and meaningless. His friends were scattered across the apartment, some playing video

k, Demian sat slouched on a leather chair, star

nged across from him, twirling

ree parties in two weeks, dumped Sophia without blinking, and today you didn'

of his neck. His usual smirk was gone,

r," he m

aised an

t tell me it's

shot hi

at up st

fruit-selling girl you keep r

resting his elbows on h

h. H

s bli

like

nodded

n I want

ence st

r names since day one. Everyon

itterly, staring

ust a poor girl who doesn't belong here. That she's too serious, too proud, too stubborn. B

us with frustration

irls. She doesn't care about the parties or the status or how much my fam

s smi

ust tell her

, sitting back

will flip. The school will laugh. My entire reputation will burn. I'm Demian Blackwood. I'm supposed to d

added with a c

hing special... like I don't scare her...

r a moment, then tosse

ve. Dangerous kind, though-the

ined Amelia walking home with her worn-out bag and determined steps,

ke her this much,

s smi

her, Romeo. You're o

looke

her the real me... wh

ed forward,

hat if you never give h

didn't

in his chest was

the smell of expensive cologne trailing behind him. He didn't speak unless he had something meaningful to s

, eyes always thoughtful and distant. But beneat

Blackwood-but to him, that name fel

ords, Elias had heard the whispers. "

ies misf

sed ch

hat belief began to r

e silence. He felt it in the way his birthday was always quiet.

sketches, and piano notes that no one else ever heard. He

noticed not because of what she wore or

pirit, despite the dust on her shoes. Her laughter-when it came-was like sunlight thro

t in. She didn't cha

self drawn to her.

her as she scribbled in her notebook. He memorized the way she tucked her hair behind her

her in

ted himse

to be loved. He was the boy whose mother died bringing h

e father, a man his own father betrayed

eath follow every woman who dares bear your name. Every wife

ilence. But the shadow of it haunt

elia made him wa

lone beneath the oak tree behind the wes

hed, quietl

ed, sitting beside

idn't close his sketchbook. H

orld feels too h

s showing, gap tooth shining like sunligh

rawing all the time

It was the first sound of joy

her. And slowly, Amelia became the o

me, but for his soul. His dept

an to fall

ing to anyone. That he listened more than he

ut of pride-like Demian-but out of fear. Fear that the

rom afar. Longed

esire to hold her-and the paralyzing fear

her in... if she becomes mine... will the curse take her

e wa

watc

ietly, painfully