Once upon a time, six kids ruled their small mountain town-inseparable, unstoppable, and tangled in every way that mattered. At the center of it all was Eden Hart, the girl with fire in her laugh and stars in her eyes. And wrapped around her like gravity were five boys who swore they'd protect her forever. Until forever ended. A betrayal shattered everything. Lies tore them apart. And when Eden needed them most... they vanished. Years later, Eden returns-fierce, guarded, and no longer the girl who wore her heart on her sleeve. She didn't come back for them. She came back to reclaim her life. Her home. Her strength. But the boys she once loved aren't boys anymore. They're men now-each haunted by guilt and desperate for redemption: • Jace, the golden boy with the broken smile. • Rowan, the quiet artist who saw everything and said nothing. • Axel, the rebel who always burned brightest-and cut the deepest. • Kai, the protector with rough hands and a gentler heart. • Maddox, the strategist who thinks he can win her back with logic... and longing. They want to make things right. They want her forgiveness. They want her heart. But Eden isn't sure she can trust any of them-not again. And this time, she isn't choosing between them. If they want her, they'll have to come as one. Because love isn't a game anymore-and this time, she plays by her own rules.

Best friends Velaxor and Lorene refuse to be pawns in their fathers' forced marriage deal, risking everything for freedom ------------------------------------------------------------------ MY Short story for the Contest #WITWContest Genre: Thriller Prompt : Best friends forced to marry Word count: 1954 /2000 ------------------------------------------------------------------ Enjoy the ride as these best friends defy fate! Good luck!