I was the youngest child of my parents, the king and queen, and the youngest daughter of the royal family in the 1800s. I never longed for power; I cherished the small freedoms I was allowed, as much as anyone could be in a life dictated by duty and protocol. The moment I met the knight assigned to me, I knew he was different. Young, kind, and seemingly flawless in every way, he carried himself with a quiet grace that made my heart flutter. Everything about him felt natural, effortless, as if he belonged in my world despite the rigid walls that surrounded it. But the thought of my father finding out terrified me. In our kingdom, it was an unbreakable law: a princess could only marry a nobleman. Anything less would be seen as scandalous, even treasonous. The knight’s presence in my life, as wonderful as it was, carried danger. Every glance, every quiet moment shared felt thrilling but forbidden, a beautiful secret I could never let the world, or my father, discover. And yet, in his presence, I felt alive in a way I never had before, caught between the life I was born into and the pull of something far more human, far more real than the gilded cages of royalty.
Avery hands were settled on your waist, keeping you in place as her tongue played with yours. Her hands were soft and warm, a stark contrast to the cool air that was pouring in through the open window.
I’m 20 years old. Since the pay is good, I work as a barista at a pretty popular bar in town. The place is always buzzing with people, and I like the energy it brings. I’m easy to talk to, which helps a lot, customers often end up chatting with me while I make their drinks.
Tristan had been a single father for as long as I could remember. Thirty-five years old, tired-eyed but soft, the kind of man who got stressed over everything—from late buses to slightly burnt toast. My mother had never really been in the picture, and in the fourteen years I’d been alive, I hadn’t missed her. Dad did everything. Maybe too much, sometimes.
Me and Caleb have been hooking up on and off for a while now, a messy rhythm that started back in college when we first locked eyes and knew exactly what kind of trouble we’d get into. It’s not love, not even close—just a mutual hunger for something rough, something that leaves bruises and scratches we both secretly crave. Caleb’s a bastard in the best way: mocking, mean, and condescending, always with that smirk that makes me want to slap him or kiss him, depending on the day. He knows how to push my buttons, and I let him because I’m just as bad.
William was my best friend’s father, and I tried to remind myself of that constantly… but it wasn’t always easy. Too hard, actually. Too hard not to notice him. Too hard not to feel what I felt.
I enjoyed being Anakin’s Padawan. He was kind, patient, and unlike many Masters, he never made me feel small. He treated me more like a younger sibling than a student, and I always felt like he truly believed in me. Training with him wasn’t just about lightsaber drills or Force lessons, it was about trust, laughter, and a bond that grew stronger with every mission. But lately, something had shifted. Anakin was different, his usual spark dulled by exhaustion. He still smiled at me, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. I noticed the way he would stare off, distracted, his thoughts clearly elsewhere. And the more he spoke with Chancellor Palpatine, the more he seemed to being tired.
Good news? I’m recognized the sleek, black Aston Martin pulling up toward me. It belonged to one of my brother’s friends, which meant I wouldn’t end up a local news item tonight. Bad news? The person who driving Aston Martin was the last person I wanted to pick me up. “Get in.” He didn’t raise his voice, he never raised his voice, but I still heard him loud and clear over the rain. Alex Volkov was a force of nature unto himself, and I imagined even the weather bowed to him.
Ashley always had her friend group—tight-knit, loud, comfortable. She was social enough, sure, but she never wandered outside her circle. She wasn’t the kind of person who walked up to strangers, which meant she and I barely spoke. Actually… for a long time, I kind of forgot she existed. She was just another student in the hallways, another face in the sea of people I never paid attention to.
Life brought me to Heaven. Not exactly how I imagined it, but here I am. The endless calm of the sky, the lights, the silence, it’s all so different from the noisy chaos of life on Earth. Yet somehow, I feel at home, even though the situation is new and unexpected. The most surprising part, however, was discovering that I had become Adam’s secretary. Me, who had spent my whole life watching things from the outside, now working directly by his side. It’s not an easy task, there are countless little details to keep track of, but at the same time, it fills me with a unique feeling. A sense of responsibility, but also an honor. That is… until I realized what was really waiting for me.
It was autumn. The air smelled of wet leaves and smoke. A week had passed since the world had fallen apart, since strangers had become something closer to family. One week ago, we hadn’t even known each other’s names. Now, when danger comes, we don’t even need to speak, we move, cover, protect each other instinctively. We made one rule early on, scribbled in Nathaniel’s notebook and whispered to each other like a vow:
Daniel Sterling is one of the best football players in the world — at just twenty-four, his name is already known everywhere. He’s got that effortlessly messy black hair that always falls into his blue eyes, and even when he curses on the field, people can’t help but adore him. There’s something magnetic about him — the confidence, the fire, the way he carries himself like he was born for the spotlight.
I’m Leo, a seventeen year old boy, and somehow I’ve become Dave’s favorite student. He notices things about me that no one else does, the way I fidget with my pen when I’m nervous, the little smirk I try to hide when I know the answer, even the tired slump of my shoulders after a long day. And I can feel it… the way he looks at me sometimes, that flicker of something more than just teacherly interest. It’s confusing. Exciting. Dangerous. He clearly cares about me, probably more than he should, but I can tell he’s holding himself back. A teacher-student relationship is off-limits, something neither of us can admit without consequences. Still, the tension lingers, subtle but undeniable, small smiles, lingering glances, little jokes that feel personal in a way that makes my heart skip. Being his favorite is flattering, but it’s also complicated. Every compliment, every moment of attention, carries a weight. I can’t tell if it’s all professional care or if there’s something more behind those carefully measured words and expressions. And deep down, I know that however tempting it might feel, crossing that line isn’t just wrong, it could change everything.
I’m not exactly popular, but I’m not invisible either. I have my own tight-knit group of friends, and I stick with them, that’s enough for me. I don’t try to impress anyone, not even Danil. Most people are either intimidated by him or don’t understand him, but I just simply let him be who he wants to be.
Damion is back at the rink today, gearing up with his team before the game. Being married to one of the players comes with its perks, we have VIP seats waiting for us. As soon as we settle in, Matteo’s eyes light up, scanning the ice for his dad. Damion spots us almost instantly. He skates over to our side of the glass, a huge smile spreading across his face as he waves at Matteo.
I work at a small, 24-hour convenience store. The night shift is quieter, but there’s always interesting people coming through the door. Sometimes it’s a sleepy college student stumbling back from a party, or a late-shift worker swinging by for a quick coffee. The lights on the shelves are dimmed down, and the whole place feels like time has slowed, like nothing else matters except what you pick up off the shelves. I like the vibe, the quiet moments when the outside world fades away, and the times when familiar faces stop by for a quick chat. This little store isn’t just a job; it’s a small refuge in the middle of the night.
Honestly, I don’t know anything about motorcycles. If someone handed me one, I’d probably end up in a ditch at the first corner. But there’s something about them that completely captivates me. The speed, the sound, how they zoom past you, it all has this adrenaline-charged magic that I can’t resist. That’s why I sometimes go to races. Not because I understand what’s happening on the track, I have no idea who’s leading or how risky each move is. I just like being there, hearing the crowd roar, seeing the colorful helmets, and watching the almost superhuman courage of the racers. I usually don’t go alone. I always gather a few friends, none of them know much more than I do, really. For us, it’s more about hanging out together: laughing, cheering for someone at random, and trying to catch the moment when Alex, the world-class rider, pulls off his famous wheelie. The whole track seems to explode in excitement when he does it, I just stand there, smiling like crazy at a stranger who will probably never even know I exist.
Since my parents divorced, everything changed. My life became calmer, and I stayed with my dad. We moved to a new house in a different town, where everything is different: the weather is cooler, it often rains, and the houses are built from dark wood.
After his father's passing, any responsibilities the man had fell onto Conan. The treaties were signed by him, and he instructed all that happened on the battlefield. It was a exhausting.