choked out, forcing my eyes away from Lael to look at his dad.“Richard, this is my daughter, Avery,” my mom introduced proudly, beaming at the man beside Lael. “Avery, this is Richard De La Fontaine. And his son Lael.”“It’s my pleasure to finally meet you, Avery,” Richard said, standing up fully to offer me a warm genuine handshake

When Wednesday morning finally rolled in, my stomach was tied in knots. I threw a pair of comfy grey sweatpants, and oversized hoodie, and messy bun, completely lacking energy to care about my outfit. I grabbed my car keys, said goodbye to my mom—who was waiting for the moving truck to arrive and drove to campus.I walked into the first lecture room, the heavy oak doors swinging shut behind me. The room was already half full, the stadium style rows buzzing with the usual morning chatters. I kept my head down, pulling my hood over as I scanned the steps for an empty seat near the top.“Avery! over here!”A loud, piercing voice cut through the noise. My stomach instantly curdled. Sitting in the third row, waving her perfectly manicured hand like nothing had happened, was Chloe. She was pointing at the empty desk right next to her, a bright, fake smile plastered on her face.Are you serious right now? I thought, my jaw tightening as I stared at her. Look at her, acting like she didn’t ju