Page 4 of They Break Beauty

I’d learned well not to.

The nightmare of six years ago had solidified that.

But when it came to her, it was different.

Everything was different.

She stood apart from all of that.

I turned away and continued out of the back alley, leaving Sammy stumped.

It had taken a great deal of self-control—something I wasn’t exactly known for—not to return home the moment I’d gotten word that she’d been walking the halls of Stonewell University shortly after I’d left. I’d had to resist the overwhelming urge to make contact. I’d had to stay the course with what I’d been embroiled in at the time, over the entirety of the last year actually.

But that was done with, that phase complete.

I was here now.

And one reason was because of her.

For her.

It was finally time.

I smiled to myself as the anticipation coursed through me.

Brace yourself, Stonewell.

Levi Knight is back.

2

~Brianna~

Life was good.

I was smiling brightly as I strolled down the corridors of Stonewell University, excited to be in my second year now and majoring in Software Engineering.

I’d spent the summer working freelance coding jobs online as well as software troubleshooting, while also kicking ass developing another app to add to my portfolio.

I now had three under my belt, the first being an educational game for young kids, the second enabling you to electronically tag and track important belongings like car keys, phones, and anything else considered vital for daily use without the need for attaching a tracker to each item. The third one was convenience-based too, but for the user’s closet. It was in the testing stages by yours truly and a few students on campus. It was named Style Swipe.

Everything was right on track, things falling perfectly into place.

So much so that it no longer mattered to me that I was twenty-four years old and only in my second year of college.

Sometimes plans didn’t follow the timeline you’d initially intended, but they worked out all the better for it.

My heels clacked down the hallway, the sounds of students rushing by to get to their first classes of a brand new year muffling the sharp click of my gray knee-high stiletto boots. I breathed in the anticipation and intensity swirling all around in equal measure as I made my way to the computer lab at the far end of the Science and Technology building of the campus.

I was just a few steps away when somebody cut right into my path.

I jolted back, my furry pink messenger back almost falling from my shoulder from the sharp movements.

As I adjusted it on the shoulder of my gray and pink checkered jacket that matched my skirt, I found myself looking up at a friendly face.

Chloe Anders.

We’d hit it off in my first year here.

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