That Night √

Grace and Lucius: inseparable, bound by a friendship thought unbreakable. But 'that night' changed everything. A drunk girl, overwhelmed feelings, and a mysterious, sudden departure without explanation or goodbye. Two years later, Grace returns to a changed hometown, and changed feelings. Can the echoes of 'that night' finally be understood, or will the past forever haunt their reunion?

The cafeteria of Hayward Middle School buzzed with the usual lunchtime chaos. Grace Collins, all of twelve years old, gripped her tray, knuckles white, her jaw clenched tight. Her eyes, usually warm, were narrowed into furious slits, fixed on the smirking face of Fraser Nash.

"Don't mind him, Grace," Bella, her best friend, murmured nervously, trying to placate her. But Grace was beyond placating. Fraser, the school's resident bully, had just pushed her last nerve.

"How am I not supposed to mind him?" Grace hissed, her voice low and dangerous. Fraser, relishing the attention, stuffed his hands in his pockets and barked out a short, taunting laugh. "I like making Gracie angry." He drawled, his disheveled black hair falling over his forehead.

"Don't call me that," Grace spat, her short temper flaring. The familiar, sickening lurch in her stomach signaled trouble. But then, Fraser's whisper, 'More like an asshole,' aimed at her absent best friend, Lucius, ignited a fuse she couldn't extinguish. Before she could think, before Bella could intervene, Grace's fist connected with Fraser's face. The impact, a sharp, tingling sensation, was immediately followed by Fraser's groan and the collective gasp of the cafeteria. Everyone knew what was coming next: another trip to Principal Winston's office.

That Night √

Emotional Best Friends to Lovers Mystery Coming of Age Second Chance