Heart Stealer

Chapter 1 Forbidden Love

What happens when Peter Parker falls in love with Gwen Stacy, asks her out and kisses her but Miles Morales also confesses his love for her and kisses her too? I'll tell you what. CHAOS. Absolute chaos ensues. But not for either Peter Parker or Miles Morales. Gwen's the one who suffers the inner turmoil of being wanted by two boys. And wanting both of them. But that never happens in the movies. That happens in real life.

It had been a week since I got kissed senseless by Pierce at the costume party and yet my head was still spinning. I felt so guilty and so torn by everything that happened between me and Pierce and I couldn't see any way out of this yet. Little did I know this was just the beginning of a teenage love affair. This was my guilty secret.

What was that secret? I was equally attracted to two golden boys. And to my shame, my heart wanted to play this dangerous game of love.

"Have at thee, vile creature!" Amber, my little sister shouted, breaking my train of thought by invading the living room where I was sitting on the couch. She jabbed me with a foam sword, a long red cape flapping behind her back.

"Amber! Will you please play somewhere else? And aren't you a little too old for this sort of tomfoolery?" I asked her with a groan.

"We're doing King Arthur's story in lit class! I think it's better read if I bring the characters to life. I am the dashing Lancelot slaying the dragon!" Amber bellowed. I rolled my eyes. Sometimes I wondered if she was really thirteen or just tall for five. She sure acted like an overgrown five-year-old.

"You know the story of Guinevere and Lancelot is supposed to be a tragic romance, not an action blockbuster where dragons are slayed," I grumbled.

"Pooh! That's gross. Fighting dragons are way more fun. Who wants to get tangled in a messy love affair between two guys? Blegh. It only ends in heartbreak," Amber said, scrunching up her nose in apparent distaste. I gulped suddenly as I realized that was exactly the kind of position I was in. I was the Guinevere of my story, caught in a relationship with two guys! Ironic that Amber had to be doing that story right now.

"Ha, ha, heh, heh, yeah, who wants that?" I laughed nervously. Crap, I sounded too tense—I hope Amber didn't notice.

"I'm going to build a pillow fort for tonight when Cassie comes over for our sleepover," Amber said, rushing back upstairs. I sighed in relief. Amber was too sharp and would've definitely picked up something wrong in my behavior if she had paid attention. Thankfully, she was too preoccupied with her sleepover and didn't notice my guilty face.

I leaned back against the couch, closing my eyes. Immediately, two faces popped up. Matteo's, sweet, charming one with a smile that made me melt. And then I saw Pierce with that fiery roguish glint in his eyes and intoxicating smile that made my legs turn to jelly. My eyes flew open. Oh, for the love of everything, will I ever resolve this wretched dilemma?!

My phone buzzed in my pocket and I pulled it out. I did a double-take when I saw it was a text from Pierce.

Hey, babycakes. Whatcha doin? Oh boy, and his text was right above the mushy 'goodnight' text from Matteo yesterday. Despite everything, I felt butterflies when Pierce called me 'babycakes' now. How he had changed me...

Nothing. Just thinking about Guinevere and Lancelot, I replied. Let's see what he says to that. He texted me back with a confused face emoji.

Morbid. Doesn't that tale end in disaster? I squeezed my eyes. Yes, that tale does end in disaster, just like this love affair is going to end in disaster. But how could I tell him that?

Amber's studying the novel in lit class. I'm just playing along, I said.

Ah, got it. Hey, let's meet up. I haven't had a moment alone with you in days. I need my babycakes pronto. I felt like my lungs froze and I couldn't breathe. Pierce just flirted with me! Worse, I felt my heart flip because of it!