At Luxford Academy, the elite boarding school for the ultra-rich, Adriana and Nicholas have been bitter rivals since childhood. Forced to live in the same dorm, their once-friendly pranks have escalated into daily clashes-sharp insults, constant bic...
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My phone buzzes on the nightstand, the caller ID glowing in the dim room. Alex. Of course. The guy's got the nerve to call at 2 a.m., but I guess that's on brand for someone who's willing to slice out his lung for Addy.
I swipe to answer, bracing myself. "Alex?"
"Hey, Elisa." He always says it like that, like he's letting it roll around in his mouth to see how it tastes. Like he knows he's the only one who calls me by my middle name. "You said three days. I'm cutting it close, aren't I?"
He sounds calm, almost too calm. But then again, Alex always sounds like he's just a step away from laughing, even when things are anything but funny.
"Yeah, three days," I say, pulling my knees to my chest. "I sent you the location—one of those fancy private clinics in Nantes. You gotta be there on time, Alex. There's no wiggle room on this."
There's a pause, and I hear him exhale like he's dragging out a cigarette. But I know it's just nerves. He doesn't smoke anymore—not since he found out his lung was the only one that matched.
"I'll be there," he says finally. "First flight out tomorrow. I've got the paperwork, the pre-ops, everything. They cleared me, so..."
His voice drifts, and I can almost see him pacing, running a hand through that messy mop of his. I press my fingers to my temples, forcing myself to breathe evenly. He's doing this for Addy. For his little girl. And I'm the one who has to make sure it all goes perfectly.
"You better be sure, Alex. Addy doesn't have time for mistakes," I snap, more out of fear than anything. I hear the crack in my voice, and I hate it.
He doesn't flinch, though. "Elisa, I'm sure," he says softly. "I know what I'm doing. I've been on this since day one."
There's a pause, and for a second, it feels like the whole world is holding its breath.
"You know she's gonna be okay, right?" he adds, and there's something so raw in his voice that I have to swallow hard. "You're doing all you can. We both are."
I nod, even though he can't see it. "Just... just get there, Alex. I'll handle the rest."
"I'm on it," he promises. "See you in Paris."
The line clicks off, and I sit there, staring at the screen, the weight of everything settling back onto my shoulders. Three days. Three days to save my best friend with a guy who insists on calling me Elisa, like it's some kind of charm that'll make everything work out.
And maybe, just maybe, it will. I finally fall back asleep after overthinking.
~/~/~
The sun's setting, casting this perfect orange glow over our private beach spot, and I'm standing there with the girls, feeling like it's the perfect time for a little adventure. Dio, Lia, Rora, and I have been hanging out all day, soaking up the sun, and I suddenly get this wild idea. I look over at them, a sly grin spreading across my face.
