The room was silent, except for the soft crackle of the fire. Alia sat close to Viraj, her fingers brushing against his. He looked troubled, lost in thought, his jaw clenched tightly.
"Viraj, what's wrong?" Alia asked, her voice soft but filled with concern.
He met her gaze, his eyes dark. "There's a part of me... I don't want you to see. It's dangerous, Alia. Sometimes I can't control it, and I'm afraid it will hurt you."
Alia reached for his hand, her touch gentle. "I'm not afraid of you. I love you, all of you."
Viraj shook his head, his voice low. "You should be. I can't promise that darkness won't take over. It's a part of me."
Alia pulled him closer, her voice steady. "I'm here. We'll face it together, Viraj. I'm not leaving."
For a moment, Viraj just stared at her, torn between the darkness inside him and the love he felt for her. He pulled her into a tight embrace, closing his eyes, as if trying to hold on to the peace she brought him.
"I don't deserve you," he whispered, his voice rough.
Alia kissed his cheek softly. "You do. You always will."
SOON TO BE PUBLISHED BY W BY WATTPAD BOOKS!
Grace wants to prove herself by making the men's hockey team at her new school. Will a rivalry with the captain - or an attraction between them - get in the way?
*****
When Grace Gillman moves to California, she's determined to play hockey -- even if that means making a place for herself on her new school's only team. But Sebastian Evans doesn't want a girl on the men's team, even if she's a great player. He's convinced she'll distract the other boys and cost them their shot at the championship - and with it, his only chance at a scholarship to his dream college. But despite his icy attitude towards her, he can't help but feel a connection building between them - which quickly gets complicated when he learns she has eyes for someone else. Will they remain rivals on the rink, or will things heat up between them?
[[word count: 100,000-150,000 words]]