Jasmine's POV
Ashton's hand slides down the side of my body, his fingers tracing the curve of my waist, pulling me closer to him. I can feel the heat of his chest pressing against mine, and the steady rhythm of his breath, warm against my skin. My heart races as my hand, almost on its own, slips beneath his shirt, grazing the hard lines of his abs. My fingers trace the muscles there, and the feeling of his skin against mine makes everything feel a little bit dizzying.
Then, he bites my lip—just enough to make me gasp. His kiss deepens, and I can feel the groan vibrating against my lips, his body reacting to the way my hand is skimming the V-line at his waist.
I should stop. I should push him away. My mind is screaming at me to stop this madness. But my body—my body doesn't want to listen. I can't help but kiss him back, hard, aggressive, as if my hands are working on their own, moving over his chest, desperate to feel as much of him as possible. I feel like I'm losing control, like I'm caught in this whirlwind I didn't even see coming.
What the actual fuck are you doing, Jasmine? My inner voice is frantic now. It's Ashton Tyler, you're making out with Ashton Tyler!
If you don't know who he is, let me break it down for you. Ashton Tyler is everything every girl dreams about and every guy wants to be. The hottest guy at school, with the body that makes everyone stop and stare. The looks, the body—yes, I just said that twice, because you need to understand. He's got that cocky smile, the swagger that makes girls fall over themselves just to get his attention. And that's the problem. Ashton's a player. He flirts with everyone, breaks hearts with no remorse, and moves on to the next victim without a second thought.
He's bad. And bad for me. So, naturally, I've avoided him like the plague. He's a walking disaster, and I'm no stranger to seeing the aftermath. But today? Today, I royally screwed up.
I try to push him away, but it's no use. I'm tangled in this mess, and before I know it, we break apart. The air between us is heavy with what just happened. My heart is pounding in my chest, my breath shallow. My mind is racing to process what just went down.
I don't know what came over me, but suddenly, my hand is flying through the air and I punch him. Hard. Right in the face.
The satisfaction is brief. My instincts kick in again, and I don't give him a chance to react. I bring my knee up and kick him, straight where it hurts. His body crumples to the ground with a muffled groan, and I stand there, staring at him for a second, unsure of what to do next.
I don't waste any more time. I grab my bag, step over him, and as I hear him groan behind me, I break into a sprint, barely able to process what I've just done. My body's running on autopilot, my mind too scattered to even care.
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Ashton's POV
I'm lying on the cold ground, hands clutching at my lower abdomen, trying to block out the searing pain. My breath comes out in ragged bursts, my body still trying to register what just happened. I can't believe it. Not only did she punchme, but she also kicked me. Right in the worst possible place.
Fuck, I think, biting back another groan. I can't move, can barely breathe through the pain. My eyes close, trying to block it out, but every time I breathe, it feels like the world is spinning around me.
She didn't hold back. I never thought she had it in her, but now I know—she's got fire.
I force myself to stand, gritting my teeth as I fight against the pain. As I push myself up, I look down the street, and I see her—Jasmine, running away. She's fast, her figure disappearing into the distance.
I'm not about to let her get away with this. No way.
I clench my fists, ignoring the sharp pain in my gut. This isn't over. Not by a long shot.
I'm not done with her. She thinks she can just run? She'll learn. She's not going to get away from me that easily. We share the same classes. I'll make sure of it.
Parker may think I can't get her, maybe even a little part of me doubts it, but that's the thing about me. I always get what I want. And Jasmine Woods? She's no exception. I'll break her. I'll make her fall for me, just like every other girl, and when she's deep in, when she's vulnerable, that's when I'll do what I do best—break her heart.
It's going to be a challenge, but I like challenges. No one's standing in my way.
I pull my phone from my pocket, but my screen's cracked. Great. I try to turn it on, but it glitches and dies in my hands.
"Shit," I mutter, clutching it tightly. Now she's really going to pay.
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Jasmine's POV
Back in my room, I'm sitting on my bed, typing furiously on my laptop. The adrenaline from earlier still hasn't worn off. If anything, it's just made me more determined to cause some chaos. Today was only the beginning.
I'm not done. I've got dirt—dirt that's about to shake this school to its core.
I take a deep breath, my fingers moving faster over the keys. First, I pull up the email I've been crafting all day, the one that'll tear down the illusion of innocence. I've got the perfect bombshell.
"Rebecca Jones is sleeping with her best friend Mel Peters' widowed father," I type with a smirk. I pause, savoring the moment, before hitting the next key.
"That's not all I have for you, though. Stay tuned for White Lotus exposed."
Love, Emia.
I hit send, watching the message fly through the digital ether, knowing it's going to rip through this place like wildfire. Tomorrow, school will be a battleground. I can already feel the tension building, knowing everything is about to change.
I lean back in my chair, a small smile curling on my lips as I imagine the fallout. Tomorrow's going to be interesting. Very interesting.