❝ 𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙄'𝙢 𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙮 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙡, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 𝙔𝙤𝙪'𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬𝙨, 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙡𝙤𝙬 𝙞𝙩 𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙣 ❞ ────୨ৎ──── 𝙆𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙣 𝙋𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙧 knows what it means to fight for survival. With three younger siblings to protect and an abusive father threatening to pull them under, basketball is more than just a dream-it's his escape. Every game is a shot at freedom, a chance to leave the shadows behind and build a future far from the chaos that has defined his life. 𝙃𝙖𝙯𝙚𝙡 𝙇𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧 is the picture of perfection-or so the world believes. Driven by the crushing weight of trying to live up to her family's reputation, she excels in everything she does. But behind her polished exterior lies a girl unravelling, haunted by a past she can't forget and the relentless fear that she'll never be enough, no matter how hard she tries. They hate each other He's a scholarship kid from the Southside She's the daughter of a billionaire They have nothing in common until they do

"So... what about us?" he asked, and I looked at him, a bit bewildered. "What?" I inquired. "You and me... what are we, Sera? You know how you affect me. You make me feel like I'm losing my mind, and I feel incomplete when you're not around. I yearn for your touch, your scent, and everything about you drives me wild," he admitted, his words close to my face. I let out a shaky breath as I felt a warmth spread through my body. "Thad, I think you're getting something wrong," I began, but he interrupted me. "No, you're the one refusing to admit that you're feeling the same way I am," he insisted, causing me to fall silent. He was right, I couldn't deny the feelings i had for him. They had always been there, but they had intensified with his return. ●●●●●●□□□●●□□□●●● In their final year of high school, Thaddeus and Sera epitomized the dream teen couple, envied by all. However, a fateful argument altered their course. Thaddeus lost his memory of Sera in a tragic accident that night, and the stringent stance of his mother kept them apart. Heartbroken, Sera reluctantly left her hometown. Fast forward eight years, Sera, now a skilled chef, found herself unexpectedly intersecting with Thaddeus, who had transformed into a bustling CEO of his father's company Whitlick and Co. As they reentered each other's lives, Thaddeus discovered an irresistible pull towards Sera, while she, fearing she'd only bring trouble, attempted to keep a safe distance. What happens when a girl is trying to stay away from a guy due to his obsession with her and for his safety in order for him not to remember her while he keeps chasing her around trying to find out why he can't seem to stay put and calm if he doesn't see her? 🤭🧐 Let's find out!! ~40,000 word count _All images are from Pinterest. Credit to the owners. 30/11/23 --- #1 on Contemporary lit.