I have loved Channing Monroe all my life.

In first grade, he asked for my Trapper Keeper.

I hit him in the head with it.

Third grade, we were best friends. We kissed in seventh grade.

Eighth grade, he turned into a bad boy and the rest was a tumultuous storm.

Growing up, the problem was never love for us.

Bad times. Good times. There were times when I felt our love in every inch of my body, vibrating, making me feel like it could bring me back to life.

The problem was us.

The problem is that we're living in two different worlds now.

Fallen Crest and its millionaires for me. Roussou and their criminals for him. I was thriving in mine and he was running his.

But…

But there were nights I felt we couldn't be further apart than we were, and there were nights I felt we shared the same heartbeat.

When was it time?

When was it time to either sacrifice, make a change, or walk away from the boy I grew up with?

** 103k standalone

There are two chapters at the end from additional books.