A tall, burly figure loomed over me, casting a shadow that engulfed my frame. I would have been frightened if it weren't for the familiar scent of wildflowers and a hint of mint that suddenly overwhelmed me. In some indescribable way, I felt warmth as my watery eyes focused on the black shiny boots, then moved up to the jeans and the black leather jacket over a dark-coloured plain shirt. His disheveled hair only enhanced his attractive appearance. In short, Leigh looked angelic, except for the smoldering aura he exuded, which was a new and unfamiliar aspect of him.

However, his presence didn't alleviate the suffocation caused by the invisible rope strangling my windpipe. I couldn't speak; I could only choke on my breath and sob.

Everything hurt terribly, so when Leigh sank to his knees and administered medication to my wounded soul, I clung to him tighter. He was my cure, my comfort, and my fortress. I wouldn't give him up for anything.

His hands gently caressed and stroked my hair, causing me to melt into his arms as he settled himself comfortably on the floor with me curled up in his lap.

***

"Anything was possible; anything could be defied rather than endured in suspense. Mrs. Musgrove had her own little arrangements at her own table; she had to trust in their protection. Sinking into the chair that he had occupied, taking his very spot where he had leaned and written, her eyes devoured the following words: I can no longer remain silent. I must speak to you by whatever means are within my reach. You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Do not tell me that it is too late, that these precious feelings are gone forever. I offer myself to you again with a heart even more yours than when you almost broke it, eight and a half years ago. Do not dare to say that men forget sooner than women, that their love dies more quickly. I have loved no one but you. I may have been unjust, weak, and resentful, but never unfaithful. You alone have brought me to Bath. I have thought and planned for you alone. Have you not noticed? Can you fail to have understood my wishes? I would not have waited even these ten days if I could have read your feelings, as I believe you must have read mine. I can hardly write. I am constantly overwhelmed by something. You lower your voice, but I can hear the tones of that voice when they would be lost on others. You are too good, too excellent a creature! You do us justice indeed. You believe that there is true attachment and constancy among men. Believe that it is most fervent, most unwavering, in F. W. I must go, uncertain of my fate, but I shall return here or follow your party as soon as possible. A word, a glance, will be enough to decide whether I enter your father's house this evening or never." He paused, taking a breath before continuing with the richness of his voice.

Recovering from such a letter was not an easy task. Half an hour of solitude and reflection might have brought tranquillity, but the mere ten minutes that passed before she was interrupted, with all the constraints of her situation, did nothing to ease her turmoil. Every moment only brought more agitation. It was overwhelming happiness. And before she could fully process the sensations coursing through her, Charles, Mary, and Henrietta entered the room." I couldn't resist the urge to run my fingers through his tousled hair.

"And here we take a break," Leigh added with the loveliest of smiles, closing the book and placing it beside him.

Two periods had passed while I lay on Leigh's lap, listening to his soothing voice reading Jane Austen's "Persuasion" to me. His heavenly voice brought one of my favourite classics to life, alleviating my agony. If only we could stay like this forever, far away from people, far away from hate and rumors, just the two of us, cuddled amidst tall wooden bookshelves filled with various books.

"That's a great letter," I commented. I had read Captain Wentworth's letter to Anne Elliot numerous times. It was one of my favourite literary letters. Growing up without a father and a husband for my mother, literature had always given me hope in men, even when I never thought I would find myself falling for one. It was filled with passion and beauty that emanated solely from the heart. If all men were willing to declare their feelings like that in books, it would be a shame for egotistical women who claim to have no tolerance for men.

He nodded instantly. "Yeah, I agree." And I smiled at my man. Leigh never hid his feelings; he always opened up and firmly stated what he desired without holding anything back.

"How do you do it?" My voice broke the long moment of natural silence that enveloped us as we each got lost in our thoughts.

"Do what?" He asked, confusion creasing his forehead, which only heightened my instinctive urge to kiss his entire face.

"Get them to overlook your mistakes in everything you do." I curiously responded, recalling yesterday's incident. Even though Arlen was admired around the hills, he couldn't compete with the likes of Boyce. The kids all knew it; they had made it a rule. As a result, it was easy to protect the school's golden boy from any negative attention while tarnishing Garret's reputation and throwing him to the wolves.

A frown formed on his face as he focused his attention on nothing in particular. "Honestly, I don't know... they just choose to turn a blind eye to my imperfections."

"They despise me. They're always waiting for something to happen, and then they spew hate. I don't want to come to school; I want to hide somewhere where no one can see me." I swallowed, and Leigh's hand softly came to rest on my cheek.

"I don't want you to hide."

"Easy for you to say; you're Mr. Never-do-wrong in their eyes. I'm the bad person here," I cried.

"I'm never going to let anyone hurt you, Ava." He sighed and tenderly stroked my skin.

I looked away from his glistening eyes and stated the obvious. "Yet, being with you is causing me pain."

There was an uncomfortable silence that made me regret vocalizing my thoughts. "Are you going to leav—"

"No!" I cut him off, looking into his sorrowful eyes and shaking my head. "Having difficult days doesn't mean it affects our relationship. Honestly, I don't know how to handle anything anymore. Without you, I would be lost in darkness. I don't want a universe without you in it, Leigh. So, I'm not leaving you."

His eyes sparkled with sudden joy, and a grin revealed his bright, white teeth. "Then here's your quote of the day, from 'Jane Eyre'... another one of your favourite books." He informed me, and I melted into a puddle of affection, fully focused on him.

"And what does this quote say?" I asked, staring into his eyes, unable to contain my impatience.

"There is no happiness like that of being loved by your fellow creatures and feeling that your presence brings comfort to them."

Like a blooming rose, I have become transparent, and Leigh could see my deep red cheeks. I've never told him I love him, so hearing him say it makes me feel exposed. He knew he was my comfort, which didn't make it any easier, so I responsively bite my bottom lip to hold onto my already blushing expression.

"What are you now, a bookworm?" I raise my brow thoughtfully yet proudly of him, and he chuckles, the sound is music to my ears.

I study him quietly, not even realizing I'm smiling until he responds.

"Something kinda like that." He wears a smirk, the kind that makes me want to kiss his lips without wanting to take a break, but the air becomes thick when he asks his next question. "What did you say to Lilith? She seems to have bought it well." Those words instantly rip through me, even though he smiles obliviously.

I press my lips into a line and swallow. "I'm not proud to say that Lilith and I haven't had a good relationship in the past few weeks. She's the closest thing I have to a sister, aside from Sawyer. When I reactivated my Instagram last night, I wasn't worried about Mom the way I was afraid to confront her." The pain starts to well up in my chest again.

Sweeping his tongue across his lips, he watches me carefully through his clear, half-lidded eyes, and I can see the praise in them as his lips switch to a smile. "I'm proud of you."

Confused, I ask, "What?"

He exhales a relaxing smile. "You're defending us and protecting us."

A frown instinctively covers my face. "I lied, I'm a liar," I mumble.

"At least it was for a purpose, Ava."

"I don't know, you know you can't just tell God that, right?" I look away with a lump in my throat.

"You need to let yourself be a teenager and free yourself from all those beliefs and teachings to enjoy what the world is willing to offer you. Those religious beliefs, yes, acknowledge them! They might be real, but know that God didn't create us to torment ourselves. We have a purpose, and we need to cherish and respect our feelings too. We all make mistakes—no one is born to be perfect, we aren't saints. Our parents might unknowingly be willing to create a curse on our relationship by making us step-siblings. But I'll be completely honest, I don't believe in all that bullshit they say. What I know is what we have between us doesn't happen often in a lifetime, and if we let it slip away, we might never find it again. I want to be with you, Ava, no matter the consequences. I'm here to stay."

Damn, if he doesn't know how to melt a girl into liquid. I find myself clinging to him tighter and struggling with my emotions to hold back those three words begging for release.

I love him. God, I am in love with him.

I can't remember how long we've stayed here until the bell rings, signaling the lunch break.

Here's the thing about guilt: each step you take makes you feel exposed and fearful that someone might see you for who you really are. It comes with paranoia that often leads you to convince yourself that things can't be concealed for long, or that people might even be pointing behind your back, reading the story through your transparent posture.

Leigh insists I grab a tray and meet him at his regular table in the cafeteria. We spend minutes arguing until I give in. I know I sound like a coward, but who's willing to volunteer themselves for a suicide mission?

Murmurs amplify around the cafeteria, and I sense everyone's eyes on the girl sleeping with her stepbrother or the girl engaged in a one-night stand, as they proclaim.

Mon hands over my lunch and shoots me a pitiful glance. I immediately believe she has heard the rumor, but I'm more confused about why the school isn't doing anything about it. I'm being mentally and emotionally bullied. Can't they see?

With two or three calm breaths, I turn to face the world of abuse, and my shield slips off—definitely it would, given the force of their blast. The onslaught of approaches and criticisms is immense, weighing heavily on my shoulders.

It feels like I'm forced to walk on hot coals, and by the time I arrive at Lilith's table, I can feel a tear rolling down my cheek.

"Hey, we ordered takeouts since the food can sometimes suck around here." She shoves the football captain, Brooks Carter, who was clinging to her before pulling me between their bodies. For some unknown reason, I feel a bit warm and protected.

Italian food and various cocktails are spread out on the table. One might disagree that this is a school cafeteria.

"I still can't understand what exactly happened between you and Logan," Suri quips. Yes, the girls are cool, and their presence around the table is welcoming, except for the big cobra who is absent.

"Logan likes to receive some alerts to clear his bills, and I paid with the bitch card." Lilith gestures towards Quinn, and the girl's eyes hood at my soon-to-be stepsister.

Logan is our school security man, and I've never communicated with him or even spared him a glance during my time here.

"That's called thieving, Slut, if you don't know," Quinn adds.

"It only depends on how much you suck out of my bank for a bottle of God knows what at XS." Lilith sarcastically says and shoves me a plate of God knows what.

Even with her shield, I still feel vulnerable. I've hardly lifted my gaze since realizing that Leigh had tricked me into coming here alone, deciding not to show himself.

"You went to a nightclub without me?" I heard Harry ask his girlfriend, although I still don't understand why Zachary stuck to Quinn's left side.

"Wait, you mean XS nightclub?" Even with my head inclined, I could tell it was Julia Rubbers' excited voice.

Sadly, no one cared to answer her, or maybe they just gestured a simple response. The table continued to converse, drowning out Harry and Quinn's argument until something more interesting grabbed everyone's attention, silencing the cafeteria instantly.

"Hello, everyone. I'm sure you all know me as Embry Wesley, your number one favorite girl and the cheerleading team's great flyer..."

"Former flyer," Sofia Halt sarcastically chastised from the school Barbies' table, accompanied by a neutral smile. Everyone knew it was a mocking attempt to provoke Embry.

Sporting golden stilettos, a mini skirt, and the usual excessive makeup, Embry swallowed hard and huffed, ignoring the cheerleading captain. "Well... I want to publicly announce something very important. I'm sure we all saw what happened yesterday in the hallway, and it was nothing like what my caption portrayed on my social media accounts." What? I mean, isn't that Embry? I began to fidget in my position. Please let this not be another setup; I can't handle another wave. "My emotions got the best of me, and I ended up in a dark place. It was very unprofessional of me, as that's not who I am. I urge you all to drop the accusations and apologize to the victims, as I admit the news was completely fake. I regret what I did, intending to hurt innocent people. Therefore, I sincerely apologize to Ava Lancelot." She waved over to me.

I was frozen, trying to comprehend what was happening in this world. I must be hallucinating.

But I wasn't. Random pats on my shoulders accompanied words I couldn't grasp. I felt numb, but my eyes managed to flicker and settle on the only shining star amidst the dimming light. It was Leigh, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and one leg lifted backwards. A smile adorned his face, and all I wanted was to run into his warm embrace.

I love him so much.

"And the new Cheetahs football captain, Leigh Boyce," Embry applauded as everyone's attention turned to their golden star.

I glanced at Brooks, my expression filled with confusion. What? I thought? Isn't he? How?

"Yes! I was, but it's about time he accepted his position," Brooks Carter casually smiled, answering my thoughts before standing to join the chant of the powerful name.

"Leigh Boyce." They all recited... his spirit was powerful. I could only watch the heavenly creature who was loved by everyone. It dawned on me: does Leigh have enemies? Let's rule out Arlen Garret; it was just a misunderstanding among friends, right?

With a smile playing on his lips, he shrugged and pushed off from the wall he was leaning against, making his way towards our table.

"How is all this possible?" I murmured to myself, but it seemed like Lilith heard me, as she smiled and pulled me close, draping her arm around my shoulders. "Let me tell you a secret. It all comes with the Boyce package; the male genes are more attractive." She whispered, and I blushed when my eyes met her brother's, who was now seated.

"Can I..." Embry began.

"Tsk Tsk... you're suspended from this table for a week," Leigh interrupted, preventing her from joining her group of friends.

She immediately turned pale, fear evident in her eyes. "But where will I sit? All my friends are here?" She cried.

"Yes, I know, and no one will accompany her until the week is over," he reluctantly announced, and the table fell silent in an instant. If the whole cafeteria could go mute like our table, I'm sure Embry's heartbeat might be audible.

"B-But I apologized," she swallowed, her pleading eyes fixed on Leigh, but he refused to acknowledge her.

"You shouldn't have started it in the first place," Leigh retorted, standing up, knowing his teammates and even the basketball players would follow him.

And I realized Leigh was behind this strange afternoon.

"Snitches get stitches," a dark-skinned girl from the head table threw at Embry before joining the group trailing behind Leigh.

That's how everyone gradually slipped away from the table until only her best friends and Harry, oh, and me, the unwanted fifth wheel, were left seated.

But today, she lost them too...

***

"I can't believe what happened in the cafeteria," Evie exclaimed, and I agreed.

Yes, I can walk around the hallways as a free human. There's no more hate or judgmental glares directed at me. If anything, I receive "heys" and "hi's" from most of the kids passing by, as if nothing ever happened.

"I saw her walking alone on the premises," she added.

"Sofia also gave her a one-week suspension." Today's practice was different for me; I was warmly welcomed by the cheerleaders, and I witnessed things taking a turn for the worse for Embry. Everyone avoided her, and it left Sofia Halt with no better choice but to suspend her for a week, or at least that's what she claimed. But knowing Sofia from the little time we've spent together, I knew she was thrilled to take away Embry's last piece.

"No way." Evie's eyes widened. "Sofia Halt is something." She chuckled.

"I know, right? Help me with my bag; I'll meet you in the park." Her brown eyes narrowed at me as I handed my backpack to her.

"Where are you going?" she called from the end of the hall.

"I need to use the restroom," I mouthed, trying to avoid further embarrassment. I should be grateful that Leigh had fixed my almost tarnished reputation; otherwise, I wouldn't be walking here so energetically.

The final bell had rung, and everyone was heading to their vehicles or whichever means of transportation they used to get home. Even though extra lessons were still taking place in some homerooms, for instance, Lilith's.

To this day, I still don't understand the procedure for these extra studies. Besides, she's still a junior. But I suppose to be a scientist, or is it an astronomer? I don't know; both require rigorous studying, or so she claims.

My legs led the way, and I found myself standing in the girls' restroom, washing my hands when I heard something strange, followed by silent whimpers from one of the stall doors.

While my instincts urged me to run, my mind insisted on investigating.

What if someone needed help? And what if someone wanted to hurt you?

Coming to a decision wasn't easy. "Who's there?" I croakily spoke, my voice betraying me.

Silence.

My heart started racing.

"Hello?" I pushed myself to try again.

Silence.

I should get myself out of this place, and that's what I instinctively aim for until my eyes lower on something familiar under the toilet stall.

It's Quinn's red boots, and without delay, my blood runs cold.

***

I was barely responding to whatever Leigh had been saying, so he decided to drive us back home.

The clock reads past five, which means I've spent the past two hours preoccupied with the conversation I had with the girl sobbing in the girls' toilet.

Quinn may not be Embry, but she always stood behind her. And even though her problems shouldn't bother me, I feel an overwhelming urge to embrace her in my arms and sway her back and forth until her whimpers and wailing cease. Her painful words cut me like a sword, and I can't rewind time. The guilt is now fresh, and I know if I had reached her at that party, things wouldn't have escalated to this point.

"Are you okay?" Leigh asks, his focus shifting between the road and me.

"Yes," I reply with a smile, pulling out one of the African novels I purchased online a week ago.

Leigh wordlessly clasps my hand, kissing my thumb. It's a simple gesture, but it soothes my soul, and I sink into his scented leather seat, getting lost in the inked words that cover the pages.

I'm deeply engrossed in the novel when he ruffles my hair, drawing my eyes to his charming face. "I love you," he states tenderly, and butterflies erupt in my stomach.

I love him more than he could ever know.

Leigh takes a detour to the guarded hills gate when I smile and run my fingers through his soft chestnut hair. He's mine, my everything. My love for him only grows with each blessed day. I only wish I could freely shout it to the world.

I'm engrossed in an interesting chapter when the car comes to a halt. I feel Leigh's eyes on me, and I lift my gaze to meet his elated eyes. But something has changed. He looks strange, cautious, as if he wants to protect me from something.

I force myself to look ahead, and abruptly, my heart drops to my stomach.

There it is, Mom's Audi filled with our boxes, including mine. But what pierces my heart like a sword is Christian and his daughter, their defeated figures standing by the entrance door. Lilith's face is covered in tears as she peeks through Mom's windscreen.

I need no explanation; the answer is right in front of me.

We've torn our family apart.

I look from the windscreen to Leigh. We stare at each other for the longest time in the small space of his Chiron, silently communicating what neither of us is willing to say out loud. Nervousness turns to fear, fear of what I'm aware of.

"We need this, Ava. I can't risk our relationship." A gasp escapes me as I widen my eyes at the person I'm wholly committed to. If I weren't so focused on him, I might have missed the flicker of disappointment in his eyes before he covers it with assurance.

But in that moment, I have only one question, repeatedly echoing in my mind. 'Aren't we too cruel?'

Leigh must have seen the chills that cause me to shudder, for he wraps my hand in his large ones just before a knock alerts us by my window. I cringe and turn around, pulling my hand away from his.

"Let's go," Sawyer gestures, a knowing look in his eyes that alarms my entire body. What have we done?

The door opens, but I make no attempt to get out. Sawyer grabs my backpack and pulls me out of the car. Instantly, I miss the safety Leigh provided.

I find myself stuck on the concrete, barely able to move as tears begin to blur my vision. If someone were perceptive enough, they could point out the disheveled state I'm in. My eyes are glued to Christian and Lilith, their faces filled with pleading and agonizing emotions. Lilith buries her head in her father's shoulder, and my eyes land on the only reason that reminds me why this is the best solution. I know I'm giving up so much, but the reality I wanted to deny is now manifesting before my eyes.

Sawyer, now in the driver's seat, must have guided my body to the back of the SUV, as only then do I regain consciousness.

Mom, seated in the passenger seat, is sniffing, and her sobs are the only audible sound in the deafening silence. "When I thought... I just thought I could have it all again... but everything is falling apart like a cursed puzzle. I don't know what I've done wrong. God, what have I possibly done wrong?" Mom cries.

I fidget at her words, feeling a pain in my heart that I cannot describe. I'm overwhelmed with a multitude of emotions as Sawyer drives down the street, but fear is the dominant one.

"Indeed, Earth is possibly more torturous than hell." Mom's voice is hoarse, filled with pain that I have caused. My eyes lower to the center console, where Sawyer's hand is interlaced with my mom's.

I hate existing. I curse the day I was born because I've grown up to be nothing but an ungrateful, selfish human being. My mom deserves better, but look where I've pushed her?

With all that I have, I take one last look behind me, an instant regret. Lilith has made her way from the door, now in Leigh's arms by the side of the street, watching our vehicle distance itself from them.

No! Please tell me I'm not about to travel down that long, dark road once again.