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Author Note: Dear awesome humans, thanks for reading thus far! I hope you're enjoying. Anyway, I don't wanna do too many POV switches so I'll try to keep it limited to 3 characters. Either way, I promise that each POV is important to the plot so if I ever include a fourth character's perspective, then just know that it's necessary in the story.

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Corbyn's picture →

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I walked into my house after school that day, expecting nothing eventful. I couldn't wait to tell my dad about Kris and Corbyn's break-up. Believe it or not, he was secretly rooting for me to be with my crush because I talked about him so much.

I was still in shock over their breakup, as was the entire school. The news traveled extremely fast during lunch period alone, and by the end of the school day, even the teachers were murmuring about it. It was crazy. I heard that Corbyn was taking out most of his frustration on the drama club, since he was president, and I felt pretty sorry for Tiana and Mae.

I mean, he was the one that dumped Kris (which is still very unbelievable), so he had no right to be angry afterward. Man, he had such a pompous, entitled attitude and Kris was better off without that negative aura. Mae texted me that he was trying to get Corbyn back, and for the life of me, I could not understand why.

"You can't just... show up like this. You're lucky the kids aren't home, but Jaden should be back any minute now," I heard my father's voice from afar.

I walked down the short hallway and entered the living room to see him sitting down across from my mother. He saw me immediately and sighed, making my mom turn around.

"M-mom?" I mumbled.

She looked like a deer caught in headlights as she analyzed me. "H-hey, baby," she said weakly.

"J, why don't you go upstairs to your room, okay love?" Dad told me.

"But..." I glanced at my mother then back at him.

"Now, Jaden. We'll talk later, and there's lunch in the kitchen if you're hungry."

I swallowed then nodded respectfully. My dad was always tender with me, but I never talked back to him. I obeyed his request and turned around quickly, heading up the stairs to my room.

My heart picked up its pace while I wondered what my mom could possibly be doing here. She hadn't been home in a year, and though sometimes it seemed like she missed us, she never acted upon that.

I really didn't want to think about it. Anytime I dwelled on thoughts of my mother, I became more and more depressed by the fact we'd been abandoned.

I dropped my bookbag and sat down on my bed, pulling out the folded sheet of paper with Kris's handwriting on it. I was blushing as I reread his critique of my audition, and I pathetically squealed once I remembered that I actually got the part. I seriously couldn't wait to tell Dad. No, I couldn't wait until the cast list went up on Friday, so I could see the anger and disappointment on Corbyn's face when he realizes he doesn't get his cherished role. But after the break-up, I doubt he'd still want to be on stage with his ex.

Which honestly gives him a greater reason to hate me, but I had no room in my heart to be afraid. I was going to interact with Kris in ways I never thought would be possible, and the kissing scene...

Oh my goodness. I was going to kiss the boy of my dreams, the boy who's in another social stratosphere compared to me-my very first kiss. This was really going to happen.

~Corbyn's POV~

"Front step, wind your hip, then do two pivot turns--step out and gently slide." I performed my part of the dance as the rest of the class followed, watching me carefully in the mirror. Of course, school was long over but most of us stayed after to perfect the dance. Our teacher had to leave and she left me and Olivia, a girl on the cheer team, in charge. I mean, we were her star dancers and we knew the choreo very well.

Obviously, today wasn't my day so when the other dancers failed to keep up and get the moves right, it irritated me even more than usual.

I stopped and sighed, glancing at a redheaded girl through the mirror. "Okay, stop, everyone. You," I pointed to the girl's reflection. "You aren't nailing your turns."

"Corb, she's doing just fine," Olivia attempted to defend her, and I completely disagreed.

"Not really," I responded, turning around.

All eyes turned to the redhead and she blushed, quiety glancing toward the ground.

"Seriously, you're just finding someone to pick on," Olivia whispered to me.

"We're doing three televised dance numbers at the Homecoming pep rally in just two weeks, this being one of them," I reminded the dancers. "So excuse me if I want it to be perfect. We have a reputation to uphold, don't we?"

"Yeah," someone agreed with me. I rolled my eyes. What a kiss ass.

"And for god's sake, point your feet. And as for you," I nodded at the embarrassed little princess in the corner, "I suggest you start mastering your turns."

"Hey, um, if we need some tips or, like, help in general who do we ask? Because Ms. Muller only stays after school for like an hour, and I can't make her morning classes," one of the dancers informed me. "Can we just come to you if we need help?"

I clasped my hands. "Go to Olivia. I'll most likely be way too busy to baby a bunch of you guys through a dance. If you can't pick up choreography fairly quickly, take some lessons, get better, or give up on being a dancer." I shrugged, flashing a bitter smile. "Liv, you can take over here."

"What, where are you going?" Her eyes widened.

"Home. I'm so done here." I couldn't thrive around a lack of talent, so I walked over to my duffle bag, grabbed it, and practically marched out of the dance class. I made my way outside to the student parking lot where, thankfully, my silver porsche was parked. Fortunately, I didn't ride with a certain somebody today as usual, or else I would've been screwed.

I threw my bag in the backseat and hopped into the driver's, pulling out the lot and heading straight home. I drove through the gates and parked in one of the garages before stepping out with my stuff.

I sighed, walking into the majestic-sized mansion, shutting the door behind myself. I had an older sister who was a senior in high school, but she attended a private school instead; otherwise, she'd go to Whitewater High with me. Our younger brother was in a private middle school, and he was twelve.

My sister, Ivy Starr, was lazily sprawled out on the velvet sofa, watching TV with the remote clenched in her hand. "Sup!" She raised her hand, sending me the peace sign before dropping her hand back down.

"Where's Mom and Dad?"

"Mom's cooking dinner, and Dad is mayor, where else do you think he is?"

I glared at her. "Gee, Ivy. It's laughable how you keep asking yourself why you look so fat all the time. Maybe get off the couch, walk the unnecessary vast acres of land that we own, and you'll start seeing some results, 'kay?"

She quickly sat up, staring at me in bewilderment, but I kept on moving until I entered the kitchen.

"Are you picking on your sister again?" My mother said, without even looking at me. She was giving her food all of her attention, trying to perfect the taste.

"She's just lazy," I mumbled as my mom finally gazed at me. She stared for a few seconds then turned away, clearing her throat.

"Leave her be," she chuckled, laughing away the awkwardness.

I folded my arms and swallowed thickly. "I broke up with Kris today," I quietly informed.

"What? Why; he's such a loveable boy. I know he's good to you. What happened?"

"He called me names. I can't..." I shook my head and shrugged my shoulders uncomfortably. "Like, I can't deal with my own boyfriend calling me names."

"What did he call you?"

"Mean. Narcissistic, selfish. He said he can't be the boyfriend of someone who makes people miserable, so I was like, fine. Don't be my boyfriend then. What's worse is that... he said he loves me but I can't tell if he meant it or not. It's been an entire year, Mom, and he just decided to tell me those words."

"Well, are you making people miserable, Corbyn?"

"Are you serious?" I scoffed. "Mom. Everyone at school is just jealous because I'm rich and popular and talented, plus I've got the guy that everybody wants. Or... had the guy."

It seemed like she wasn't even listening to me because all she could do was stare. All she ever did was stare at me. "Mom," I snapped her back to earth.

"Huh, yeah. Yeah, I'm listening, honey. You know, I think that... you should just speak to Kris about what he really feels about you. Maybe there was miscommunication somewhere." She laughed. "You teenagers these days; I swear it's the technology."

"How can you laugh at this? Like I'm literally about to cry." I shook my head, lifting my fingers to my eyes to catch any stray tears. "And could you quit looking at me like that?"

"I... I'm sorry, Corbyn... You just-" She turned back to her food and in a hushed voice, she admitted, "You look like him, that's all."

"Well, I'm not him. I'm nothing like him and I will never be. And I'm sorry, okay, for everything, but it's not easy knowing that my face haunts you."

She blinked, rubbing her lips together as tears rolled swiftly down her rosy cheeks. "You should go freshen up. Your dad will be home soon then dinner will be ready."

"Yeah. Don't have to tell me twice." I whirled around and took two steps at a time until I got up to my room. The moment I stepped inside, I heard the doorbell ring and a part of me hoped it would be Kris. Yes, I broke up with him but I'd swallow my pride and admit that I shouldn't have.

He usually came over to keep me company because he knew that my family and I had a love-hate relationship going on. There was always tension. There was always awkwardness. It would never go away.

I dropped my bag on the floor of my wide spaced room, walking over to my bed and falling onto it, dejected. I was unaware of how long I sat there until I heard a few soft knocks at my door.

"Come in!" I yelled, sliding to the edge of my bed. I watched the door open and the face I longed to see was exactly what I got. "W--Kris?" My eyes widened in disbelief. Okay, I didn't actually expect him to show up here.

"Hi," he quietly stepped in, shutting tne door behind himself. I stood up, wringing my hands nervously.

"Why are you here?" I asked him. "After what I did, I figured you wanted nothing to do with me."

"Yeah, well... A part of me doesn't wanna be here. But our last conversation was a huge misunderstanding. You took my statement out of context then I called you a few names... I know how sensitive you are when people call you names. I'm sorry about that -"

I shook my head quickly. "No. No, don't be. I... I regret it," I admitted, my eyes watering. "But... Can you blame me, Kris, for feeling insecure when we've been together for a whole year and you're just now telling me you love me? And that was after I brought up the fact, so it wasnt even on your own terms. What am I supposed to think?"

"I want you to trust me." He walked over to me purposefully, grabbing my hands. "You and I are like the dynamic duo. The couple that everyone envies because we care about each other. Right?"

A smile broke out onto my face, one that I couldn't stop and he returned it. "I love you, Kris."

"I love you. Be my boyfriend again, forget the breakup ever happened. What do you say?"

"I say..." I let go of his hands and grabbed the bottom of his shirt, pulling it up over his head before kissing his lips. "We make up?" I suggested, my smile turning mischievous. I ran my fingers over his chest as he kissed me back, leaving kisses along my neck.

"Mm, I like that idea," he agreed as he started taking my pants off.

🎗🎗🎗🎗🎗

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