As I cruise down the road, I'm reminded that I came to this place to start anew. My spontaneous self decides I need a change. I head into the mall parking lot and head inside, walking straight to the hair salon. Leaving me with shoulder length hair with layers. I look like a whole new person. I feel a sense of liberation and confidence as I walk out of the salon, feeling lighter and refreshed.

Get back to my car and sit down. I look at the time, and I've been gone for hours. As I go to put my phone away, it rings. Gage's name pops up, and I hit decline. I don't want to deal with him right now. Instead, I turn on some music and take a deep breath, enjoying the feeling of my new haircut.

I look in the rearview mirror and realise that here I am once again, torn into pieces because of some guy. I won't deny or pretend that the thought of him being the one didn't cross my mind. I opened up to him, told him everything, and he made me feel alright for once in my life. All that's left of me is what I show the world—so put together but so broken up inside.

I know I shouldn't be loving him, and I shouldn't want to spend all my time with him. Everything about him is wrong—his bad reputation, his lies, and his midnight outings. But he is the right kind of wrong. No one has ever made me feel the way I do when his arms are wrapped around me. So I question myself.

Is the pleasure worth all the pain?

I know deep down that I should walk away, but his touch is addictive, and I can't resist the temptation. It's a constant battle between my heart and my mind.

☾

I start the engine and head home. As I pull into the driveway, I hear music coming from the guys' house. I get out of my car and lean against it. I watch as girls swoon all over Gage. I can't help but feel a twinge of jealousy as I watch Gage effortlessly attract all the attention. His eyes are set on mine, and my phone rings, breaking my gaze from him. Levi's name comes up, and I decide to entertain the idea of answering. As I answer the phone, I feel Gage's eyes linger on me from a distance.

"Hello?" I say as I lean back against my car.

"What the fuck, Star?" He yells, and I look into the sky, rolling my eyes.

"What?" I say as Gage's eyes narrow in my direction when I turn my head to look at everyone having fun.

"I'm sorry, baby. Can we talk about everything that has happened? I want you back." He pleads with me.

I start to laugh and ask, "Are you crazy? You're delusional, right? Have you been drinking?" I question him. I look up to see Gage nudge Keenan and look my way. I turn around and face the road as I wait for Levi's answers.

"No, I mean it, Star. You and I were good together."

"When? When you were sleeping with every other girl? That's sweet that you thought of me while hitting it with other chicks." I state.

"Seriously, Star? I'm not that stupid kid anymore." He says, anger filling his voice, and I can tell he wants to cuss me out for not listening to his words.

"Yeah, and I'm not that naive girl anymore-" Before I can continue to say what I wanted to say, my phone is ripped out of my hands. I turn to see Keenan.

"Dude, back off. The girl wants nothing to do with you, so stop calling her." He says to Levi.

He begins to laugh. "I'd love to see you try." Then his voice changes, becoming more serious. "Come near her again, and you will regret it." Keenan pauses to hear what Levi says and erupts into laughter. "Nah, man. It's not a threat; it's a promise. Call her or come near her again, and you're a dead man."

He hangs up and blocks his number on my phone. He hands me the phone and says, "It's time to change your number." He smiles.

"Thank you?" I say confused.

"Don't mention it," he smiles, "but you look like you need a drink." He wraps his arm around my shoulder, guiding me to the party. The music gets louder as I get closer. A knot forms in my stomach as I see the girls dance up on Gage.

"Ignore it." Keenan whispers in my ear as he grabs a beer and hands it to me. I take a deep breath and try to push away the feeling of jealousy. Keenan is right—I shouldn't let it bother me. Keenan takes my hand and leads me to the chairs. "Sit down, relax, and have some fun," he smiles as he pushes on my shoulders to sit on the chair. I shake my head and let out a little laugh.

I roll my eyes and take a seat. I look around to see the whole hockey team here and a bunch of girls. I scan my surroundings and see Laura sitting on Ace's lap, having a makeout session in front of everyone. I debate whether to leave or stay. Laura finally spots me and smiles as my favourite song plays over the speakers. She runs over and grabs my hand, leading me to where everyone is dancing. I hand my beer to Keenan, and he laughs.

The music plays loud, and I move my body to the music. I feel Gage's eyes on me, and I face him. He dances with one of the girls, and my heart twists. Keenan stands in front of me, and I use him as an advantage. My hand on his shoulder, his hands on my waist—we move to the music. His body presses up against mine, and his scent fills my nose. He smells good. I smile at him. I turn around, and his body presses against my back as we dance. Gage's face turns from jealousy to anger as his friend has his hands all over my body.

"I think someone is mad," Keenan whispers in my ear.

I look back at Gage as the girl wraps her arms around his neck and leans in to kiss him. He holds himself there a little too long for my comfort. I'm done with men playing games, so I decide to play along. I turn to face Keenan; his jet black hair blows in the wind as his piercing blue eyes set on mine. He licks his lips, and I press mine against his. As we kiss, I can feel his strong arms wrap around my waist, pulling me closer to him.

"Get the fuck off her!" Gage yells. Keenan backs away and starts to laugh.

"Dude, she kissed me." Tension grows in the air as I see Gage become enraged. Gage throws his fist in the air, hitting Keenan straight across the jaw. Before he can do it again, I step in between them.

"Stop. I was the one who kissed him. If you need to be mad at someone, be mad at me." I shout.

Gage steps back. His breathing becomes heavy as he tries to hold in his anger. "Why?" He finally says after calming down.

"You don't get to question me when you see me with someone else. This is all your doing." I sternly tell him before walking away.

"Star!" He shouts behind me, but I continue walking. I open the front door and head inside. As I step foot inside, someone grabs my arm. I turn to see Gage. I shake him off and tell him to go home. He follows me inside and to my bedroom. He backs me up against the wall, and I push him away and firmly tell him to leave, but he refuses to listen. I can feel his breath on my skin.

"I'm sorry." He says it gently.

I put my head down, not wanting to look into his mesmerising eyes. "I need time, Gage."

"I'll find a way back to you." He lifts my chin, forcing me to look at him. "You're the only girl for me." His lips press against mine. I feel my heart racing as he pulls me closer, his embrace sending shivers down my spine. He pulls away and looks at me once more, "The only one." He kisses my forehead and walks out.

I put my hands to my face and feel the sting of my tears trying to come out. I make my way to my room and close the door. I watch from the window as Gage grabs another beer and heads inside. Disappearing from the party. I take a deep breath and try to compose myself, wiping away the tears that have escaped. As I sit on my bed, I wonder if I made a mistake letting him go. I slip out of my clothes and search for an oversized t-shirt to wear. I spot a red one on my desk.

Where did this come from?

Gage's scent fills my nostrils as I realise it's his shirt. I smile, feeling comforted by his familiar smell. But he doesn't make it easy, fucking with my feelings. I slip on the shirt and lay down in bed. I'm more confused than I've ever been. I try to make sense of my emotions, but the more I think about it, the more I realise that I want him more than I've ever wanted anyone.

I lay staring up at the ceiling. When I first met him, I thought he was special, and I told him that. When I kissed him, I meant it. I want to go back to the one night stand that led me to fall for him. I grab my pillow, put it over my face, and scream. I pull the covers over me and realise the music has died down. The lights coming from their yard shut off, and the night fills with silence. I feel a sudden urge to text him, but I know it's not a good idea. I close my eyes and try to forget about him.

☾

I wake up to the sun shining in my room. I really need to invest in blackout curtains. I stumble out of bed and head to the shower. I quickly wash and step out, brushing my teeth before getting dressed. I grab a black sports bra and black shorts. I slip them on and head back to the bathroom to throw my hair into a ponytail. I look at the time, and it's six in the morning.

I head to the kitchen quietly, not wanting to wake Laura and Ace in case they spent the night here, and brew myself some coffee. As I wait for it to be made, I grab my sunglasses and a book. I pour myself a cup and head to the porch. I take a seat and place my coffee down on the patio table we have set up there. I put my sunglasses on and open the book I brought with me, feeling the warmth of the sun on my skin and the gentle breeze blowing through my hair. It's a perfect morning to relax and enjoy some quiet time outdoors.

I sip my coffee and emerge in the book; I hear laughter, and I lift my head as I see Gage walk out with Keenan. They load up Gage's truck with their hockey equipment. He pulls out of his driveway. His arm out the window as he drives by me. His eyes are set on me as he drives by.

I take a sip of my coffee and think of the night the mysterious stranger helped me. I never thought in a million years that I would be here contemplating how I feel about him. He was a complete stranger, yet he showed me kindness and compassion when I needed it the most. He continued to show that until the night when he disappeared without explanation.

I sigh and continue reading my book. I try to push the thoughts of him out of my mind and focus on the story in front of me, but my mind keeps wandering back to him and the unanswered questions that still linger.

"Star, get in here." I hear Laura shout.

I step inside, and she points to the TV. The news reports that they found human bones scattered around the cliffside off campus. They still haven't confirmed the victims, but they are sure there is a wild animal on the loose. I look at Ace, his face stone cold as if he is hiding something.

"Maybe it's your new friends, the wolves." Laura teases me.

"Wolves don't live in this territory." Ace responds before I can say a word. My eyes narrow in his direction. "I've gotta get to practice; I'll see you girls later." He kisses Laura's cheek and walks out.

I watch as he leaves; he gives a glance back toward us, and curiosity fills my eyes. A smirk covers his face as he walks away. Shivers run down my spine, intrigued by his mysterious demeanour.