Forbidden Love | Jude Bellingham

Prologue

Ava had always been good at pretending. Ever since high school, she had perfected the art of the casual smile, the indifferent shrug, the carefully measured distance that kept her feelings hidden. She had always believed that life was best lived in the quiet moments, in the spaces between heartbeats where nothing seemed to change, and everything felt certain. Her world was small, but it was enough—centered around her best friend, Jobe, who had been her rock since freshman year. They were inseparable, their bond as steady as the tides. In Jobe, she found a kindred spirit, someone who understood her without the need for words.

But there was always him—Jude, Jobe's older brother. He had a charm that seemed to draw people in like moths to a flame. He was the kind of guy who could light up a room with his smile, yet somehow, his presence always left Ava feeling like she was standing on the edge of something vast and unknown. For years, Jude had been nothing more than a background figure in Ava's life—a fleeting smile at family gatherings, a teasing remark as he passed through the kitchen where she and Jobe were studying, the echo of his laughter as he disappeared out the door with his friends.

He was always there, just a step behind or a glance away. He was the charming older brother who teased her endlessly, the boy whose presence both annoyed and intrigued her. Ava had spent years convincing herself—and everyone else—that Jude was nothing more than a minor irritation in her life, someone to roll her eyes at while secretly wondering what it would be like to get closer. But all of that changed when Ava got accepted to a new university.

Ava knew it was a line she shouldn't cross, a feeling she shouldn't entertain. Jude was off-limits—Jobe's brother, her friend's protector. But there was something about him, something that pulled her in despite every warning sign flashing in her mind.

What started as casual banter turned into late-night conversations that stretched into the early hours. The boy who once seemed like a distant figure in her life was suddenly closer, his presence warm and grounding in a way that caught her off guard. They spent more time together—just the two of them—and Ava found herself drawn to him in ways she couldn't explain, her carefully constructed walls beginning to crumble.

She knew it was dangerous, that it threatened everything she held dear—her friendship with Jobe, the stability of her world—but it was too late. The spark had been lit, and the fire was spreading.

Ava knew she was treading dangerous ground. Jobe had no idea, and the thought of hurting her best friend terrified her. But the truth was, she wasn't the same girl who had pretended Jude didn't matter. Now, she was falling for him, and it felt as inevitable as the sunset.

This literally took me 2 days to write I don't know why but i like it.I don't know if my stories will be written like this or else it will take a long time to update chapters but I'll try my best to make it as good as possible.