Rubbing wearily at my eyes, I dump my bag onto my bed and kick off my shoes.

"Hey, stranger." Constance yawns at me, removing the eye mask that's half hanging from her head. "How was your weekend?"

"It was great!" I beam. "I had a really fun weekend. We went to Movie World."

"Ohh, I love the theme parks."

"What about you?"

"I had my cousin's birthday so basically hung out with family the whole weekend. I'm exhausted."

"Me too."

I get ready for the day quickly and head down to grab a muffin and a coffee before classes start. As I wait in line, I notice Cora enter. Her long pony tail swishes with each step and she looks as gorgeous as ever.

Clenching my jaw, I look forward.

Arms wrap around my waist and I startle–for a moment thinking it's her–when the familiar scent of Wren washes over me.

"Hey," he whispers, and the hairs on the back of my neck raise.

"Hi," I smile.

I ignore the multiple pairs of eyes blinking at us. Wren does not show affection like this in front of people, but after the last few weeks, especially this weekend, I'm sure he doesn't care what anyone else thinks.

"Do you want me to grab you a coffee?"

"I'd rather just have yours," he grins.

I roll my eyes.

After we get breakfast, we take a seat at the table Constance is also at. She's typing away on her laptop and raising a quick hand in greeting, not removing her eyes from the screen.

"Whatcha doing?" I ask.

"History case study," she answers. "It sucks."

"You suck."

Constance flips Wren off. "When was the last time you bothered to do an assignment?"

Wren shrugs. "Don't recall."

"I don't know how you do it," she mutters, shaking her head. A loose curl springs free, falling over her eye.

Wren leans back in his chair, tucking his arm underneath him.

"It's called not giving a fuck. You should try it sometime."

"I like to try. Maybe you should try that sometime."

"Trying is for losers."

She scoffs, not bothering to look up. "Fuck you, too."

Wren grins, flashing his teeth.

"I've heard some whispers," Constance says after a moment of typing, her fingers tapping quickly over the keyboard. "There is a big party happening on Saturday, over the lake."

"Who's party?" Wren asks.

She shrugs. "Don't know. Some older guy. It sounds wicked though. There's going to be a DJ. We should go."

Wren glances at me and I shrug. "It sounds fun."

He nods. "Well. Okay. I'm in."

"Me too," I say.

"Sweet," she replies. The warning bell rings and she exhales, slapping her laptop shut. "I'll find out more details and keep you posted."

"Sounds good."

I finish the last of my coffee and throw it out.

"You coming?" I ask.

Wren shakes his head. "I'm going to have a quick smoke."

"You don't have time."

He gives me a look and I laugh, forgetting who I'm talking to. Wren is later than not if he even bothers to go to class. He kisses my temple and squeezes my arm, before heading in the opposite direction of the classrooms.

I twist my hair in my hand and use a clip to hold it up. Two bits of loose hair fall over my face and I tuck them back. I head to the back of the classroom and collapse into the chair.

My pen drags across the lines, the blue ink staining the page. The teacher's voice is a faint noise in the background as the pen between my fingers swirls and dips over the notebook in front of me. My mind keeps looping back to Wren's hands sliding over my skin, his lips against my ear, whispering filthy things to me.

Laughter pulls my attention back to the present and I meet the eyes of Mrs Cloud who is glaring at me, eyebrows raised.

"Erm, what?"

"I asked if you were listening," she frowns. "Do you understand the assignment?"

Assignment? I cool my expression and try not to look as dazed as I feel.

"Sure."

"You wouldn't mind explaining it then?" she asks, leaning onto her desk and folding her hands over her lap, staring at me expectantly.

"Um," I say.

"Hmm?" she presses.

Several of my classmates snicker at my lack of response.

"I don't know because I wasn't paying attention, yes, sue me. I'm listening now," I mutter.

"Oh, that's great. Thank you so much for finally giving me your attention," she replies in a surly voice, a deep frown line running between her eyes. "As I was saying." Her eyes flicker my way one more time. "You need to be writing 500 words a day. The overall goal is to have a journal entry of 5,000 words, give or take ten percent. You can use the remainder of this lesson to start. The entire assignment is due on the 14th and the topic is Belonging." She waves her hands at us. "Get writing."

I write Belonging at the top of the page and look at it for a few moments, trying to sort my thoughts.

Belonging is a fluid concept. Can you belong somewhere, when you have no idea where you fit? I feel lost and confused. Like I'm floating mid-air and my feet haven't touched the ground. I suppose it started when the incident happened. When I was kidnapped. Hours passed. I was hurt, hungry, and didn't know day from night. Every minute I was begging, hoping, praying I would go home and everything would be okay again.

And then I did. And nothing was ever the same.

My mother, the person who was with me always, gone.

Goodbye old life, hello foster homes, new schools, fake friends and an empty existence.

Scars, trauma, anxiety. It follows me like a shadow. Quiet and still, but always there, reminding me of all the bad things that have happened, as if I could ever forget.

The bell rings overhead and I blink down at the page. I hadn't planned to write any of that. Slamming the book shut and shoving it into my bag, I push to my feet and escape the classroom before Mrs Cloud asks me to stay back like she has previously when she notices my lack of concentration in class.

I rummage through my bag as I walk down the hall, trying to dig out my phone when an alarm pierces the air. I flinch, eyes swivelling up to the ceiling. There's an intake of breath around me as people talk louder, yelling out and looking around them, trying to figure out what triggered the alarm.

A cold hand wraps around my arm and I'm dragged into a dark room–the janitor's closet?–and I turn, seeing Cora staring back at me. I expel a heavy breath, flattening my fingers against my bare thighs.

"Cora."

"Addison," she smiles.

"I'm not doing this."

Turning, I reach for the handle and pull, only for the door the remain shut tightly. I tug roughly a few times, panic swelling in my chest.

"All the doors automatically lock during a lockdown," says Cora, her voice quiet and breathy.

Slowly, I spin on your heel.

"Did you set off the alarm? You planned this?"

A slow smile stretches over her lips and she shrugs. "Maybe."

"Why?"

"I wanted to get you alone."

Swallowing thickly, I step away from her. "I don't want to talk to you, Cora. Leave me alone."

She advances towards me and I stagger back, hitting the door with a startling thud. Her palms slam against the door, her arms caging me in. She's so close I can count the freckles kissing the skin under her eyes. Her breath fans over my lips, smelling like watermelon lip gloss and nicotine.

"You want me to leave you alone?"

"Yes," I whisper.

Her head tilts and her eyes roam over my face.

"Then why is your heart racing?" Her right hand slips around my neck, her thumb caressing my throat. "Why are you trembling?" Her thumb drags down the base of my throat, sliding across my collarbone. "And why are you looking at my lips like they're the only thing you want to taste right now?"

"None of that is true."

"Liar."

Leaning closer, her nose inches across my jaw while her other hand slips down my side, her hand palming my breast. My breath quickens and my eyes drift close.

"Cora," I say, but it comes out a sigh.

Her hand moves underneath my shirt and goosebumps spread sharply over my skin. Slipping inside my bra, her fingers glide over my pebbled nipple. I clamp my thighs together and whimper.

"Your mouth says one thing," she murmurs, pinching me softly. "But your body says something else entirely."

"I hate you."

"Yeah," she breathes, her teeth grazing my neck. "Clearly."

The wailing siren comes to an abrupt stop, and I yank myself away from her. I fall towards the handle and stumble through the door when it opens. My cheeks are burning as I spill into the hall and take off, not daring to look back.

I feel her eyes on me every step of the way.

---------------------

Hey everyone, I have a book club on Instagram where we post reviews daily and other fun content like giveaways, Fan Art Friday and Smut Sundays! If you're interested, please check out our page! Instagram: booktokbookclub

Instagram: laurenj_22

Snapchat: laurenj_22

TikTok: laurenj_22