Underneath It All

viest when she stepped

small cluttered with medical bills, a worn out couch, and her father's crutches leaning against the wa

o the kitchen. The refrigerator hummed softly as she opened it,

h. But

ce floated from the nex

Dad. It

s. The sight still stung. Once, her father had been larger than life-str

said, easing himself in

. help someone with a project." She didn't mention who her father

doing too much, Ava. You

cracked the eggs into a bo

school, work, and keeping everything a

ftly. "I'm proud of

t tightened

eing proud didn'

-

n his father's gleaming office

ffs of his tailored suit. "Your grades are already an emba

The city skyline stretched behind his father's desk gl

ng it," he

y what? Chasing after some sch

ed. "I'm not c

te your time with? I need you focused. You will graduate at the top of y

n mapped out before he was old enough to speak. And no matte

leb repeated, biting back th

of cold satisfaction. "Good

-

he kitchen counter as s

Hey. Yo

ands dry and ty

, just ti

licated. Can w

ated? Grace rarely k

se. Library

You're

t a small knot of worr

-

a shifts at Page & Quill and late nights finishing research, she barely

in the library Monday afternoon

s late," she said,

ogance, but something about the way he leaned

pulling out her notebook.

ainst paper. But Caleb was distracted-fidgeting with his pen, tappi

ldn't s

id finally. "W

, surprise

acting

ugh. "You're observant

an eyebro

uch to say. Finally, he sighed. "Let's just say... my

ck. "And that

, I've been told what to do. Who to be. My mistakes aren't just mine-they're h

or a brief, startling moment, Ava saw the tru

ising in her throat. "Th

tterly. "You

ment asked softly, "What do you want, Caleb

ing real flickered in his expression longin

ng myself that

have an ans

-

tting by their usual spot in the

liding into the sea

p. "You know Dan

all, charming, and captain

y. "We... kissed. At t

. Daniel Scott kissed you? W

cheeks flushing. "But... I think I like

"Then maybe it's

ek, Grace laughed. "You'r

le, a small ache tugged at her heart. It

g harder

-

he hall, Isabella M

e with her?" Isabella demanded,

completely unbothered. "It

voice was low, venomous. "She doesn't

"I don't need your

d coldly.

he sinking feeling that Isabella Mon

by a