The Things We Never Quit

At nineteen, Octavia Hale believed love could fix anything.

She fell for the boy next door-the kind of boy with trouble in his veins and promises he meant when he said them. For a while, it seemed like he changed. For her. But when Octavia uncovers the truth, the lies cut deeper than the chaos ever did. Their breakup is explosive, unforgettable, and leaves scars neither of them knows how to heal.

So Octavia runs.

She leaves the state, the memories, and the boy she loved behind, determined to build a life that doesn't hurt to breathe in. And for years, she succeeds.

Until she comes back.

Four years later, the town feels smaller-and he's still everywhere. Older. Harder. Maybe better... or maybe just better at hiding who he's always been. Their paths collide in stolen glances, accidental run-ins, and arguments charged with everything they never said. Anger blurs into longing. Resentment tangles with desire.

Because some loves don't fade.
They wait.

When the truth finally unravels, Octavia must decide whether the past is a lesson-or a second chance. And when they finally collide again, it's messy, desperate, and impossible to ignore.

Some things break you.
Some things change you.
And some things... you never quit.