Emery Ashford had a smart mouth. She was known for it. As an outgoing teenager Emery was always hanging out with friends and with a lack of filter she always said what was on her mind. Especially if it had to do with that irritative jock. She hated him with every fiber in her body. She hated his charming nature, his arrogance, his lack of care, and the way he got on her nerves. But the thing she hated most, although she'd never admit it, is that she would stick up for him. Not like he ever needed it. She wanted nothing more than to get away from him. But it's completely impossible. He lived right across the street. Everything about senior year had been going smoothly until, Bang. Jackson Riley had a pretty mouth. Pretty face too. As the school's football captain he's always been the talk. For years he's been entertained by the smartass that is Emery Ashford. She was a pain in his ass, but he knew he'd be bored without her. When he ends up giving Emery another concussion, he's determined to make the last two months of her senior year hell. That's if he hasn't been doing that already. There's only one thing in his way. Concussion or not Emery isn't going down without a fight. It seems the more she doesn't want him around, the more he happens to be. She thinks her life is spiraling into the ground...but maybe she has it all wrong. With an offer she can't refuse and a heat of the moment bet, it's time for the both of them to realize that there's a thin line between love and hate. And with an injury like this, that line is surely to blur. #1 in annoying [12/30/22] #1 in brothersbestfriend [1/6/23] #1 in hate [1/15/23] #1 in teens [1/28/23] #1 in tension [3/18/23] #1 in summer [5/8/23] #1 in player [5/13/23] Started [Oct 2022] Finished [May 2023]

She looks up at me, taking a step forward and smiling slightly, "How can I ever get hurt when I have you here to protect me?" "But you could have gotten hurt," I murmur softly, hanging my head and feeling my shoulders drop, the tension seeping from my body. "No. Stop," She cuts me off sternly but tenderly, "Don't talk like that, Reece. I'm okay, you're okay, we're okay," She speaks softly, reaching her hand up to gently brush her thumb over my cheek, just under the cut that's there. "We're okay," I repeat, taking a small step closer to her. She nods with a small smile, moving her hand down from my cheek and instead placing the palm of her hand on my chest, right over my heart. I know she can feel how fast my heart is beating. I just don't know why it's doing that. ~ Reece Carter is the bad boy of Northwood High. He smokes and he fights. He has countless tattoos covering his body. And he doesn't care about anything or anyone else. Layla Stevens is your average seventeen year-old girl, just trying to get through high school, with the friends she loves and doing the things she loves. When these two cross paths accidentally in an unusual way, they leave and never expect to speak to each other again. But fate has other plans. Layla finds her way into Reece's life and Reece doesn't know what to do about it. This ray of Sunshine suddenly meant something to him. She understood him when it seemed like no one else did. And he protected her from everyone who tried to hurt His Sunshine. Get ready for a story filled with bad pick-up lines, twin telepathy and a lot of fighting. Like, a LOT. Thanks for that one, Reece.

He was completely and utterly oblivious to everything that he had caused and she absolutely hated him for that. [UNEDITED] [DUAL POV] TW: eating disorder recovery