In the halls of St. Gabriel's High School, Ezekiel reigns as the charismatic bad boy, charming his way through senior year with a devil-may-care attitude. Aria, on the other hand, is a loner, navigating the complexities of high school after the trag...
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The fluorescent lights flickered overhead as I hurried through the narrow aisles of the convenience store, my heart still racing from the events of the day. I glanced at the clock hanging behind the counter, cursing under my breath as I realized I was running late for my shift.
My part-time job was my lifeline, the only thing keeping me afloat in a sea of uncertainty after the tragic loss of my parents. We were not a well to do family so they left me with nothing but a fully paid school fee and a desperate need to make ends meet. Survival was a constant struggle, one that pushed me to rely on the meager income from my job to cover daily expenses and rent.
With a final burst of speed, I pushed through the door and stepped into the dimly lit store, the familiar scent of stale cigarette smoke and cheap snacks washing over me like a wave of nostalgia.
"About time you showed up," my boss grumbled, his voice sharp with irritation as he glared at me from behind the counter. "You're lucky I'm not docking your pay for this."
I swallowed hard, suppressing the urge to argue as I mumbled an apology and hurried to don my uniform—a faded polo shirt and khaki pants that had seen better days. There was no room for mistakes, no margin for error in a world that showed no mercy to those who dared to falter.
The day dragged on, the monotony broken only by the occasional customer and the steady hum of the fluorescent lights overhead. I worked tirelessly, stocking shelves and manning the register with mechanical precision, each movement fueled by the determination to survive in a world that showed no mercy to those who dared to falter.
But as the hours stretched on and the sky outside darkened into a blanket of stars, a sense of unease settled over me like a heavy fog. The doorbell rang, signaling the arrival of a group of rowdy boys who stumbled into the store with careless laughter and boisterous chatter.
I ignored them, focusing instead on the task at hand as I climbed a ladder to reach the top shelf, my arms straining under the weight of the boxes in my hands. But then, disaster struck—a misstep, a wobble, and suddenly, I was falling, the ground rushing up to meet me with terrifying speed.
I braced myself for the impact, my heart pounding in my chest as I closed my eyes and prepared for the worst. But then, just as I was about to hit the ground, strong arms wrapped around me, catching me in a firm embrace that stole the breath from my lungs.
I opened my eyes to find myself staring into a pair of familiar eyes—Ezekiel's eyes, the same eyes I had sworn to avoid at all costs. My heart hammered in my chest as I struggled to find my voice, to form the words that eluded me in the face of his unexpected presence.
But before I could speak, before I could even begin to comprehend the gravity of the situation, Ezekiel released me from his grasp and stepped back, his expression unreadable as he watched me with a curious intensity that sent a shiver down my spine.
