Eloise
The tension between Jennifer and I was still raw, simmering under every stolen glance and clipped movement. The scandal she’d caused at school had left deep scars, but I wasn’t about to let her ruin everything. Not my reputation or even my dreams.
Yet here we were, standing miles apart in the same house. The semester was finally over, and we were back home for the break. I thought the distance from school might dull the hostility between us, but it felt more suffocating than ever.
……..
I slipped out that evening, my destination was a place few knew about—a hidden café nestled in the shadows of old streets, where I often found solace.
The warm glow of the café’s lights spilled onto the cobbled road. As I entered, I felt a fleeting sense of peace, the hum of conversations a balm
