He had to see her.
After she blocked his number, he hadn’t
reached out.
He’d been sulking, trying to teach her a
lesson.
But he was the one who’d caved.
He’d called her, giving her an easy way back.
And that other guy had answered.
That casual intimacy in his voice…
He knew Sarah was shy, conservative. She
L
wouldn’t fall for some random guy at
Northwood.
Mia had said Sarah was just trying to make
him jealous.
But now the SATS were over, and Sarah had
vanished.
He went to Sarah’s building. The light was on
in her window. He felt a surge of relief.
He knocked.
Someone opened the door.
- 19.
He plastered a smile on his face.
“Mrs. Miller, I’m looking for Sar-”
The words died in his throat.
A middle–aged couple, strangers, stood there
in their pajamas.
“Who are you? Why are you at Sarah’s
house?”
The woman frowned.
“What Sarah? This is our house.”
<
His face paled.
“But… this is Mr. Miller’s house.”
The man thought for a moment.
“You mean the previous owners?”
“Previous owners?”
“Yeah, we bought this place like three months
ago.”
“Where are they? Where did they move?”
“Beats me.”
They closed the door in his face.
Jake stood there, stunned.
Sarah moved? How could he not know?
Why didn’t she tell him where she was going?
Was she never coming back?
He fumbled for his phone, needing to call his
mom and figure this out. A notification
popped up.
A text from his best friend.
“Check Sarah’s Instagram.”
“She’s official with someone.”
<
Jake clicked on Sarah’s profile.
She barely used social media, so even though
she’d blocked his number, her profile was still
visible.
The latest post was a picture of her with a
guy.
The guy was wearing a white button–down
shirt and black slacks, his dark hair messy
and rebellious.
He was looking down at Sarah, who wore a
white sundress.
They stood beneath a sprawling oak tree,
looking impossibly perfect together.
The caption:
[What my puppy wanted me to post.]
- 20.
Ethan dropped me off at my building.
I’d fallen asleep in the car.
“Babe, we’re here.”
I opened my eyes, the dim glow of the
streetlights highlighting the sharp line of
Ethan’s jaw, the subtle bob of his Adam’s
apple.
Without thinking, I leaned in and kissed his
throat.
His body tensed, his breath hitching.
A moment later, I realized what I’d done and
pulled away, leaving a faint red mark on his
skin.
His eyes were dark and intense, like he was
about to devour me.
I suddenly remembered a post I’d read online.
Teenage boys, especially at eighteen and
nineteen, are full of hormones they can’t
control.
Play with fire, you’re gonna get burned.
I flung the car door open and jumped out,
making a run for the building.
Ethan was right behind me, catching my hand
and pulling me back.
<
His eyes were still smoldering.
“Ethan, what are you doing?”
He stared at me, silent.
Then, he lowered his head and pressed a kiss
to the sensitive skin of my neck, just below
my ear.
“Tit for tat.”
He let me go.
I turned to leave, and a voice, rough with
emotion, called my name.
“Sarah.”
- 21.
I turned to see Jake standing under the
streetlight, his face pale and drawn.
His eyes were red–rimmed.
He walked towards me.
“We need to talk.”
I hadn’t expected to see him again. After my
dad quit Evans Enterprises, we’d moved,
severing all ties.
<
I sighed.
“There’s nothing to talk about.”
I turned to go inside.
He stepped forward, his voice pleading.
“Please, Sarah. Just a few minutes?”
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry I made you transfer to
Northwood before the SATs.”
“Mia and I broke up. I just… I thought you
wouldn’t leave. It was just a stupid fling.”
“We never really even dated. It’s over between
us.”
“Can we just… go back to how things were?
Please, come back.”
- 22.
Jake had always had an arrogant streak.
I’d never seen him like this, so desperate and
vulnerable.
“We can’t go back, Jake.”
I didn’t want to hear any more excuses.
I tugged on Ethan’s sleeve.
く
He looked down at me and ruffled my hair
gently.
“Go on up. I’ll be right behind you.”
I nodded and hurried inside.
I heard Jake try to follow, but Ethan stopped
him.
The sounds of a scuffle reached me.
I didn’t stop.
The boy who could take on ten guys in an
alley? I wasn’t worried.
I heard snippets of their conversation.
“Who the hell do you think you are?”
“I grew up with Sarah! We’re childhood
sweethearts!”
Ethan’s voice, cold and flat.
“Oh.”
“But that doesn’t change the fact that I’m her
boyfriend now.”
“As for ‘childhood sweethearts,‘ Sarah and
1…”
<
The elevator doors closed, cutting off the
rest.
- 23.
Jake didn’t say any more.
His lip was split and bleeding.
The kid packed a mean punch.
He heard Sarah call Ethan from her
apartment.
Her voice, soft and worried.
“Are you okay?”
It finally hit him. Sarah was truly gone.
He remembered one time, after getting into a
fight, he’d gone to Sarah’s, afraid of his
mom’s lecture.
Sarah had carefully cleaned his cuts with a
cotton swab.
