Category: English

In front of people, I was a high-cool school girl who was not to be entered by others; after people, I was an extremely thirsty, exposed girl. In photography elective class, I sat in the last row, knowing that a boy with a crush on me was looking at me; I also deliberately spread my legs to show him. … My name’s Ashley Wilson. Thanks to my pretty face and calm demeanor, the campus gossip crowned me the school’s beauty queen. But only I knew the real me beneath the surface. Ever since I turned thirteen, I’ve been battling a strange condition. When I heard my mom and dad making noises next door in the middle of the night, my whole body became uncomfortable, as if there was a fire burning in my body. At that time, I didn’t know what was going on until I gradually grew up and received a sexual enlightenment education; then, I realized that I was craving for a man. I secretly found websites to watch those movies, and slowly, I have been no longer satisfied. I secretly bought some little toys to comfort myself without my parents knowing and hid them in the crack under the bed. I knew it wasn’t right, but I just couldn’t help myself. The college had only made me wilder. Not only would I hide in the bathroom every day to reward myself, but I also became obsessed with exposing my body. Those who hadn’t experienced it couldn’t understand how thrilling it felt! Of course, when I first started doing this, I was very cautious, choosing places with few people and wearing a mask to cover myself completely. But I never expected to be secretly photographed. The person who took the photos even followed me home and got my contact information. [Didn’t expect Solar University’s beauty queen to be so wild and desperate, huh?] When I received this message, I was utterly stunned. I frantically looked around, feeling helpless and fear quickly spreading inside me. [Stop looking, Ms. Wilson. If you don’t want this video to be seen, you’d better do as I say.] Soon after, he sent me a video of myself being exposed in the park. My face drained of color when I saw the video. My hands trembled as I clutched my phone to send a message. [Who are you? What do you want?] Unknown fears enveloped me, shrouding me in a nightmare. [What do I want? Well, be at your school’s sports field at 11 PM tonight. Don’t you dare not show up, or you’ll become quite famous at your school.] [What do you really want?] I asked in panic, but then he went silent and didn’t reply. I looked up the number, hesitated, and made a call. It rang once before someone hung up. When I tried again, the phone was switched off. Staring at my phone, I was stunned. I had never imagined something like this could happen! Someone would know about my exposure! Not only did someone find out, they caught it all on video! What should I do? Called the cops? No way! If I went to the police, everything I had done would be out in the open. How could I face my parents if they knew their daughter was like this? And my teachers, classmates, friends… What would they think of me? The thought made me shake my head violently. No! Absolutely not! They can’t find out! My knuckles turned white as I gripped my phone. “Ashley, what’s wrong? You look awful.” My roommate Isabelle Winthrop came out of the bathroom and noticed my ghostly complexion. “It’s nothing.” I forced an ugly smile. “Are you sure?” Isabelle wasn’t convinced. I steeled myself, my smile turning calm. “Don’t worry, really. I’m fine.” “That’s fine. Go shower now. The hot water’s almost off.” Isabelle’s words snapped me back to reality. I checked the time. It was already 10:30. Didn’t that guy say to meet at the field at 11:30? My face dropped as I grabbed my phone and bolted. “Isabelle, something’s come up. If the dorm monitor checks in, cover for me, will you?” I dashed out before she could reply. “Hey!” Isabelle called after me, but I was too wrapped up in thoughts of “If I’m not at the field by 11, that video’s going viral” to pay her any mind. Our campus is enormous. I booked it, barely making it to the field by 11. [I’m here. Where are you?] I pulled out my phone and fired off a text. No response. I waited another minute—still nothing. [Where are you?] I sent another message. But again, radio silence. I was getting antsy. Why wasn’t he responding? He hadn’t already leaked the video, had he? My mind was in chaos. “Hey, you are really punctual, huh?” Suddenly, a figure appeared behind me and wrapped his arms around me in a hug. “Ah!” I screamed, only to have my mouth quickly covered by his hand. “Don’t shout, or I’ll send out the video!” He whispered menacingly into my ear, pressing his face against mine. My heart pounded wildly, my eyes wide with terror as I whimpered and shook my head. “Delicious.” He was like a creep, and the next moment, a wet tongue licked at my neck.

I trembled all over with fright, struggling desperately. Though I had rewarded myself countless times, I had never been touched by a man before. It was my first time! Panic-stricken, tears streamed down my face as I turned to plead with him. He wore a mask, obscuring his face, but his eyes, brimming with aggression, were clear to see. “Miss Popular, don’t you enjoy showing off? Show me something now!” He taunted, gripping my face with palpable excitement. I looked at him imploringly, shaking my head vigorously. “Show me!” He roared, squeezing my face so hard that tears flowed anew. Under duress and fear, I slowly lifted my skirt. The man behind me, his eyes bulged the moment I did so. His throat bobbed rapidly, eventually erupting into a strange chuckle. “Who would’ve thought our school beauty was so bold? Did you intentionally skip wearing it because you were meeting me here at the track?” Overwhelmed with shame, I clenched my teeth and whispered, “No… that’s not it.” “So you usually go without, huh? You really are daring!” His voice carried an odd laughter. I felt utterly humiliated. All I could do was bow my head in silence. He then removed his hand from my mouth. I was startled, and then a glimmer of relief crossed my face. I thought he was ready to let me go. Clearly, I was mistaken. His call to the track at this hour had an ulterior motive. Before I could relish a few seconds of relief, my body was already pinned down from behind, pressed against the track’s surface. “What are you doing!? Let go of me!” I cried out in panic. He braced his knee against my lower back and sneered, “What am I doing? What do you think? With you acting so flirty, you must be desperate for a man, right? I’m just helping you out here!” I heard the sound of his belt unbuckling. Despair washed over me. My hands clawed at the rubber track, tearing it apart. I dared not scream for help; doing so would save me, but at the cost of exposing my secret exhibitionist tendencies. The thought of those mocking and scornful looks made me wish for death! No! Absolutely not! I could die, but I couldn’t face social suicide! I finally understood why people joke about clearing their browser history before they die. Sometimes, social suicide felt worse than the real thing. He leaned in close. I could feel the heat radiating off him, his body pulsing with energy. Just then, a beam of flashlight light shot over from a distance. The person behind me paused, then hurriedly stood up and pulled me to my feet. “Keep quiet, or I’ll send out the video I took of you!” he hissed into my ear, then grabbed me and tried to hide in the bushes next to the playground. “Who’s there?” The voice of the security guard startled the man behind me. He pushed me away and ran off. I breathed a sigh of relief, quickly straightened my clothes, took a few deep breaths, and walked out, pretending nothing had happened. As I stepped out, the blinding light of a flashlight hit my face. Instinctively, I raised my hands to shield my eyes. “Which class are you from? What are you doing out here in the middle of the night?” The guard scrutinized my face with his flashlight, his eyebrows furrowed. “I couldn’t sleep, just out for a walk,” I said, feigning calm. “A walk?” He glared at me. “The dorms are locked at this hour. Who was that running off, your boyfriend? I know what you youngsters are up to.” I covered my face and bowed my head in embarrassment, which only made him more confident of his suspicions. “Young and misguided, engaging in such antics! Which class are you in?” The security guard wasn’t about to let me off the hook. My heart skipped a beat. If he found out who I was and which class I was in, I’d be toast. I covered my face, my eyes darting around. Then I spun on my heel and bolted. “Hey, stop right there!” The security guard gave chase. Age was on my side. I ran like my life depended on it and soon left the old guy in the dust. I sprinted to the shore of Solar Lake on campus and bent over with my hands on my knees, gasping for air. My face was still frozen in panic. But the campus was huge. Having shaken him off, I wasn’t worried about being found again. I felt relieved, remembering I’d kept my face covered since the guard showed up. He probably didn’t get a good look at me. Just as I started to relax, my phone suddenly blared to life. I nearly jumped out of my skin and almost tumbled into the lake.

My phone lit up with Isabelle’s name on the screen. “Hey, Isabelle, what’s up?” I caught her name and answered right away. “Ashley, I covered for you during the room inspection.” “Thanks, Isabelle,” I said gratefully. Isabelle hesitated, then asked, “Ashley, is something wrong? You can tell me! We’re roommates, best friend even. Whatever it is, I’m here to help.” Isabelle’s concern touched me. But this? There was no way I could let her in on it. “It’s nothing, really… It’s just some family stuff. I’ll be back in class tomorrow.” I lied, keeping my tone light. That seemed to satisfy her. She offered to call in sick for me if I couldn’t make it back in time. I assured her I’d be there, then ended the call. Sitting in the pavilion by Solar Lake, the breeze off the water did nothing to calm my racing thoughts. Who was that guy with the video of me? Would he come after me again? Was I doomed to live under his thumb? The security guard saved my bacon this time, but what about next time? Or the time after that? Could I count on being that lucky again? If not, was I just supposed to let him have his way with me? I stared blankly at the moonlit surface of the lake. I let out a heavy sigh. Oh, Ashley! Why did you have to have this kink? Satisfied now? Caught red-handed, huh? I felt utterly frustrated, but deep down, I knew I had no control over these impulses. I sat alone in the pavilion until dawn, only leaving when the early birds showed up for their morning workout. I grabbed a bite to eat and camped out in the classroom. About two hours it was passed before other students started trickling in. The moment Isabelle walked in and spotted me, she plopped herself down right next to me. “Ashley, what’s the emergency back home? You had to rush out so late last night.” I blinked, deflecting, “It’s nothing. We’ve got photography class today, right?” “Yeah, here’s your book. I bought it for you.” Ashley eyed me for a moment before pulling a book from her bag and placing it on my desk. I shot Isabelle a grateful look, not bothering with words of thanks. We’d been like sisters for two years. There was no need for formalities between us. Up front, the teacher droned on, our previous assignments flashing across the big screen. My mind wandered. Suddenly, my phone buzzed twice. My face fell instantly. These days, that sound sets me on edge. I snuck a glance at my phone and bit my lip. It was him again! Another message from him! [Hey, sweetie. Move to the back row.] Was he in the classroom? I instinctively glanced around but didn’t spot anyone out of place. Everyone here was from my class. There were strangers in sight. [Don’t bother looking. You won’t find me. Just do as I say!] I blinked, took a deep breath, and told Isabelle I wasn’t feeling well before slipping into an empty seat in the back row. The back was pretty deserted, save for one guy with glasses. I remembered him. He was Matthew Everett. If I recall what Isabelle had said, he supposedly had a crush on me. Plenty of people had crushes on me at school, but this guy barely registered on my radar. Matthew looked surprised when I sat in the back row. Then his face flushed, and he ducked his head. He couldn’t seriously think I’d come back here just to sit with him, right? I shook my head and focused on my phone. [I’m in the back now. What do you want?] I sent the message while scanning the room. A wild thought hit me. Could this guy be one of my classmates? From last night at the field to knowing I was in class now, even my every move. I couldn’t help but suspect he was among us! I studied each face carefully, but nothing seemed off. Some were napping, others were whispering, and a few were zoning out. The ones on their phones were just watching videos or reading. [Ashley, I told you to stop looking. You won’t find me.] I stared at my phone, silent. [See the person next to you? You like to show your body, right? Now, face him, lift your skirt, and spread your legs.]

On the day I was supposed to marry Rachel Quinn, the beautiful rich girl, she abandoned my mother, Susan Sullivan, and me on a remote road to meet up with her childhood sweetheart. Susan suffered a sudden heart attack from the shock. I called Rachel, sobbing, begging her to come back and help save my mom. She coldly dismissed me. “Here we go again. Every time I leave, your mom fakes a heart problem. Your family really knows how to put on a show.” Because of her delay, we missed the crucial window for treatment, and Susan passed away. That night, one of our mutual friends posted a picture on Instagram with the caption: [Nothing beats childhood sweethearts!] The photo showed Rachel perched on her childhood sweetheart’s lap, his hand resting intimately on her waist. The sexual tension was palpable. With a blank expression, I liked the post and commented: [So this was why you have got to run?] My friend mockingly replied: [It was just a round of Truth or Dare. Why so serious?] Rachel seemed indifferent. But when I left without a word, she completely lost it. ***** [Rachel, let’s break up.] After packing up my mom Susan’s belongings, I sent Rachel this message, my face expressionless. Rachel thought I was just throwing a fit. She immediately posted screenshots of our chat on Instagram, saying: [Jeez, wonder where he learned to be such a drama queen.] Rachel’s friends, always eager for drama, chimed in with comments. [Like mother, like son. Probably learned it from that hick mom of his.] [He’s just a simp who thinks he’s hot stuff.] [Rachel, don’t forgive him so easily this time. Show him who the boss is in this relationship!] Rachel replied with a smile: [Of course.] I smashed my fist into the picture frame. Blood seeped through my fingers as the photo of Rachel and me shattered. For six long years, I’d stood by Rachel’s side, catering to her every whim, cherishing her with all my heart. She was a rich man’s daughter, and I came from an average family. The designer bags she loved took me months to save up for. But I didn’t mind. Just seeing her smile made it all worthwhile. I’d work three jobs a day without complaint, even if it meant my hands were calloused and bleeding. She was my whole world. When the flu hit and pharmacies were out of meds, I braved a raging fever just to get some to her door. She was that fragile. And how did Rachel repay me? She blew through the money I’d worked so hard to earn. Worse still, she’d been secretly investing in her childhood friend Nathan’s business ventures behind my back. Susan, taking Rachel’s words to heart, emptied our family’s savings. She said we couldn’t let Rachel down and had to give her a fancy wedding. In the end, on the day we were supposed to get our marriage license, Rachel received a call from Nathan while we were on the road. Without hesitation, she abandoned Susan and me on a deserted highway. I desperately reached for her wrist. “We’re not even married yet…” She jerked her hand away and started the car. “Nathan just got back to the country. Starting a business isn’t easy. He needs me. Don’t worry, honey. I’ll be right back.” With tears in my eyes, I shouted, “Rachel, if you leave now, this wedding is off!” Rachel fixed me with a confident stare. “You can’t live without me, Ryan Sullivan.” Her words rooted me to the spot. Susan, witnessing Rachel abandon us for another man, collapsed from the shock, clutching her chest in pain. There was no one in sight. I frantically dialed Rachel’s number, desperate for her to come back and help Susan. Rachel coldly dismissed my plea, hanging up with a scathing remark, “Here we go again. Every time I leave, your mom fakes a heart problem. Your family really knows how to put on a show.” As I watched the life slowly drain from Susan, I couldn’t hold back the tears, overwhelmed by despair. When Rachel and I first got together, Susan had offered me all her savings. “Ryan,” she’d said, “it’s been just the two of us for so long. I know my heart’s been holding you back. But I want to help you one last time.” Now she lay in my arms, her breath shallow, her face deathly pale. “Ryan,” she whispered, “I wanted to see how handsome you’d look in your wedding suit…” But she would never get that chance. In the end, all that was left of poor Susan was a small pile of ashes. Susan never liked crowds, so I kept the funeral small. Some friends came by to say goodbye, but I moved all the flowers outside. I sat in the bedroom, clutching Susan’s urn and sobbing uncontrollably. Bottle after bottle of liquor was emptied as their cruel laughter filtered through the door. Seriously, what’s the deal with him, Rachel? Is he trying to open a flower shop with all those lilies? He’s pathetic, just like his mother. What a loser. Leaving lilies is like wishing Rachel an early death. Come on, Rachel, it was just a game of Truth or Dare with Nathan. Is he really that petty? Talk about a man who can’t take a joke. I’d heard these insults countless times, and each time, Rachel remained silent, never defending me. She had promised me that this place was our secret hideout where no one else was allowed. Just the two of us. But now, she had broken our promise. She even brought her group of fair-weather friends into our home, with Nathan by her side. To her, Nathan was the one who got away, her idealized first love. Ever since he returned to the country, Rachel’s eyes had been constantly drawn to him. When I was starting my business, I asked Rachel to spot me a few thousand dollars to get things rolling. I didn’t want to always be in her shadow。 I wanted to be able to take care of the woman I loved. She refused. “You’re going to be my husband. You shouldn’t have to do things like that.” But then she turned around and threw a lavish birthday bash for Nathan. When I expressed my hurt, she simply said, “Nathan’s my childhood friend. Don’t be silly. He won’t come between us.” Was that true? Later, a single phone call from Nathan was enough to make her rush out, leaving me to stay up all night, sick with worry. Her excuse was that work at the company was too busy. But I knew the truth. It wasn’t that she was too busy. It was that her heart was no longer with me. So even if Susan had a heart attack, she’d think we were just faking it. Rachel’s eyes lowered in disgust when she saw my disheveled state. “What game are you trying to play now?” Nathan took a step back, looking me up and down. “Ryan? What’s gotten into you, man? Even if you got the wrong idea about me and Rachel, that’s no excuse to let yourself go like this.” His words drew the attention of Rachel’s group of friends, their gazes settling on me. Susan’s passing had left me sleepless for days, dark circles prominent under my eyes. Their judgmental stares cut deep. One of them sneered, “Wow, Ryan, you’re really pulling out all the stops to win Rachel back, huh?” Another chimed in, “Let me guess, Rachel mentioned she’d be here. So you showed up looking all heartbroken, hoping she’d fall for your pity party?” Keep dreaming, you pathetic loser! I bet Rachel had no clue I blocked her ages ago. Not a single one of her messages had gotten through. All those nights she was out partying with her friends, carelessly plastering her drunk selfies all over Instagram, I was at home, clutching Susan’s ashes, crying like a child.

Are you done? Rachel glanced at me indifferently, casually strolling to the couch and sitting down, just like after every argument we’d ever had. “If you’re finished, get off your ass and clean this dump. We’ve got people coming over later.” I suddenly burst out laughing. Rachel raised an eyebrow. “Ryan, have you lost your mind? You’re a just freaking sugar baby. How dare you laugh?” I laughed so hard tears came to my eyes. Rachel frowned, repeating with forced patience, “Ryan, I said I’m throwing a party here.” In Rachel’s eyes, Susan and I combined didn’t measure up to Nathan. Even when Susan had angina, Rachel thought she was faking it. The first time Susan was supposed to meet her, Rachel claimed to be busy with work. I later found out she was actually picking up Nathan from the airport. Each time, she stabbed me in the heart, leaving it a bloody mess. On our wedding day, Nathan used the excuse of being drunk on business. In reality, he was just playing truth or dare with his friends. They wanted to see if Rachel would really leave me for him. Susan grabbed Rachel’s hand, pleading, “Rachel, my son truly loves you. We consider you one of our own. Can’t you at least sign the marriage certificate first?” I couldn’t give up. “Rachel, I need you,” I said desperately. But she firmly pushed Susan’s hand away. “You’ll be fine without me, Ryan. Nathan needs me.” She then roared past in her car. As she straddled Nathan’s lap, flirting and blushing, Susan’s life slipped away in my arms, breath by breath. I looked up sharply at Rachel, my eyes rimmed with red. “What? Are you planning to throw a party in front of my mother’s urn?” The room fell silent, broken only by Nathan’s sudden, inappropriate laugh. “Sorry,” he said, looking apologetic. “Couldn’t help it.” Nathan spoke with an air of feigning sincerity and patience. “Ryan, I know you’ve got the wrong idea about Rachel and me, but isn’t it a bit much to talk about your mom like that?” He explained slowly, “That day, we were playing Truth or Dare. If I’d known you and Rachel were about to get married, I never would have let her come.” Rachel’s friends had already closed ranks around Nathan. Not one of them believed a word I said. It was just like that day when Rachel refused to believe Susan was having a heart attack. If Nathan hadn’t called Rachel away on purpose, Susan wouldn’t have gotten so upset that it triggered her heart attack. My fists were clenched, and my eyes were bloodshot with anger. Nathan took a cautious step back. Rachel moved to stand in front of him. “Are you done? Your mom was always in good health. Isn’t it a bit much to use this to provoke me?” She hadn’t shown any concern for Susan’s condition that day, not even a single word of care. Susan’s dying wish was for Rachel and me to stay together. But what about her? Ryan, my patience has its limits, I spoke coldly. Rachel thought I’d give in like before, apologize, and try to win her back. But she was wrong. I grew up in a single-parent home. My father passed away in an accident when I was three. It had been just Susan and me for over twenty years. A few years ago, I neglected Susan’s health because of Rachel. I offered her my whole heart, and now she had shattered it completely.” Are you done talking? If so, please leave. My voice was ice-cold as I pushed through the crowd to retrieve Susan’s urn. Rachel grabbed my wrist, her tone a mix of frustration and compromise. “Ryan, please don’t be like this.” Disappointment flickered in her eyes. “You weren’t like this before.” It was funny how we always wanted what we couldn’t have. Back when I was head over heels for Rachel, she couldn’t care less. Now that I was done with it all, she was suddenly interested. Now, the tables had turned. I pried her fingers off, creating some distance between us. “Tell me then, what was I like before? Your lapdog? A shameless pretty boy?” I scoffed, and my voice was low. “A sugar baby?” I paused, then delivered the final blow. “Or maybe…just useless?” Rachel’s face drained of color. “Ryan…” These were the names her so-called friends used for me. Just because I stood by her side, I became the target of their cruel labels. Rachel was the pampered daughter of a wealthy family. On our first date, she got a craving for dessert from Cassie’s Dessert. I scoured the city, but every shop had closed up for the night. Determined not to let her down, I hopped on the subway, rented a bike, and even hoofed it for miles. To get her favorite cupcake, I braved Sycamore Avenue despite my allergy to sycamore fluff. With a face flushed bright red from the allergic reaction, I carefully handed her the cupcake. She nestled against me, wrapping her arms around my waist. Her lips met mine in a sweet, happy kiss. “Ryan,” she said, “you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” Back then, I really thought I’d touched her heart. I gave everything I had, holding nothing back. Even when Rachel’s friends openly insulted me, I didn’t care. I naively believed that as long as I stayed by Rachel’s side, we’d find happiness someday. Later, she met Susan. My mom adored her, often sending homemade soup to her office. She worried Rachel might skip meals due to her busy schedule. Make sure Rachel’s well-fed and healthy, Susan would tell me. What Susan didn’t know was that Rachel never tasted a single drop of that soup. I once saw her, from around the corner, pouring Susan’s carefully prepared chicken soup down the drain. “Handle it like this from now on,” she coldly instructed her secretary. Meanwhile, Susan would say, “Rachel must have sophisticated tastes. I’ll stop sending the soup. I’ve saved up quite a bit over the years. Find out what Rachel likes to eat and treat her to that. It’s the least I can do.” In Rachel’s words, Susan, a kind-hearted, generous old lady, had become a villain who faked illness just to lure her back for a marriage certificate. The doctor said if we’d arrived just a few minutes earlier, Susan might have lived. Rachel had robbed Susan of her fighting chance. A tidal wave of grief and anger crashed over me, leaving me drowning in bitterness. Rachel glared at me, rolling their eyes dramatically. “Ryan, watch your mouth!” Look at yourself. We’re being generous, calling you sugar baby… Enough, Rachel snapped, her face darkening. The group exchanged uneasy glances. Well, well. So she could shut them up after all. It dawned on me that their constant disrespect had always had Rachel’s tacit approval. Maybe she’d looked down on me all along.

This time, Rachel deigned to explain herself. “Look, I’ll admit I didn’t think it through earlier. But it was an emergency. We can always get the marriage license another day, right?” She turned to me with a placating smile. “How about this, Ryan? Next Monday, you can pick me up and we’ll head to the city hall together. We’ll make it official then.” Even as she tried to make amends, she couldn’t shake off her haughty, entitled attitude. In the past, I would have caved. I would have turned back, wrapped my arms around her waist, and playfully bitten her neck, saying, “Don’t let it happen again.” But now, my eyes were cold, my tone strange. “Don’t bother,” I said. “The almighty Ms. Quinn wouldn’t lower herself to take back someone she’s already tossed aside, would she?” It was the first time I’d ever addressed her so formally, so distantly. Rachel was in shock. She took a sharp breath, steadying herself against the table’s edge, unable to believe what she’d just heard. Ryan, she said, her voice quivering. “Are you really breaking up with me over something so petty?” Petty? What the hell counts as petty to her? I let out a bitter laugh inwardly. “Is my mother’s death just a minor inconvenience?” Fury coursed through me, my arm muscles taut with anger. My voice came out low and dangerous, each word like a clap of thunder. “What about you, Rachel? You haven’t asked about my mom even once.” Rachel stiffened, her eyes darting away. “Your mom’s healthy. Even two Nathans combined couldn’t match up to her. Fine, if it’s about this, I’ll buy some health supplements for your mom later, she said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Her tone dripped with condescension. The others chimed in eagerly, “Rachel’s doing you a favor, Ryan. Don’t you know when you’re getting a good deal? Those supplements cost thousands of dollars. Where would your country bumpkin mom ever get to eat such good stuff otherwise?” My throat tightened, leaving me speechless. It was ridiculous. Even now, Rachel believed Susan coveted her wealth and status. When I brought her home to meet Susan, she came empty-handed. I chalked it up to absent-mindedness. Later, I realized she not only looked down on me but was wary of Susan, too. Her friends had badmouthed Susan behind our backs. “What a liar! Heart disease? Please! If it was that bad, how’s she still kicking after all these years?” I bet Ryan’s just eager to be a wealthy sugar baby. He’s probably got his mom faking heart problems to guilt-trip you, Rachel. Don’t fall for it! And Rachel actually bought it. While Susan was alive, Rachel gave away all the health supplements to her so-called friends. Now that Susan was gone, she was falling over herself to bring offerings. The irony was laughable. That won’t be necessary, I said coldly. Suddenly, Nathan let out a startled cry. “Oh!” Rachel instinctively moved closer to Nathan, her eyes filled with concern. “Nathan, what’s wrong?” Nathan pointed at the memorial photo on the table, his voice shaking. “Rachel, why is Ryan’s mom’s photo here? Does that mean…” Rachel’s eyelid twitched. “No, it can’t be.” People always tended to deceive themselves. If Rachel had thought about it carefully, she would have remembered how Susan often struggled to breathe when they met and how heart medication was scattered all over their house. If she had just considered it for a moment, she would have known that Susan truly had a heart condition. One of Rachel’s friends immediately sneered, “Ryan must have made a memorial photo of his own mother just to win Rachel back. How disgusting!” Jeez, Ryan, another chimed in. “Pull stunts like this and karma’s gonna bite you in the ass.” Their gaze was like looking at disgusting lice. Even Rachel’s face twisted with disapproval. “Ryan, I can’t believe you’d do something like this. If your aunt found out…” I closed my eyes, a headache building. “She’s not going to find out.” Rachel had never seen me this serious before. Her tone softened instantly. “Ryan…” I was done with these people. All I wanted was to take Susan’s ashes and leave. “If you won’t go, I will.” As I picked up the urn, Rachel sneered. “Trying to play the victim again?” She shot a look at her cronies, who immediately surrounded me. Nathan snatched the urn from my hands. Come on, Ryan, he said. “You don’t have to do this.” Nathan leaned in close, lowering his voice. “Ryan, maybe save those flowers outside for your mom. She’s always faking heart problems. Might come in handy when she finally kicks the bucket.” I struggled wildly, trying to swing at him, but was held back firmly. “Nathan! I’ll kill you!” Oops, Nathan exclaimed as the urn slipped from his hands, scattering white powder across the floor. His face showed mock regret, but his words dripped with accusation. “Sorry, Ryan. I spilled that ‘baby formula’ you brought. But hey, waste not, want not. We can feed it to Anna. Might as well put it to good use.” My blood ran cold. Anna was Nathan’s dog. What are you planning to do? I asked, horrified. Rachel chimed in, “Good idea. Waste not, want not, after all.” I looked at Rachel, pleading, “No, Rachel, please…” But she just scoffed indifferently, “Ryan, don’t you love acting? Keep going, I’m watching!” My heart felt dead inside. A metallic taste filled my mouth, “Rachel, you’ll regret this!!” Damn, you’re really selling it,” someone nearby chuckled, instantly easing Rachel’s hesitation. I watched as Nathan added warm water to the ashes, and the Doberman tentatively licked the contents of the bowl. No! It felt like an invisible hand clenched my heart. The pain was suffocating. I broke free, landing a hard punch on Nathan’s face, screaming like a madman, “That’s my mom’s ashes! You monster! I’ll kill you!” Tears streamed down my face as I furiously pinned Nathan down, raining punches on him. Even as several people restrained my limbs, I glared at the couple before me, my eyes bloodshot with fury. Have you lost your mind, Ryan? Trying to kill Nathan over a can of formula? Rachel cried out, frantically checking Nathan for injuries without sparing me a glance. My voice came out raw, like I’d been gargling gravel. “Rachel, I wish I’d never fallen for you. If I’d known loving you would cost me my mother, I’d have wished we’d never met.” Rachel flinched, then wiped the blood from Nathan’s lip. Her voice dripped with contempt as she said, “Keep this act up, Ryan, and I might just find someone else to marry.” My sobs turned into hysterical laughter as I glared at Rachel with pure hatred. “I hate you, Rachel,” I choked out, my voice weak with emotion. “I hate you!” Rachel’s patience had run out. “Ryan, you can drop the act now…” Before she could finish, her friend Wendy approached hesitantly, holding a document. “Rachel,” she said, her voice uncertain, “I have a death certificate here. It looks like Ryan’s mom… It seems like she really did pass away.”

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My husband had a child with organ failure with his first love, so he cruelly set his sights on my belly.

On my wedding day, Anson got a call from his old crush and just left. I chased after him and almost got hit by a car. The shock made me miscarry, and my dress was stained with blood. There he was, holding her, whispering, “Brenda, I’m here,” just like when he proposed to me. Turns out, he never loved me. I handed him divorce papers, and he tore them up, saying, “It’s just a small thing. I was comforting Brenda.” A small thing? He didn’t know he lost his child that day. He didn’t know I was dying inside.

“There will be a twenty percent reduction in staff,” my manager Craig announced to the group in our emergency staff meeting.My stomach immediately turned into nervous knots.Craig paused, waiting for the collective gasp to settle down, a small smile quivering at the corners of his mouth.Is that sympathy, or is he enjoying this? I wondered.As if to address my thoughts, Craig’s face switched to a mask of regret as he looked around the room.”I’m not happy about it either. Each of you is important to this department in my opinion. But, since the new CEO believes differently, I’ll be conducting performance reviews with everyone this week and reporting my findings.”My heart sank.I knew my work was good. But if it was going to be a popularity contest, I had no chance.After all, I am “scentless”.In a world of werewolves, scent was just as vital a sense as sight.Werewolves had a built-in system to rate every scent they encountered. Alphas were born with B grade scent minimums. Betas and Omegas, on the other hand, could be very flexible. They could easily smell like a C, D, or F grade to strangers.Whenever one met someone who had the potential to be a best friend or partner, they will immediately register as an A, while A+ is definitely a top match. There was a myth about S grade, but it was only a myth.Therefore, best friends, couples, business partners, even military units, all these social ties were established on scents.I, however, had no scent. Or at least, that’s what most people said.Another oddity was that it seemed I lacked the system to grade other people’s scent. I didn’t instinctively rate someone before I knew them, but instead judged people on other aspects like personality or behavior.Those who were being kind compared me to air. Some openly asked about my bloodline, another thing usually discernable in one’s personal smell. My answer was again disappointing. I was an orphan and had no idea who my parents were.”I’ll be sending each of you messages about when we are to meet. Thank you, and again, I’m very sorry that we are in this situation,” Craig finished this meeting.My colleagues began to murmur to each other as they walked out, but no one cared about me.I was used to it by now. They didn’t mean to be rude.I went out into the hall and began to walk toward the main room and my cubicle, but Craig came striding back down the corridor and blocked my way.”There you are, Elena,” he said, beaming. “You’re always so hard to track down, you know.” He tapped his nose and gave me a wink.I tried not to roll my eyes.Performance evaluation, I thought and smiled.”What’s up, Craig?”He handed me a stack of files. “Some new manuscripts just in.”His hand went up to my face, bringing his scent of licorice with it. He flicked a lock of my dark hair away before settling his hand on my shoulder.I wanted to brush it off but I forced myself to be still, to keep my smile. I looked around. There was no one else in the corridor.”How are you feeling after the announcement?” he asked.”Nervous,” I admitted. His scent was too close and it made me nauseous.I turned my nose away, but he didn’t move his hand.”Just do your best. Speaking of, those need to be in my inbox by the time you leave, okay?””Okay.”He rubbed my shoulder and continued down the corridor.I watched him go, trying not to gag at the thick sweetness that drifted in his wake. I used to be okay with the smell of licorice until I got to know Craig.I’d seen him squeeze, hug, and pat other females and no one seemed to give it a second thought. Jerry in marketing even patted him back.Am I being oversensitive? I thought, trying to wipe the licorice smell off my shoulder and glancing at the females around me as I went past their cubicles. No one else seemed to have a problem with his handsy behavior.I sat down at my desk and stared at the folders.I’d wanted to be a reporter. It’s what they promised when I first came to the newspaper after graduation. But here I was, years later, still on comics and proofreading, having done nothing more than occasionally write stories for other reporters under their byline.I guess it was hard for them to trust someone without a scent.And yet I tried hard to do well in every work I was given. Surely, I thought, all that good work and so little complaining will allow me to keep my job.A few hours later, the atmosphere began to change. It was Friday, and people were busy planning to meet for drinks and dinner.I went to the manager’s office with my proofed copies and was relieved to see Craig had gone for the day. I slapped the packet in his inbox, glancing at the photo of his wife on his desk before I went to pack my bag. I pushed open the doors to the front of the building just as my phone dinged with a text.It was Cathy, my only close friend and sole support since high school.Guess what? Your high school crush is in town.The line was followed by a spray of winking and heart-surrounded emoji faces.My breath caught in my throat and I instinctively turned right, heading toward a popular square. Music and voices from Friday night crowds filled the air and neon lights illuminated the space. Delicious smells of meat and fried food from the restaurants swirled around the people happily hanging out or on their way to food and entertainment.An enormous screen across the square projected the local news.And there he was.Charles.Larger than life, being interviewed by a local reporter, he was breathtakingly handsome with his dark, wavy hair and sharp blue eyes. His face light up the screen.The reporter beamed and leaned in toward him. He’d always that effect on people.Their dialog ran across the bottom.”And a hearty welcome to the young media entrepreneur, Mr. Charles Rafe!” the reporter said.”Thank you, Sandy.”He smiled at her, and I suddenly remembered him, a little more baby-faced, on the soccer field or in the school baseball uniform, in the back row of my history class, but still attracting every eye in the room when he smiled like that.Even now I could feel myself grinning at the screen like an idiot, remembering his warm, vetiver smell.”And what are your plans for our fair city?” the reporter asked.”As you know, Sandy, the merger of my family’s two companies has been a good move. We’re fortunately seeing steady profits.””We all know fortune has nothing to do with it,” the reporter said, playfully nudging his arm.”Well, thank you, but it takes a hardworking, loyal set of people to make any business successful.”His blue eyes looked directly into the camera.I caught my breath, as did a few other people who had also stopped and looked up. He seemed to be looking down through the square directly at me. I stood, riveted to the spot, gazing back.”So naturally I’m here to find those people, and while I’m at it, acquire some companies and expand the Rafe family’s business empire.”I couldn’t help but stare at the screen until Charles was gone.Wouldn’t it be weird if he were my new boss? I thought.I quickly shook my head with a bitter smile.It was a big city. Surely there was more than one large conglomerate coming to town.

It was true what Cathy had said. Charles was my high school crush. But it was also true that it was so much more than that.Years had passed since high school, but the feelings I had during that period of my life were as strong as if they’d happened yesterday. Back then, no one in my high school didn’t like Charles Rafe. He was the only student, except Cathy, that would smile to me and say hi. He even said my name correctly every time. Gradually, he became the reason I got out of bed and went to class in the morning, just so I could sit silently behind him. His casual smile was the factor that made or broke my day. There was no way he would remember me even if he was my new boss. Still, the idea of it made me smile into the night sky and wait for the screen to loop the interview so I could see his face one more time. I gazed up at the screen, watching the commercials tick by. The programs usually looped at least a half-dozen times before they moved on to the next thing, giving people time to see it as they walked through city squares. I waited and was rewarded. There he was again. His sharp blue eyes took me out of the city square and suddenly I was back in Mr. Sellers’ senior English honors class. I sat in the back left corner seat trying not to be noticed and at the same time trying to absorb every bit of knowledge I could. I loved that class because that is where I started my dream of becoming a journalist one day. Charles and his numerous Alpha friends sat in the rows in front of me, laughing, smiling, and always having a good time. Mr. Sellers enjoyed their cheerful presence in class, and they acted like a wall of sunshine between him and my hungry mind. Not that I minded. Sitting behind Charles was heaven. Every time he moved his vetiver scent wafted toward me, and I often bent forward over a paper pretending to write just to be nearer to him. There was also a moment I treasured when he would saunter in moments before the starting bell. Because he was kind, he would greet people on his way to his seat, and this included me. He’d make eye contact with his piercing blue eyes, and we’d both smile. “Hey, Elena.” “Hi.” And then he’d sit, his back turned, and that was it. But for me, it was enough to make my day. If we got to write a paper in class, the day was even better. It was high school graduation before I got the courage to say more than a few words. I watched him walk across the stage, his diploma held high in triumph for the cheers from both the audience and the seated students, and was sure I wouldn’t see him again. That knowledge gave me courage. When I saw him walk toward his car alone after telling his friends he’d see them later at a party, I went that direction, too. He paused to unlock the door. As I passed, I said, “Congratulations, Charles.” He looked up, smiling. “I thought I noticed you coming, Elena. Congratulations to you, too.” I was surprised. He noticed me coming? Those words were reserved for those with discernable scents. For a moment we looked at each other, me stunned by his intense gaze. “I…” He looked at me with a small smile, patient and waiting. I forced the words out of my mouth. “I was wondering, I know you have a ton of friends and things to do, but would you maybe like to have coffee with me or something? Next week? Or sometime.” My words seemed to hang in the air and I felt my blood began to pound. I felt my face twist in agony, knowing I’d just made a fool of myself. His smile faded a little. I wished I could look away and sink into the ground but his blue eyes held mine. “I’m sorry, Elena,” he said. He looked intensely at me, as if wanting me to understand something he wasn’t saying. I nodded, feeling my face flaming red. “I totally understand. Well, good luck, and all that.” “Wait, Elena.” But I hadn’t. I’d walked off in a blur of humiliation. What was I thinking? I’d raged at myself. Obviously, he wouldn’t have said yes. We were so far apart that we might have been different species. The memory of my humiliation made me groan even now, years later standing in a busy city square on a Friday night. At least I’d tried. Thinking back, I’d have regretted not doing it despite the embarrassment. I pulled out my phone as his interview started again and held it aloft toward his face, filming him. When the clip finished, I sent it to Cathy who texted back as I was walking away. Still in love? Of course not. Just a distant fangirl now. You never know! She followed this with a winky face emoji. How about dinner this weekend? It’s been a while. My heart warmed. Cathy was the most wonderful friend, though I never was able to shake the suspicion that she just felt bad for me. When we were younger, she used to give me hugs and bury her nose in my hair and inhale. “You smell so good. Solid A to me. Why can nobody else sense it?” ” I’d squeezed her back, feeling her refreshing lily scent surrounding me. “What do I smell like?” “I can’t place it. But it’s gorgeous.” I’d always assumed this was a joke to cheer me up. She had always been there for me, jokes or not, and I regretted having to turn her down for dinner. I’m sorry. I have to save my job. She sent a frowning face but then a gif of unicorns dancing together. Okay, babe. Don’t work too hard. Remember I love you. Love you, too, I texted back, and smiled. I was so lucky. I spent the rest of the weekend hardly moving from my desk or changing out of my pajamas while I combed through every project and noted every accolade. By the time Craig’s scheduling link came through on Sunday night I was ready. I confidently scheduled the block mid-morning and went to bed knowing I’d done everything I could. Despite knowing my looks made little difference, I took special care with my hair and outfit that morning. I wanted to look as deserving as my portfolio suggested. I even felt decent as I sat down five minutes before the scheduled time outside Craig’s office. Laughter and casual discussion came from behind his closed door. I checked my watch, my stomach clenching. This wasn’t good. My portfolio was good. I was valuable and I knew it. But if it came down to this type of banter I was in trouble. The minutes ticked by and my appointment came and went. Five minutes, ten minutes. I could feel my muscles tensing and a headache coming on. Finally, the door opened and a colleague walked by calling back, “Okay, see you, Craig.” I stood and turned, looking at Craig who was leaning on the doorframe. “Elena! Wonderful. Come on in.” He waved to a corner of the couch and I sat. He sat across from me in a chair and put his elbows on his knees. “Okay, Elena. Let’s see what you’ve got.” I sat up straight and put my portfolio on my knees where it seemed his gaze was fixed. I crossed my legs self-consciously, and began to talk. I sounded confident, competent. I handed him a reference sheet with lists of successes and awards I’d been responsible for helping come about. He took the sheet and barely glanced at it, his eyes never leaving my bare knees. When I’d finished there was a short pause. “Do you have any questions?” I asked, nervous for the first time and shifting my legs to cross the other direction. His eyes flickered up at me for the first time in the ten minutes I’d been talking. Then he stood and stretched, his paunch peeking out slightly from under his shirt. He sat down on the couch and draped an arm over the couch behind me. He leaned closer. I tried not to breathe in his licorice scent. “I do have a question for you, Elena, but it’s not really about your portfolio.” I felt my stomach drop. This couldn’t be good.

“You know, Elena,” Craig began, letting the pointer finger of his hand drop to my shoulder. It began to draw small circles there. “This is really stressful for me.” I fought the urge to shrug his finger away, and tried to lean back slowly, as if to see his face better. “I mean, I genuinely like all of my employees. You are all so good, so valuable.” His finger became the back of his fingers and he brushed them up toward my neck. “I’ve had a headache for days straight. Can you believe that?” “Yes,” I said, thankful for the opportunity to pull away and look into his face. “I have, too. It’s hard for all of us.” He smiled. “That’s one thing I like about you, Elena. You’re sympathetic.” “What’s the question you had for me?” I asked. To my dismay, he scooted closer, undoing the slow, few inches I’d managed to put between us. “You know, Sandra, my wife?” “I met her briefly at a party, yeah.” “We’ve been having problems.” “That can’t be helpful at a time like this.” “See? There you are being understanding again.” He smiled and I tried to smile back. I didn’t like where this was going. “After the last holiday party I had a few too many drinks. I love the punch the HR ladies make.” He was famous for getting plastered at holiday parties. I’d learned to steer clear of him if I didn’t want my backside grabbed. “It’s totally my fault, but Melanie from marketing smelled so good that night. Like a roasted chicken, and my mind just went. I couldn’t help it. I mean, obviously, I prefer my wife’s scent but it was just so different.” How do I get out of this? I thought. He wasn’t looking at me but was gazing at my neck, his fingers starting to move again, fiddling with a lock of my hair. “I’m sorry, I don’t see where this is going.” I leaned away but he continued, not seeming to notice. “And of course, that smell is pretty strong. Sandra smelled her right away.” “Oh.” My eyebrows raised. Why was he admitting this to me, confirming my suspicions that he was indeed the sleazeball I’d imagined? “My question to you, Elena, is this.” He leaned into me, his right arm around my shoulders closing in and pulling me close, his left circling my waist. “Since you have no scent, can I be with you and not get caught?” He pressed me back against the couch, his horrible smell overwhelming me, making me gag. “Get off!” I pushed him with all my strength, throwing myself sideways and stumbling as I broke free and dropped from the couch. I chanced a quick glance at him, sprawled on his face and half falling off the couch before I turned and ran toward the door. I yanked it open and flew out, ignoring the alarmed stare of the man who sat waiting for the next interview. It wasn’t until I was in the furthest cubicle against the wall in the women’s bathroom that I began to breathe. I sat on the toilet, my head in my hands, taking big, gasping breaths. I was angry and scared all at once, my chest contracting with emotion. Little by little, my breathing slowed and my mind began to clear. I could hear my breathing echoing off the cold tiles around me. I needed to go to HR. I should have reported it in the past. But now I needed to do it before I excused it away. I stood, straightened my clothing, and took a deep breath. I knew people underestimated me, but I also knew that if I could bypass their scent-bias then I could be powerful. I held tight to that knowledge inside me and strode confidently out into the hall. I took the stairs so not to hinder my momentum and went down the stairwell to the HR offices. I spent the rest of the day attempting to concentrate on my work, but it was impossible. I tried to interpret the expressions of the HR workers and remember the scents. Had I detected a slight increase in body heat? An uptick in the strength of the odors? Finally, one of the HR workers, Cecilia, came to my cubicle and led me to the conference room for a meeting. As soon as I walked in my heart began to pound. Craig was there, as was his boss and another HR representative. I could feel the tension in the atmosphere, sense the heat and heightened scents. I looked at Cecilia, assuming she was my representative, but she took a seat on the manager’s side of the table, leaving me alone and as if I were on trial. The other HR representative began to read a statement, during which Craig never took his eyes off the table where his finger drew the same circle it had on my shoulder. My mind buzzed as the words began to sink in. “… total fabrication… a desperate move to keep her job… continued failure of basic duties.” When they finished, the HR manager put down his paper and looked at me with cool, grey eyes. “That is all. We will be contacting you…” “Hold on,” I said, anger making my voice quaver. “This is outrageous. It is a total lie, and what’s more, it’s slander.” “Slander?” Craig scoffed. “You’re the one slandering me, Elena!” “Not if it’s true. And I can prove you’re wrong with the statements about my performance. If that’s fabricated then it absolutely calls into question the remainder of this statement.” “We didn’t see any performance appraisal materials from you,” the HR manager frowned. “That’s because I left it on his office floor as I literally ran away from assault. Thankfully I have copies and I will email one to each of you directly after this poor excuse for an HR intervention.” Dead silence filled the room. “All of that is inflated. Fabricated,” Craig said, looking a little desperately at his manager. “She has no proof I tried to touch her.” “Ask a dozen other women in the office if they’ve ever been touched.” More silence. The HR representative cleared his throat. “We will get back to you in the next 24 hours. I suspect we will have to take this to a higher level.” “What?” Craig looked incredulous. I rose, looking as confident as I could despite my legs trembling from a mix of fury and anxiety. “Expect an email from me soon,” I said to everyone, and strode out the door. I don’t know how I made it to my cubicle, but I wilted into my seat and put my head in my hands, trying not to cry. After a few deep breaths I sat up, and with shaking hands began to forward my performance reports to everyone who was in the room and the general mailboxes of HR as well, just in case. No other work was sent my direction that day. It was as if Craig and other managers had assumed I was already gone. After I left the office, I was surprised to see a late email from HR. It was simple, but ominous. “The new leadership has been informed about the situation and finds it complicated enough that they will handle it themselves. Changes in position will be announced tomorrow.” “Complicated?” I said aloud to the streetlights around me. A passing commuter looked at me warily and continued. I had no idea what that meant, but I was sure it couldn’t be good.

I hardly slept and I looked it. Despite my efforts with the concealer, the bags under my eyes were evident and the stress was manifesting in overly frizzy hair. Still, I did my best. I wanted to look good for my execution, but had to settle for being on time and not looking like a puppy caught out in the rain. My hands shook on the lobby door handle. I needed to get some tension out and decided to take the stairs up the four flights to our division. It was a popular choice. My colleagues liked to stretch their bodies before and during a day sitting at desks, and I could hear a few people a few floors above me. Getting the blood flowing and my legs pumping helped my nerves. I began to breathe deeply and felt it relax my muscles. Then I heard my name echo down through the concrete stairwell. “I don’t think Elena would do that,” came the first voice. “She’s kind of a sheep.” “That’s what she wants you to think. She plays all demure, but underneath all that mildness she’s sharp. She’d be a perfect Beta, flying under the radar but secretly getting everything done. And done her way.” “But is she sharp in the way that she’d sabotage Craig? I’ve never known her to be malicious.” “I didn’t think so, but you never know how people will respond if they feel threatened.” “It’s kind of an obvious play, isn’t it?” I leaned inward trying to see who was above me. All I could see were hands holding the railing. One of them had burgundy fingernails. “Like I said, desperation.” The rest of their conversation was cut off by a door scraping opening and booming closed. Whatever solace I’d earned from the little bit of exercise was gone. Now I was trying to hold back angry tears. I pulled open what I suspected was the same door and walked into my department. Two women stood by the entrance to the cubicles with a few others. They turned and saw me. The woman with the burgundy nails had the courtesy to look guilty, but the rest looked openly hostile, even the two I’d recently thought were starting to become my friends. I held my head high and walked by without saying good morning as a voice over the intercom said, “Attention everyone, please gather in the conference room in ten minutes.” I put down my bag, turned on my computer and found the company had stopped sending me anything directly after the time of my meeting with Craig yesterday morning. It seemed they had taken a side, just like my colleagues. I decided to get a seat at the conference table rather than stand around the perimeter, so I grabbed my notebook and went through the tense, quiet cubicles. As I neared the elevator, I heard it ding. Who’d show up late today? I wondered. Only someone especially confident. The doors opened and wafted a vetiver scent so powerful in my memory that I stopped in my tracks. Charles Rafe stepped out of the elevator, two beautiful women, one light, one dark, who smelled like pine and cedar, came after him, briefcases, folders, and coffee cups in hand. The group moved like a sleek, powerful pack, and I felt myself stepping back. Charles stopped and sniffed the air. He turned slowly and his blue eyes found mine. Even from ten feet away, I could see the pupils in his eyes widen as he came toward me. The women with him seemed momentarily unsure what to do, so stood watching. My heart began to pound. His smell brought back years of longing and unfulfilled dreams. And I thought this day couldn’t get any worse. “Elena Laurentia?” My breathing stopped and my jaw fell open. He remembered me. For a moment I simply stared. Do something you idiot! I raged. “Hi.” “Hey.” Just like in Mr. Sellers’ class. He took another deep inhale and smiled. “I knew it was you.” He smiled, and I thought my knees were going to buckle. “I’m sorry we have to meet like this after all these years. It’s not a fun day for anyone when you have to do layoffs.” I cleared my throat. He was all business now, it seemed. “I imagine it’s not.” “I’ll see you in the conference room, then.” He smiled and turned to the assistants, gesturing toward the conference room. I couldn’t go in while he was in there setting up. I was almost pinned to the ground by his beautiful, vetiver scent just from the brief encounter. I couldn’t imagine being in a smaller, enclosed space with him. Instead, I watched through the windows as his assistants put his coffee cup at the head of the table and presented him with papers while he checked his phone. They set up laptops and began to gesture and talk about the projection system while Charles frowned down at the notes on the top of the file. He glanced up and out the glass windows in my direction but I looked away, starting back down the aisle toward my cubicle. So much for getting a seat. A few minutes later, the speaker announced that everyone was expected in the conference room. I joined the crowd filing quietly into the room. Charles sat, radiating power and looking around, meeting eyes and nodding here and there. I kept my eyes down and was, as expected, unintentionally bumped and shouldered into the furthest corner, blocked from Charles’ blue eyes by taller, wider colleagues. I was okay with that. For the first time in a long time, I appreciated my ability to hide. I heard a chair creak and head Charles clear his throat. I assumed he was standing from the sound. “Good morning. Before we start, can we please get the shorter people toward the front or in chairs so everyone can see? Back there?” There was a shifting around me and the people next to me looked surprised to find me there, gesturing for me to move to the front. “Thank you. I’m sorry to be having to do this.” He continued to speak for a moment about the company’s intentions. Then he looked at the blonde assistant who nodded at him. “An email has just gone out to people I’d like to stay here in the conference room with me. It has the terms of your severance package, which I think you’ll find generous, and we will discuss other opportunities or companies in our conglomerate that could be options for you.” He looked around the room. The scent of about two dozen people had suddenly increased and I found myself getting dizzy. “If you don’t have an email, feel free to return to your desks. I’ll take a moment while you check your phones.” Everyone’s hands and faces jerked as we all grabbed our devices. I opened my mail app and held my breath. Nothing. I refreshed the page. Again nothing. I looked up in confusion, but Charles wasn’t looking at me. Very slowly, a few of us began to edge toward the door. I took a few tentative steps, refreshing again just to be sure. “Sir, I think there’s been a mistake.” Craig was looking at his phone, his face turning red. He was glaring directly at me. “How is she staying? And I’m not? This isn’t right.” “You’re right,” Charles said, leaning forward over the table. “I’m sorry Elena. I forgot to mention you aren’t going to be working here either.” Craig’s face set into a smug smirk. “You’ll be joining my team. I’ll be needing a third assistant.” There was a simultaneous gasp around the room. What???

I looked around at the stunned faces. Craig’s was beginning to turn purple. Even Charles’ assistants looked confused, giving each other quick glances, but then looking to their boss for instruction. “Do you think you’ll need help packing up your desk?” Charles asked. “I … I’ll be fine.” He nodded. “Great. Then I’ll be by to get you in a few minutes.” I went to my cubicle in a daze. People were giving me a wide berth, looking at me with open confusion as I passed. I looked around at my things. There was very little. A photo of me and Cathy. A small mint plant I used to clear my nose when things got overwhelming, (an old werewolf trick). I put an external drive into my computer and began to make sure I had back up files of any work I wanted to keep, then opened drawers and began to pull out office supplies and paperwork. There were a few awards for pieces I’d helped work on, and articles I’d written for other journalists with their names still as the byline. I wanted to keep these for my portfolio. And then I smelled it. Vetiver. I looked up and Charles was standing at my cubicle, an arm casually propped on the dividing wall, a cardboard banker box in hand. “You make quick work of things,” he said, holding out the box. I took the box and put my few belongings into it. I was confused, and his presence wasn’t helping. I shook my head and took a deep breath. “Can you clarify for me how I’m qualified for this position? I’m grateful, obviously, but…” He raised a hand to cut me off. “Let’s talk privately.” He gestured for me to follow and went quickly through the quiet cubicles to the breakroom where he shut the door. Without the free flow of air, his vetiver scent quickly filled the room, becoming stronger as he moved around, going first to the cup dispenser and then the coffee machine. I watched him move, graceful and powerful, and experienced an odd mixture of euphoria and anxiety. His familiar smell filled my brain in a way that was comforting, something cherished from my past, but also brought back the old longing. I had to shake my head to think properly again. He finished dispensing the instant coffee and inhaled over the dark liquid. He frowned. “Obviously, the quality of the coffee is going to have to change. Would you like a cup anyway?” “No, thank you. I’m shaky enough today.” He smiled at my candor and poured himself a cup. He took a sip, made a face, and poured it into the sink, refiling his paper cup with water and rinsing his mouth out. “That was unpleasant to say the least,” he said, and for a moment the carefree teenager looked at me. I couldn’t help smiling back, but I also was having trouble putting thoughts into logical words. I wanted a job, of course I did. But I didn’t know how I fit the profile of his assistants. Judging from his assistants, I would need another level of education as well as a stylist. “It’s refreshing to see you again,” he said, waving this cup at me. “I can’t believe you even remember me.” “Are you kidding? Of course I remember you.” I blushed, thinking about our last interaction. “Probably because no one else embarrassed herself so badly in front of you the entire four years.” His face looked slightly pained. “That’s not it. I loved sitting next to you in Mr. Sellers’ class. Your scent actually helped me do better in that class than the others.” I frowned. “Right,” I said with as much sarcasm as I thought was decent for an employee to boss interaction. “The smell of nothing? Or flat-out air?” “I’m serious.” He put down the cup and waved his nose toward me. “You’re slightly sweet, but all together elusive. I mentioned it to my friends once and was surprised they were certain you were scentless.” This took me by surprise. “I had no idea.” We stood, staring at each other for a moment. And then a horrible thought occurred to me.

“Oh.” I said. “You’re keeping me on because you feel bad, because we have this school connection. Seriously, it’s okay. I understand business is business.” “Is that what you think?” He dashed the remainder of his water in the sink. “Please, give me more credit than that. I saw that HR report. I knew it was you and that you wouldn’t lie.” Thank you. I didn’t, as a matter of fact. But I don’t see how you’d know that from the few classes we had together where we barely spoke more than two words.” “Four.” “What?” “We had four classes together. Mr. James freshman year, Ms. Harrington sophomore year, Ms. Tate junior year, and Mr. Sellers senior year.” He smiled as my mouth dropped open. “Obviously, I was watching you more closely than you imagined.” I felt my breathing quickened. “I can’t imagine you had time with all your activities and friends. But even so, that doesn’t mean I qualify as your assistant. Those ladies…” “Amy and Jessica.” “Amy and Jessica. They’re extraordinary.” “And you’re not?” He smiled, seeming to enjoy watching me. “You really haven’t changed since high school.” “I know my resume. I’m good at what I do. I want to expand on that and become a journalist. It fits my particular skills,” I said, waving at my scentless self. “Please believe I want a job, but I’m not convinced I’m right for your inner circle.” He looked suddenly serious and took a step toward me, crumpling the paper cup and tossing it into the trash. I took a step back without realizing it. The power radiating off him made my eyes widen. “You are questioning my judgment on how I choose to run my businesses?” I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. “Elena, I need someone with integrity, and I need someone who will speak truth to power, even at the risk of their job. You proved you can do that. Need I say more?” My mouth snapped shut. He had a point. From this distance, his scent was strong, and if his argument hadn’t been so good, his scent would have sealed the deal. He looked into my eyes, read my thoughts, and smiled wolfishly. “Good.” * I followed behind the three of them, carrying my half-full box, avoiding the stares and whispers that followed us as we went into the elevator. We got out on the next floor up, the marketing department. Charles began to walk, Jessica and Amy in step behind him. It was silent as they went, the employees of the department standing when they realized who had just walked onto their floor. I tried to follow at a discreet distance, hoping no one would notice me in the wake of this powerful threesome, but Charles suddenly stopped. He waved me to his side. I could see employees craning to look, their heads popping up from their cubicles. Word had obviously gotten out quickly. “Please walk next to me and show me around, Elena,” he said.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MyFiction” app 🔍 search for “397378”, and watch the full series ✨! #MyFiction #B×G #Werewolf #Billionaire #SweetLove #BossandEmployee #Possessive #Alpha #Humor

Nina It was the night of my coming-of-age party. I was most of all excited for one thing: tonight, Justin would finally announce that he was my boyfriend. Justin and I had been seeing each other for a couple of months now, but we had kept things under wraps so far. Frankly, I would have preferred to make our relationship public right away — he was one of the most handsome and popular guys on campus, and was on the hockey team — but he insisted that we wait until the right time. “I want to save announcing our relationship for a special night, baby,” he had told me. I had been asking when he would make our relationship public for a while, but maybe he was right; it was best to wait until a special time. That meant that he really loved me, right? As I stood in front of the mirror and admired myself, I felt confident that Justin would announce our relationship tonight. I picked out special lingerie, which I wore under my outfit now, because I was certain that we would finally have sex for the first time. I was ready to lose my virginity. Aside from the lingerie, which was a sexy red set that I picked out at the mall a couple days before the party, I was wearing a short, tight skirt that showed off my thighs, a pink crop top, and heels. I wore red lipstick and black eyeliner, too. I felt a bit awkward wearing an outfit like this, as I usually dressed in jeans and hoodies; but my roommates, Jessica and Lori, insisted that I dress up for the party. The only thing that I kept the same about myself tonight was my hair, which was black with bangs and two long braids. I always wore my hair like this and never liked it any other way. Some people said it was childish, but I thought it was cute and practical. “You look so hot, Nina!” Jessica said as I came out of the room. “The guys are gonna be all over you!” I didn’t say anything about Justin. Even my own roommates didn’t know about our relationship. Lori looked at her phone and took another swig of her beer. “Everyone should be here any minute,” she said in her low, sultry voice. Lori was the quintessential “goth girl” on campus, which was a stark contrast from Jessica’s bubbly nature and my studious attitude. Somehow, though, we were all best friends. Just then, the door burst open with the first guests arriving. The group of guys and girls flooded in carrying cases of beers and whooping and hollering, excited for the party. With a grin, Jessica cranked up the music and started greeting people while I stood awkwardly in the middle of the room. Lori walked over to the couch and sat down, scrolling on her phone; she really only ever came to parties for the alcohol and the weed. Soon enough, the suite was full of people. The LED lights flashed red, green, and blue while the music played loudly, and the guests started getting drunk and playing games. The main attraction seemed to be the beer pong table, where the boys competed like their lives depended on it, but people also hung out around the seating area, played drinking games, and smoked on the balcony. A while into the party, Justin finally arrived. I got excited, but instead of coming over to me and greeting me, he simply made a beeline for the beer pong table and joined the game. During a lull in the game, I sent Justin a text: “Well? Are we gonna announce it?” I watched from the corner as he pulled out his phone, read the text, then pocketed his phone again. He looked at me and subtly shrugged, then returned to his game as though he didn’t even know me. “Are you okay?” Jessica said, coming over to me with an extra beer in her hand for me. I shrugged and finished off the last of my beer. “I’m just not much of a partier, that’s all,” I said. Jessica pursed her lips and handed me the other beer. “You just need a little liquid courage, that’s all!” she said, clinking her bottle with mine and taking a big swig. I looked down at my beer and frowned. Jessica was right, but beer wasn’t going to cut it — not with how Justin was treating me tonight. “How about vodka?” I said. Jessica’s eyes lit up and she turned around to face the group, cupping her hands around her mouth to shout. “Hey everyone!” she shouted. “The birthday girl wants shots!” By my seventh shot, however, I started to feel woozy and felt like I was going to throw up. I stumbled down the hall to the bathroom and made it to the toilet just in time. When I was done throwing up, I stood up and made my way over to the sink, where I splashed some cold water on my face and took some deep breaths to sober myself up. I looked at my smudged makeup and my messy hair in the mirror, trying not to cry as I thought about Justin. Why was he treating me like this? Just a few days ago, we were making out behind the hockey arena and now he was acting like he didn’t even know me. Was he just nervous about announcing our relationship, or was it something else? Taking another deep breath and wiping the tears off of my face, I straightened up and decided to go talk to Justin. When I left the bathroom, however, he wasn’t anywhere to be found. “Hey, have you seen Justin?” I asked a guest. She just shrugged her shoulders and pointed toward my bedroom. Maybe he just went inside to be alone for a minute, which would give us some time to talk. I made my way over to my room, weaving drunkenly through the crowd. When I opened the door, however, I wished that I had just stayed away. Justin was in my bed, but he wasn’t alone. He was with another girl. I recognized her immediately from her platinum blonde hair and thin body — it was Lisa, the cheerleading captain. They were tangled together in my bed, Justin’s pants pulled down and Lisa’s panties on the floor as they had sex in my bed. “What the fuck!” I screamed. The party went silent, aside from the music, which someone quickly shut off. Justin and Lisa sat up in my bed; Justin looked even more drunk and high than before, but immediately jumped up when he saw me and yanked his pants up. “Nina, it’s not what it looks like,” he said, stumbling toward me while Lisa simply stood up with a smirk and pulled her panties on, smoothing down her skirt. She strutted out of the room and bumped me with her shoulder on the way out as I continued to stare at Justin in shock and disbelief. Justin stammered as he tried to explain himself. “I’m so sorry, I-” “Justin…” I interrupted, my voice shaking. “We. Are. Done.” Without another word, I turned away and stormed out of the suite with Jessica and Lori calling after me. I walked out of the dorms into the cool spring air, turning this way and that for a bit before deciding to make my way toward town. I walked for a while, fuming the entire time and muttering to myself, until I finally made it to a local bar. I nodded gratefully as the bartender poured me a glass of rum and coke, and I sipped it miserably while he disappeared into the kitchen. I pulled my phone out of my pocket to see that I had several missed calls and “Where are you?!?” texts from Jessica and Lori, but I ignored them and tossed my phone down on the bar, taking a big swig of my drink and cursing to myself. “Yeah, I hate my phone, too,” a male voice said from beside me. I looked over to see a guy pulling up a barstool a couple seats down. He was wearing a red flannel shirt and had curly brown hair, and a sharp jawline. He was muscular, too. “I hate everything right now,” I said, swirling my drink around in my glass with my straw. “How come?” The boy looked at me, and just then, I came to a shocking realization: this was Enzo, Justin’s hockey captain, the star of the school, every girl’s dream boy. And he was sitting next to me, in this quiet dive bar, talking to me.

Nina Enzo must have noticed the expression on my face when I finally recognized him, because he smirked and held out a napkin for me. “Your makeup is smudged.” I blushed and grabbed the napkin from his hand, using it to wipe away my makeup while Enzo continued to stare at me. “Rough night?” he said once I finished cleaning up my makeup. “I guess you could say that,” I replied. “You know,” he said, his deep brown eyes studying my face, “you look better without makeup.” His words made me blush even more. What were the odds that the hockey captain would be hitting on me on the night of my birthday, right after my boyfriend had cheated on me? “Do you treat all the girls like this?” I said suddenly, surprised and embarrassed at my own question. It must have been the alcohol. Enzo simply smirked again and finished the last of his drink. He reached forward and brushed a bit of hair out of my face. “If you’re so intrigued by how I treat girls, why don’t you come see it for yourself? I live in Dorm B, fourth floor. Room 409.” His voice was low and sultry, and as we leaned closer together, I felt my breathing become slower and more aroused. I frowned then and pulled away. I needed comfort tonight, but not that sort of comfort. “No way,” I said, crossing my arms. “I know your reputation. You’re a player.” “So what if I am?” Enzo murmured. “It’s your decision, but my room is open to you all night. You can just walk right in. No need to knock.” With that, Enzo sat back up and tossed some money down on the bar. “I’ll pay for the lady’s drink,” he said to the bartender, then threw his jacket over his shoulder and sauntered out of the bar. I kept sipping my drink while I thought about the unexpected proposition of sex. Enzo was well-known as an adonis, a handsome player. Ever since Enzo and Lisa — the cheerleader who stole my boyfriend — broke up last semester, Enzo’s dorm had a constant stream of gorgeous girls going in at night and walking out the next morning, their lipstick smeared and their hair a mess. No girls ever went back; Enzo only participated in one night stands. I had never been interested in one night stands. In high school, I was nerdy and never had a chance with any of the boys. The one time I thought I had a chance, when the football quarterback asked me to prom, it turned out to be a prank. The whole school had laughed at me as I showed up in my blue dress, excited to dance with the quarterback, only for him to trip me and make me fall on the dance floor. “Why would I want you?” he had said, pointing and laughing. “Ugly Nina will never have a boyfriend!” After that, I swore that I would just focus on my studies. I eventually grew out of my ugly duckling phase once I started college, and lots of boys tried to get me to hook up with them, but I just wasn’t interested. If I was going to let a boy interrupt my studies, he would have to be perfect — someone who I would be willing to share my body with. I had thought that Justin would be the one. He seemed so sweet and kind, but I guess that wasn’t the case. After this, I felt like never falling in love again. “Sorry to say this, young lady, but the bar’s closing soon,” the bartender said, breaking me out of my deep thought. I nodded and finished off the last of my drink, then stood and left the bar. The thought of going home right now almost made me sick. Maybe I didn’t have to go home tonight. I showed up at Enzo’s place a little while later. Before I entered, I hesitated for a little while as I considered just keeping my dignity and going home. But I was all dressed up tonight with expensive lingerie, and besides… with Justin and Lisa’s double betrayal, what would be a better way to get back at them both? Taking a deep breath, I turned the knob and entered Enzo’s dorm. He was sitting on the couch when I entered, as though he had been waiting for me. “Changed your mind, eh?” he said, standing and crossing the room toward me. He was much taller than me, and muscular to boot. This close, I could smell his cologne. It made my panties wet, almost like a pheromone. “So,” he said, “what changed your mind? I thought my reputation scared you.” “I just… Could use a little comfort,” I said. Without saying anything, he leaned down and cupped my chin with his hand. He kissed me deeply, his tongue exploring my mouth in a way that Justin’s never had. After we kissed, he wrapped his arms around my waist and picked me up. I wrapped my legs around him as he carried me to the bedroom. Our lips smacked together the whole way there. I bit his lower lip, which caused him to groan, and when we entered his dimly lit bedroom he slammed the door behind us and laid me down on the bed. I was trembling, but there was something surprisingly gentle about Enzo’s touch. I had expected a careless brute who only cared about getting himself off, but as he leaned over me and slid his fingers down my panties, I realized that my assumptions were wrong. Enzo kissed and licked my neck as he rubbed my clit, letting his fingers get wet with my juices as I moaned into his mouth. He pulled away briefly to remove his hand from my panties and let me taste myself off his fingers, then returned to touching me. Before he entered me with his fingers, however, I grabbed his wrist and stopped him. “I should tell you that I’m a virgin,” I whispered. Enzo was silent for a few moments. I was worried he wouldn’t want to continue after learning this about me, but then he merely smirked. “I figured,” he replied, leaning down to nibble my ear. “I’ll be gentle with you.” I let out a loud moan, arching my back as he let his long, thick fingers slide into me. He slid them back and forth, going faster and faster, until I was soaking wet and moaning loudly. I kissed and bit his neck as he fingered me, and moaned into his skin. When he was finished pleasuring me, he removed his hand from my panties and looked me deeply in the eyes while he unbuttoned my skirt. I was still trembling, partially from nerves and partially from the tingling in my body. “Lingerie, huh?” he whispered, sounding somewhat amused when he saw my lacy panties. I blushed. “Since you went to all that trouble, why don’t you give me a show?” Still blushing, I stood and began to nervously remove my clothes. I removed my top first to reveal my breasts, which practically spilled out of the top of my bra, then slipped off my skirt to reveal my waist and thighs. I could see Enzo’s erection straining in his gray sweatpants as he bit his lip. When I saw his huge erection, I knew that I wanted him. Saunter over to the bed, I pushed on his chest and pushed him down onto the mattress. I reached down and stroked his cock over his pants before sliding my hand inside and gripping it, feeling its warmth and girth in my small hand. He let out a groan as I stroked up and down his cock with my hand. I pulled my hand out and slid down his sweatpants so that I could see. Enzo must have seen the surprise on my face when I saw how big he was, because he chuckled and propped himself up on his elbows. “Scared?” he said. I shook my head, licking my lips. “Can I taste it?” I whispered, to which he nodded, his dark eyes fixed on mine. I opened my mouth and took his cock inside, slowly working my lips and tongue up and down the shaft. It was awkward at first — I had never done this before — but the sounds that Enzo was making told me that I was doing a good job. We laid naked together beneath the sheets, our limbs tangled together. Enzo spit on his hand and rubbed it along his shaft, pressing the head against me to go inside. I flinched at first, but Enzo reassured me that it was okay. “I’ll be gentle. I promise,” he whispered into my ear, his breath hot on my neck. …… When it was over, Enzo and I laid in bed for a minute before he got up and put on his underwear. I sat up, feeling both heavenly and ashamed of myself, and pulled my panties on. There was something different about Enzo now that we had had sex; his body language seemed more wild and dominant, and when he looked at me, his pupils were dilated. His eyes almost seemed like a different color. He smiled at me then and his teeth were sharp and glistening. My heart started to race as I felt like he was a wolf and I was his prey. Swallowing, I stood and put the rest of my clothes on. “See you around.” Before Enzo could reply, I rushed out of the bedroom and left the dorm. What was that look he gave me? Why did he look so… feral?

Nina It was almost four o’clock in the morning by the time I finally returned to my dorm. Jessica and Lori were already asleep in their rooms judging from how dark and quiet everything was. The suite was a mess from the party and we would no doubt be spending the next day cleaning, but I was too hungover and tired to care at the moment. It appeared as though Lori and Jessica must have changed my sheets for me though, which I would have to thank them for in the morning. I wouldn’t have been able to sleep on the same sheets that Justin and Lisa had sex on. As I laid in bed trying to sleep, I was kept awake by my regrets. Had I just given my virginity to a near-stranger? A playboy? All to get revenge against Justin and Lisa? I had never been so impulsive like this, especially when it came to love. Right now, I felt embarrassed and ashamed of this blunder. Enzo was incredibly attractive and the sex was wonderful, but right now, I just wanted to forget about it. When I woke the next morning, my head pounded and my stomach hurt from all of the alcohol from the night before. I groaned and rolled out of bed, ignoring my appearance as I stumbled into the kitchen in my oversized t-shirt and shorts. I just needed some coffee. “You know, you could’ve at least told us where you went last night,” Lori said from her usual spot at the kitchen island. She had a cup of coffee in front of her and was reading A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. “I’m sorry,” I replied, my face turning red as I remembered what happened after the party. “I just needed to get out.” “Why didn’t you tell us that you and Justin were a thing?” Jessica suddenly said, emerging from her room with a towel around her hair while she wore a fluffy pink robe and bunny slippers. She folded her arms and glared at me, pushing out her lower lip in a pout. I hung my head low as I poured myself a cup of coffee. I tried to hide it as the tears started to well up, but it was no use. Jessica rushed over to me and wrapped her arms around me while Lori watched with a sorry expression on her face. “I’m sorry,” I said between sobs. “H-He told me he just wanted to wait until the right time to make our relationship public. I t-thought he was just being a gentleman.” “Men are trash,” Lori replied. “Most of them, anyway. Don’t beat yourself up over it. You can do way better than Justin Thurlow.” Jessica nodded and rubbed my back, agreeing with Lori. “Yeah,” she said. “Screw boys. You’re smart and hot and you’re gonna be a doctor! Who needs boys? C’mon, let’s go get some breakfast.” Jessica and Lori were right. Boys were just a waste of time, and I had more important things to think about. I changed into my usual jeans and hoodie, brushed and braided my hair, and went with my roommates to the dining hall. “Oh my god!” Jessica exclaimed as we approached the dining hall. She squealed and pointed at none other than Enzo coming out the door. Jessica’s excitement garnered the attention of other nearby girls, who also squealed and waved as Enzo approached. I grabbed my hair and used it to shield my face. I just wanted to shrink down into myself. Why did I have to run into Enzo right now, the morning after we had a one night stand? To make matters worse, he approached us and stood in front of us. Even Lori seemed a bit excited at his presence. Did he even remember our night together, or was he confused by how strangely I was acting? “Hi, Enzo!” Jessica said, twirling a bit of her blonde hair around her finger. “Are you excited for the homecoming game today?” I kept my gaze fixed on the ground, letting my bangs fall into my face, but I could feel Enzo’s stern gaze on me. “Yeah,” he replied. “Although, it’s not as exciting when we always know we’re gonna crush the other team. I hope they put up a good fight.” Jessica giggled like a giddy schoolgirl. I took a chance and glanced up, hoping to see Enzo walking away, but was met instead by his strong gaze fixed on me. He looked far less animalistic now; maybe his appearance last night was just a trick of the light, or a result of the alcohol. Enzo had his arms folded across his muscular chest as he looked at me. He looked almost disapproving. Was he upset that I walked out on him last night? It hardly seemed likely, given his reputation, but my heart still ached a bit. “You ready for practice, Enzo?” another guy said, striding up to us. He looked Jessica up and down hungrily, then glanced at me before looking at Enzo. Enzo nodded and stuck his hands in his pockets, his brown eyes still on me. “Yeah. Let’s go.” Later that afternoon, after we had cleaned up the dorm, I was in my room studying for an upcoming biology exam when Jessica came into my room. She was wearing a pleated pink mini skirt, a fuzzy white sweater, and white sneakers with leg warmers. She had a full face of makeup on and her hair was curled perfectly. “Oh my god, you’re not ready yet?” she said, storming over to me and snapping my book shut unceremoniously. “Hey!” I said, throwing my pen down on my desk. “I was studying.” “Studying can wait,” Jessica replied. “Come on, let’s go to the hockey game! I heard some rumors that Enzo is planning on using some new moves.” My heart leapt up into my throat. “I’m not going,” I said, opening my book up to the page I was on. Jessica clearly didn’t like my response, because she stamped her foot on the ground angrily. “Aw, come on!” she whined. “You’re not really gonna make me go alone, are you?” I didn’t have the heart to tell my friend the truth about where I was last night. If she knew that I slept with Enzo, she would be heartbroken. Jessica had been pining away for Enzo since our first semester. He had never given her too much attention, but still she went to all of his games, cheered him on, and even watched all the livestreams of his tournaments online. She always talked about how he was a genius, how his physical abilities were godlike, how he easily won every game he competed in. “Come on,” Jessica whined again. “Please? For me?” She batted her eyelashes and stuck her lower lip out. I sighed and closed my book again, rubbing my tired eyes. “Alright,” I replied, although I really just wanted to hide in my room and never see the star hockey player again. “I’ll go. But you owe me.” Jessica grinned and pranced out of the room while I got ready. I wanted to blend in, so I just wore a hoodie with the university logo on it and jeans. Jessica seemed a bit disappointed in my outfit choice, but didn’t say anything as we made our way to the hockey arena. The whole way there, Jessica prattled on about Enzo. “His body is just so perfect,” she said. “All of those muscles just make me wanna bite him!” I hated to admit it, but hearing Jessica talk about Enzo made the memories of last night come flooding back; his muscular body, the way he touched and kissed me, how he felt inside of me… It made my body tingle. I tried to shake the thoughts out of my mind the best I could as we got in line to enter the arena, but I just couldn’t. The feeling of Enzo’s strong eyes on me as we laid in bed together, our limbs intertwined, was burned into my memory. I only hoped that I could leave this game without being seen by Enzo or Justin.

Nina We entered the arena, which was already packed full with excited students. Half of the arena was reserved for our university, while the other half was reserved for the other university. Our school colors were burgundy and gold — the other university was blue and black. “Let’s find a good seat,” Jessica said. I followed her up the stairs, then we shimmied between rows of seats toward a couple of empty spots. Once we had our seats, I could hear the conversation between other girls around me; their talking points mostly centered around Enzo. “Do you think he’ll make us win again?” “Of course! Enzo always plays perfectly.” “I feel so lucky just to be attending the same university as him!” I cringed a bit at the conversation and scrolled on my phone while I waited for the game to start. Beside me, Jessica pulled out a pair of binoculars and started scouring the ice rink. I can see the cheerleaders performing an energetic opening dance on ice skates before the game, with Lisa in the lead. She looked dazzling in her skimpy uniform, with her perfectly tanned legs and platinum blonde hair pulled up into a high ponytail with a bow. She waved her pom poms around to hype the crowd up. Looking at the girl who stole my boyfriend made me sick. I had never been much of a sports fan, but the way the crowd was getting excited made me excited, too. As the hockey players skated out onto the rink, some of them skated up to certain cheerleaders who were their girlfriends and kissed them publicly. I could see Justin and Lisa exchange glances. Justin had never brought me to his games, even though we had been dating for a couple of months. When I did go to his games, he never paid any attention to me until after. I thought that he was just shy at the time, but now I knew that he just didn’t want Lisa seeing us together. “Don’t pay any attention to Justin,” Jessica said, handing me the binoculars so I could see better. “He’s not worth your time.” I took the binoculars and peered through them. For some reason, I searched for Enzo. I didn’t know why I wanted to see him so badly, but I did. And he saw me. Somehow, despite the thousands of students in this massive arena, Enzo looked directly at me. It was as though he had a sixth sense, like he knew exactly where I was without even having to think. Even from here, I could see the hint of wildness in his eyes from the night before; like I was his prey. I quickly gave the binoculars back to Jessica as my face turned red. Enzo turned away and skated out to the middle of the rink, skating around in circles and pumping his hockey stick in the air while the crowd cheered. All around me, girls screamed and swooned while guys whooped and hollered. The game started. I lost sight of the puck quickly, but was able to follow the game by watching Enzo, who skated as fast as lightning and moved nimbly around the rink as though he was born with ice skates on his feet. He would perform quick moves with his hockey stick to fake out the opponents, hitting the puck between their legs to one of his teammates before zooming away. He moved so quickly that he was almost like a flash. For some reason, it seemed almost supernatural to me… but no one else seemed to notice, so I figured that it was just in my head. Soon, the opponents became frustrated and aggressive. One player in particular — I think he was the captain of the other team — started following Enzo closely and trying to trip him up. “C’mon, Enzo!” Jessica shouted. “I hope he doesn’t get hurt,” another girl said from beside me, sitting up in her seat to see over someone in front of us. Enzo scored a goal, and suddenly, the other team’s captain threw his stick and his helmet down on the ice and tackled Enzo. The crowd gasped as they tussled on the ice. The other player threw punches at Enzo while Enzo only blocked and dodged, clearly not wanting to hurt the other player. It was now that I finally realized how much pressure was on Enzo as the star hockey player. I held my breath as I watched the fight, images of us in bed flashing in my mind. For some reason, I cared enough about Enzo to not want him to get hurt. I didn’t care to look at Justin for even a second. The referee blew his whistle and broke up the fight. The crowd cheered as Enzo stood and put his helmet back on, covering his curly brown hair. The other player was put on the bench for his behavior and the game continued with a penalty for the other team. During halftime, the cheerleaders returned to the rink and began their halftime show. “You hungry?” I said to Jessica. She looked at me and shrugged, too involved in her conversation with another girl about how hot Enzo looked dodging the unsportsmanlike competitor during the fight. As long as I had known her, Jessica always had an easy time making friends. I didn’t mind it, because I was more introverted and appreciated the fact that she usually took control of all of the socializing at things like this. I stood and shimmied out of our row, then went down the bleachers toward the food stands. My stomach was growling and the smell of soft pretzels was making me even more hungry. “One soft pretzel, please,” I said to the vendor. “And a water, too.” I handed my money to the vendor and waited for my pretzel. Just then, I felt someone watching me and turned around to see none other than Enzo. He was standing with his teammates by the side of the rink as they rested and drank water, but he was staring right at me. His brown eyes almost glowed. My heart started to race as I found myself unable to break away from his strong gaze. Something about him made me want to walk over to him as if I was in a trance… “Miss? Hello?” The vendor broke me out of my trance. He was holding out my pretzel and my water. “Oh… Sorry,” I said. “Thank you.” I took my pretzel. When I turned back, Enzo was no longer looking at me and was instead entrenched in a conversation with a teammate as though he hadn’t just been staring into my soul. I considered going back to Jessica, but after the encounter with Enzo finding me in the massive crowd and staring at me just now, I only wanted to leave. I decided to make up an excuse later and just go home; Jessica had made some friends already and probably wouldn’t even notice my absence. She could fill me in on the results of the game later. I left the arena, tossing my uneaten pretzel in the trash on the way out as my stomach suddenly felt too sick to eat. The cool autumn air was a bit of a relief as I walked back to the dorms, although I still felt stifled like I was being watched… or hunted. How was Enzo able to spot me in the crowd like that? And why did he always look so animalistic and hungry when he looked at me? I had never heard any of his many other flings complain of such a thing, so maybe it was all in my head. It had to be. Why else would Enzo seem like such a predator?

Nina Just as I thought, Jessica came home an hour later with a frown on her face. “Where did you go?” she said. I looked up from my book as I sat on the couch. Thankfully, I had prepared an excuse beforehand. “My stomach started to hurt,” I replied. “Probably from all the alcohol last night. I couldn’t get through the crowd to make it back to you, so I just decided to come home.” Jessica let out a sigh and walked over to her door. “I hope you’re feeling better now at least, because there’s a party at the fire pit later since we won the game. And don’t even think about saying no! You have to put on a sexy outfit and show Justin what he’s missing.” With that, Jessica disappeared into her room — presumably to get ready for the party. I sent Lori a quick text. “Where u at? U going to that party later?” A few minutes later, Lori replied: “Yeah. I promised Jess.” I put my phone away with a sigh and closed my book. It was already seven o’clock, so the party would probably start in an hour or two. I decided to shower and change. For some reason, as I got ready, I found myself actually caring about looking good… But not to make Justin jealous. I wanted to look good for Enzo. Jessica, Lori and I made our way to the party around nine o’clock. It was located outside, about a mile into the woods behind the school. It was an old campground from the 1970s with several little cabins, which had been cleaned up and repurposed by the students here for generations to use for… Well, you know. At the center of the circle of cabins, there was a large fire pit, where a huge bonfire was already burning and loud music was playing. As we approached, I could see rambunctious boys whooping and throwing beer cans into the fire and flirting with girls. Alongside the fire, guys and girls danced and grinded on each other to the music. “Like a bunch of monkeys,” Lori grumbled. She had her hands stuffed into her pockets and had her hood pulled up. Almost as soon as we arrived, she pulled out a joint and wandered off to go sit and smoke by herself. Jessica and I had become used to this by now, and didn’t mind our strange friend’s loner nature. “You look good, by the way,” Jessica said, nudging me with her elbow. I had picked out a short black dress with tights and boots, and wore a leather jacket on top. I still had my hair in braids, but I put on a little eyeliner and lipstick. Hopefully I wouldn’t cry tonight. “Thanks,” I replied. “You too.” I walked over to a cooler nearby and grabbed a beer while Jessica stopped to flirt with a drunk guy. I took a sip and looked around as I tried to decide whether I wanted to join the dancing or sit by myself. As I stood there, trying to decide what to do, I overheard what sounded like angry voices coming from inside one of the cabins. I was nothing if not a bit nosy, and nonchalantly walked over to the cabin, pretending to look at my phone while I eavesdropped. “Listen, I think I made it pretty fucking clear that I was just having fun!” I recognized that voice immediately: it was Lisa. And with her was none other than… “I broke up with my girlfriend for you! You said we would get together!” Justin. I heard Lisa scoff. “I never said that,” she replied. “Besides, you knew what you were getting into. Why would I make things exclusive with you when I could pick any guy I wanted? Ugh, you’re pathetic.” “Oh yeah? Any guy, huh?” Justin said. “How about Enzo, then? Everyone knows you’re still pissed that he broke up with you. So why don’t you go out there and ask him to dance, since you’ve apparently got the pick of the litter?” I heard the sound of stomping across floorboards, and then the door swung open. Lisa looked down at me from the top of the steps with a smirk. “If you’re gonna eavesdrop, at least don’t make it so fucking obvious,” she said, then flipped her hair over her shoulder and jogged down the steps. I followed her with my gaze all the way to the fire pit, where Enzo was standing and drinking while a group of girls — Jessica included — fawned over him. “Hey Enzo,” Lisa said in a sing-song voice, her ponytail bobbing as she sauntered up to him. Most of the other girls at this university wouldn’t dare walk up to Enzo so nonchalantly with so many girls around him, but seeing as Enzo and Lisa used to date, it wasn’t entirely unexpected of her. “Hey,” Enzo replied. Much to my surprise, his eyes flickered to me briefly over Lisa’s shoulder. I felt like he was looking into my soul again, but it was over quickly when he looked back at Lisa. Lisa folded her arms across her chest — no doubt pushing her breasts together — and rocked back and forth from her heels to her toes. “Wanna dance?” she said. “I haven’t had a dance partner yet tonight.” Enzo frowned and took a swig of his beer, looking Lisa up and down. Around them, people began to watch the scene. “We broke up ages ago, Lisa,” Enzo said. Lisa dropped her hands to her sides and balled them up into fists. “Aw, come on!” she said. “You can’t tell me you don’t miss this.” She gestured to her body, which was still dressed in her tight cheerleader uniform. Enzo simply shrugged and returned to his conversation with the other girls as though Lisa wasn’t even there. With a huff, Lisa stormed off. When she was gone, however, his gaze traveled over to me once more and fixed on me. His eyes almost seemed to glow again, and I felt afraid all of a sudden. I involuntarily dropped my beer and quickly walked away, making for a spot behind one of the unoccupied cabins. I just needed a few minutes alone, and then I could return… Hopefully Enzo would have his eyes set on another girl by then. “Hi, Nina.” I practically jumped out of my skin at the sound of Enzo’s voice behind me. I whirled around to face him; blocking the light of the fire with his huge body, he looked somewhat menacing in the darkness. Something else occurred to me, though… When we met at the bar, we had never exchanged names. How did he know my name? Wordlessly, I tried to step around him to go back to the fire as this whole interaction made me feel uneasy. However, Enzo blocked my path and folded his arms. “Why are you avoiding me?” he said, sounding a little hurt. I stopped and bit my lip, peering around him to see Jessica dancing by the fire with a new boy. “I’m not avoiding you,” I said. Enzo sighed and unfolded his arms. “It sure seems like it,” he replied. “You left so abruptly last night.” “What do you want me to say?” I whispered so that no one could hear if they were eavesdropping. “You had your one night stand with me. You never see girls more than once. You should be thanking me, because I’m just making it easy for you.” “Is that what you really think of me?” Enzo asked. He didn’t try to hide his voice at all. For some reason, I felt more confident confronting him now. “Everyone knows you’re a playboy who only sleeps with girls once before moving on to the next,” I said, stepping around him. He didn’t block me this time, but turned and frowned. “Well, you’re different,” he replied. Was this some sort of prank? The hockey captain, the star of the school and a playboy, thought I was “different” enough to keep talking to me after we slept together? I wondered if Lisa or Justin put him up to this to rub it in that I would never find love. Enzo stepped closer to me and brushed a bit of hair out of my eyes, finally lowering his voice to a whisper. “I want to have a second time with you.”

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