Sugar before the Burn

haunted he

ked los

that ab

unsettling for comfort. Elena lay still, staring at the screen in the dark, her bl

. But she also d

he top of her inbox like a

the haze h

. Greene still eerily quiet. Elena sat across from her at th

aunt said without lookin

inked. "

arp, knowing. "Fine is a lie women use w

said n

ook sharper, prettier, and more intimidating. She spotted Ava by the open fount

ell," Ava said b

el li

es or hot

despite hers

Was i

know who

, ple

eir lecture building, not eve

-wearing psychological thriller i

ced away.

talked

es

re still

es everyone act like h

not just toxic. He's the kind of guy who doesn't come with

ust weren't s

It's not about strength

er steps slowed near the library, her eyes flicked toward the art building. Zayne

inally, it was like

cond floor.

like he didn't care about rules. The late morning light cut through the w

n't lo

alked past him

ying secrets," he said, voice low

ed mid-ste

n looked up f

to girls without

. "Only the ones who try

th caugh

ing?" she asked, s

out a word. Control and

cou

read

he replied. "It

pause. One

ooked at

tare that didn't j

w. But not

ked. "Ex

but you wait for it. You watch people, t

ed. "You think you've

s. "Not yet. But I know a girl who's

how true

ch she wan

focus. Zayne's words kept echoing-each one carefull

" Ava whispered

mm

st smiling t

N

ou fall for him, I'm not hol

ot fal

nd that's t

lena avoided her by escaping to her room, locking t

pencil moved without her thinking-slow

ape of

y cu

watchi

him.

page and threw

when her ph

er: You look

pulse qu

That means I get

ge, heart thumping so l

me, she

t do yo

hing they've

t sleep t

se she wa

of her didn't want t