- 5 hours ago
HOT DRAMA 2026
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Short filmTranscript
00:00:00Caleb isn't answering his phone. Lacrosse practice ended an hour ago. Could you just find him?
00:00:05We're waiting for you for dinner. Yeah, fine. I'll look for him. Catherine can't reach her
00:00:11precious son, and somehow that's my problem. Our parents have been inseparable since childhood.
00:00:17Catherine is my godmother. They raised us side by side, convinced we'd grow up as close as they were.
00:00:23They never noticed when it all went wrong. Jade Richards perches on the edge of the sink,
00:00:27and Caleb, right there, stands between her thighs in nothing but a towel that hangs dangerously low
00:00:33on his hips. Caleb, someone could walk in. I don't give a fuck. I should leave. I should
00:00:40definitely, absolutely leave. Instead, I stand there like an idiot, heat flooding through my body in
00:00:46waves. This is disgusting. He is disgusting. You hate him. I slam the door, forcing my expression
00:00:53into irritation rather than the hot shame crawling up my throat. Your mother's been calling you for
00:00:58an hour, asshole! Our parents need us both at my house for dinner tonight. Apparently, it's something
00:01:04important. I should go. Coach will kill me if I'm late. You could have texted. Catherine asked me to
00:01:12find you. I found you. Message delivered. Is that what we're calling it? Because it looked a lot
00:01:20like you were watching. Long enough to be disgusted. Disgusted, right? I'm leaving. Don't be late for
00:01:27dinner. I'll drive you home. I have my bike. Still not in the mood to sit on some used condoms
00:01:33in your
00:01:33car. Suit yourself, princess. Dinner passes in a blur of small talk and forced smiles, but something feels
00:01:44different tonight. Catherine keeps touching my father's arm, not the comforting paths of a grieving
00:01:49friend. They've been spending so much time together since mom died. Since Caleb's father vanished with
00:01:54every dollar the Thorntons had. Kids, Catherine and I actually have something to tell you. So we've
00:02:02decided to get married. No, no way. He deserves happiness and Catherine is wonderful, but it's only been
00:02:08six months since my mother died. We found a new house. Neutral territory for everyone. The kids' rooms
00:02:17are on the same floor. And Serena, your room connects to Caleb's through a Jack and Jill bathroom.
00:02:23Isn't it cool? Come on, you guys. It will be nice. My lifelong secret crush soon to become my
00:02:32stepbrother. Yeah, dad. Really fucking nice. I set the boxes down on the unfamiliar floor, surveying this
00:02:41room that was supposed to be mine. Neutral territory, my father called it. A fresh start. The walls are
00:02:48painted a careful beige that commits to nothing. Now I'm here, in this house that holds no memories of my
00:02:55mother. Careful! It's just your crap. I'm taking a shower. Try not to miss me too much. This is what
00:03:06I am
00:03:06now. Sharing walls with my worst school enemy. But there was a time before all that. You're doing it
00:03:13wrong. Here. Like this. Stop. Stop romanticizing. Shit, my tampons! I left them on the bathroom counter
00:03:27this morning. If I'm fast enough... Wanted a preview of your new stepbrother, pervert? That's fucked up
00:03:39even for you. I just left something on the counter. Not everything is about you and your abs,
00:03:45asshole! Keep telling yourself that. I'm not done talking. Well, I'm done listening.
00:03:54Let go of me, Caleb! Or what? Gonna scream? Run to daddy? God, you're pathetic. Still crying over mommy?
00:04:06It's been six months, Serena. The rest of us have moved on. You are exactly like your shitty father!
00:04:13Say that again. I dare you. You heard me. You're just like him. Like Simon. A bully who only feels
00:04:20big when he's making someone else feel small. Keep his fucking name out of your mouth before I...
00:04:26before you what? Hit me! Prove my point! Such a shame your mother won't see you graduate.
00:04:32But hey, your dad moved on quickly. Guess she wasn't that hard to forget. Don't talk about my mother!
00:04:39Why not? Scared you're just as forgettable as she is? Careful, princess. Do you really want to start
00:04:47something you can't finish? You know what I think? I think you're terrified that one day you'll be gone
00:04:52and no one will even notice. That you'll just be another ghost no one bothers to remember.
00:04:57No one will ever truly love someone as pathetic as you. And deep down, you know it's true.
00:05:09Serena, open the fucking door!
00:05:13You just signed your death sentence, princess. You hear me? From this moment on,
00:05:18your life is going to be a living hell. There's a long silence before his footsteps retreat and I hear
00:05:24his bedroom door slams. Minutes pass. Maybe five. Maybe ten. Then I sink to the floor, back against my
00:05:33bed and wrap my arms around my knees. I hate him. I hate that I wounded him. I hate that
00:05:39I noticed.
00:05:41I know him better now than I ever wanted to. He runs at six. I've memorized the particular weight of
00:05:48his footsteps on the stairs. Showers at 6.40 and the pipes in my bathroom sing a specific note when
00:05:54the water pressure changes. Tuesday, my shampoo mysteriously turned my hair traffic cone orange.
00:06:01Wednesday, every single bra I own disappeared, reappearing frozen in blocks of ice in the freezer.
00:06:08Thursday, my laptop password changed itself to daddy issues 123. At 3.14 in the afternoon,
00:06:15I'm in the kitchen. He doesn't get home until 4.30 on Thursdays. I'm halfway through making the world
00:06:21saddest sandwich when the front door opens an hour earlier than his schedule allows.
00:06:26My entire body goes on high alert, skin prickling, pulse jackknifing. Don't turn around.
00:06:32Don't give him the satisfaction.
00:06:36Careful. Wouldn't want you to hurt yourself.
00:06:39His chest presses more firmly against my back as he reaches higher, and the contact sends electricity
00:06:44shooting down my spine, pooling low and hot in my belly.
00:06:47Something wrong, princess? I just wanted to grab my protein bar.
00:06:53That'll be jade.
00:06:56Hmm. Try not to listen too hard, sis.
00:07:00Sis, the word is a weapon, a reminder, a fucking power play that makes me want to throw the knife
00:07:05at his head. They'll have a drink, and then she'll leave. That's how these things work.
00:07:11Hot water, locked door, the white noise of falling water drowning out everything else,
00:07:17except... Oh, God, Caleb!
00:07:19Jade's voice cuts through the wall like it's made of tissue paper, high and desperate and
00:07:24absolutely not faking it. Her moans build in pitch and urgency, and I hear the creak of bed
00:07:30springs, the thump of a headboard against a wall, heat coils between my thighs, insistent and
00:07:35demanding. My body betrays me completely, nipples tightening, breath coming shorter, and I hate myself
00:07:42for the way my hand drifts down my stomach. I've never touched myself like this before.
00:07:46What would it feel like? His hands instead of water, his weight pressing me against the tile,
00:07:52his voice in my ear, low and commanding.
00:07:55Take it.
00:07:57Take everything I give you.
00:07:59The pressure builds impossibly fast, my free hand bracing against the tile as my legs shake.
00:08:04When I come, it's violent, earth-shattering. The silence hits me first. No more sounds from his
00:08:10room. Nothing. Oh, God. Oh, fuck. Could they hear?
00:08:14I stumble toward the door, needing to confirm that barrier between my humiliation and reality.
00:08:20The door to his room is cracked open, but I checked it before I got in the shower. I'm
00:08:24certain I did. It was closed. Firmly. Completely closed. My heart stops. Did he open it?
00:08:31Control is an illusion I've been selling myself for 18 years. This is who I am. The girl who prepares.
00:08:38The girl who controls what she can. The girl with the five-year plan. And the girl who definitely
00:08:43doesn't spend every waking moment thinking about her stepbrother's hands. Lies. All lies.
00:08:49Just once more. Then you'll study. Then you'll be normal.
00:08:53Having fun?
00:08:58Going somewhere?
00:09:01Let go of me! Sit the fuck down, Serena. Fuck you! You done?
00:09:09So, who's the lucky bastard? What? What are you talking about? Don't play dumb. It's not cute.
00:09:17You were clearly getting yourself off to someone, so who is it? Some SAT tutor with a hard-on for
00:09:23the
00:09:23teacher's pets? One of those debate nerds who follows you around like you're made of cocaine?
00:09:28I wasn't. Your face is the color of a fucking tomato and your breathing's all fucked up.
00:09:34So, who's got perfect little Serena all worked up? Must be someone truly pathetic.
00:09:39Get out of my room! Is it that guy from Calc? The one with the glasses who stares at you
00:09:45when
00:09:45you're doing board work? No, wait. You'd never go for someone that obvious. Too desperate.
00:09:51I said get out! Or maybe someone inappropriate. Someone you know you shouldn't want.
00:09:59Serena, who were you thinking about? No one! I wasn't! I was just! It's none of your
00:10:04fucking business! You're lying. I can always tell when you're lying. Your voice goes up at the end,
00:10:09your eyes dart to the left. And right now, you look fucking terrified. Which means whoever you were
00:10:15thinking about is someone you really don't want me to know about. You were thinking about me,
00:10:20weren't you? That's disgusting. Yeah? Then why is your pulse going crazy right here? Your body's a
00:10:29fucking traitor. You're insane! Then why can't you look at me? Why do you look like you're about to
00:10:35either cry or come? Because you're in my face! What were you imagining? My hands on you? Inside you?
00:10:43My mouth on your neck? Or your legs? Were you imagining how I'd touch you? Hard and rough until
00:10:53you forget your own name? Or maybe slow and deep until you're begging me to let you come? But here's
00:10:59the thing, princess. You're not even worth the effort it would take to undress you.
00:11:06You're fucking disgusting! You think I want any part of that? Fix yourself! You look like a cheap
00:11:14whore. Dinner's in ten. Try to act like a normal fucking person. I don't move for a long time. Can't
00:11:22move. My thigh still burns where he touched it. I stand there trying to breathe around the tightness in my
00:11:28chest. Six weeks of college and I've learned that hope is just disappointment wearing a pretty dress.
00:11:35I had acceptances from everywhere. Places with actual seasons and zero Caleb Thorntons per square
00:11:41mile. But no, dad pulled the family needs to stick together card. I think it's actually really nice that
00:11:47you and Caleb ended up here together. After everything, it just feels right. Yeah, um, totally.
00:11:55Everyone's coming over soon. The picnic's about to start. The bastard had applied after me. After.
00:12:02Found out where I was going and followed like some kind of stalker. Even won grants and scholarships,
00:12:07including the one from his high school presidency. My fresh start rotted before it even began.
00:12:12The picnic is about to start. I'm about to prepare a fruit plate when I hear this voice.
00:12:16That specific frequency of a woman's giggle that makes my eye twitch. Jade stands at the garden gate,
00:12:23her hand threaded through Caleb's arm. Her sundress clings to curves I remember from the locker room.
00:12:28Curves I heard him worship in his bedroom while my body betrayed every principle I claimed to hold.
00:12:34Oh, Caleb, you didn't mention you were bringing someone. Jade, sweetheart, welcome.
00:12:41Thanks, Mrs. Lacken. Everything looks amazing. Did you make all this yourself? Most of it.
00:12:49Serena helped with the fruit platters. How domestic. Serena, so good at this stuff.
00:12:55The compliment lands like a slap wrapped in ribbons. This stuff. Like I'm some 1950s housewife
00:13:01in training while she's out here being decorative and touchable and everything I'm not.
00:13:05We're so proud of both of them. Adjusting to college life so beautifully.
00:13:12Serena's doing wonderfully. Dean's list material, her advisor says.
00:13:17Well, she has to excel at something. Competition's tough when you can't coast on personality.
00:13:22Some of us prefer substance over charm. Kids.
00:13:26Babe, you two are hilarious. It's like watching real siblings bicker.
00:13:31Real siblings. The words land like ice water down my spine. We end up on the same picnic blanket
00:13:38because the universe has a sick sense of humor. Jade chatters about rush week and themed parties
00:13:43and other things that would require me to have a soul. She doesn't know him. Doesn't know he checks
00:13:48the locks three times before bed. Doesn't know he still has nightmares about his father. Doesn't know
00:13:53he reads Bukowski when he thinks no one's watching. After the neighbors evacuate and our parents
00:13:58disappear inside with wine that'll make them nostalgic and weepy. I escaped to the kitchen.
00:14:03Jade left an hour ago. Something about a sorority emergency that sounded suspiciously like
00:14:08I'm bored and these people are old. Thought you'd hide in here all night.
00:14:15I'm cleaning up. Some of us contribute. Is that what you call sulking in corners and shooting death
00:14:21glares at my girlfriend? She's not your girlfriend. She's a prop. An accessory.
00:14:27This week's validation fix. Jealous much? I'd rather be jealous of a yeast infection.
00:14:34Strong words. You know what I think? I think you can't stand watching me with her.
00:14:40I think it eats you alive. You followed me here. You could have gone anywhere.
00:14:48But you chose here. Maybe I just like the school. Maybe you're so terrified of being alone with
00:14:54yourself that you need me around to torture. Watch your fucking mouth princess. You know what? I feel
00:15:00sorry for you. I'm serious. I feel sorry for the boy whose father beat him and then abandoned him.
00:15:05The boy's so desperate for approval he'll fuck girls who don't even know his middle name.
00:15:09Because it's easier than admitting no one's ever actually loved him for who he is.
00:15:16Jade doesn't see you, Caleb. None of them do. They see the smile and the body and the charm.
00:15:23Shut the fuck up!
00:15:24And that works for you because if they saw the real you, the broken, desperate,
00:15:29terrified little boy under all that armor, they'd run.
00:15:34I'm not jealous of Jade. I pity her. And I pity you.
00:15:38The rest of the dishes are all yours.
00:15:50The library smells like anxiety and desperation with hints of stale Red Bull.
00:15:54Basically the official cologne of higher education.
00:15:58Mia sits next to me, allegedly writing her sociology paper but actually deep stalking her TA's Instagram.
00:16:04I know because she keeps making these tiny gasping sounds every time she scrolls past a shirtless beach photo.
00:16:10Six weeks into freshman year and Mia is the closest thing I've ever had to a real friend.
00:16:15In high school, I couldn't afford friends.
00:16:17He has a dog. A golden retriever named Pancake.
00:16:21Mia, focus. I am focused. Focused on how that man fills out a wetsuit.
00:16:30Ow, what?
00:16:31Look over there.
00:16:33Look, but don't make it obvious.
00:16:34Mia, if this is another guy you think has protagonist energy...
00:16:38Serena, shut up and look!
00:16:41Lucas Bennett is walking toward us and apparently puberty decided to work overtime on him.
00:16:46The last time I saw Lucas, he was Caleb's perpetual shadow. Always there, but never quite there.
00:16:51Is this seat taken? Serena Latkin. I thought that was you. How long has it been?
00:17:01A while. Since high school, at least.
00:17:05Too long? I heard you were here. Pre-law, right? Of course you are. You were always terrifyingly smart.
00:17:14Pre-med for me. Turns out all those years of patching up lacrosse injuries
00:17:20gave me a taste for it. You patched up lacrosse injuries?
00:17:24I thought you were one of the ones causing them. Fair point. Maybe I was just atoning for my sins.
00:17:30We all have things we wish we'd done differently back then. I remember you from honors English.
00:17:36You demolished everyone in that Fitzgerald debate. I was genuinely scared of you.
00:17:41Fear is an appropriate response to literary analysis.
00:17:45The cafe by the humanities building is acceptable. Everything else tastes like it was brewed during
00:17:51the Reagan administration. A coffee snob. I respect that. Strong opinions about beverages are a green
00:17:58flag. Would you look at the time I have that thing, the urgent thing with the people at the place?
00:18:08Serena, text me everything.
00:18:12So, are you going to the Halloween party next Friday? The big one at Sigma Chi. Everyone goes.
00:18:19Parties aren't really my thing. That's exactly why you should come. College is about new experiences,
00:18:25right? Breaking out of old patterns. Three tables away, I feel the weight of Caleb's gaze like
00:18:32fingertips trailing down my spine. His eyes are locked on me with an intensity that makes my stomach
00:18:37flip. Tell me more about this party. What exactly makes it so unmissable? It's legendary, honestly.
00:18:43The costumes get competitive. The music is actually decent. Plus, I hear the punch is strong enough
00:18:49to make even pre-law students have fun. Bold assumption that I don't already know how to have
00:18:55fun. Prove me wrong then. Come to the party. Let me buy you a drink. You're very confident for someone
00:19:03who hasn't seen me in years. Some things are worth being confident about. I'll think about it. I'm looking
00:19:09at Caleb as he stands abruptly. He doesn't pack up his things. Doesn't grab the broken pen. Just turns
00:19:14and walks out. Movement sharp with barely controlled violence. And my pulse is racing for entirely the
00:19:20wrong reason. The cruelest lies are the ones we tell ourselves about what we want. He texted again
00:19:27while I was in the shower. Three messages in 20 minutes. He's sweet. Persistent in a way that feels
00:19:33like warmth instead of pressure. Normal in a way I've forgotten people can be. This is good. Lucas is good.
00:19:39Lucas is exactly what you need. Caleb without the emotional terrorism. This is what normal feels
00:19:44like. This is what I deserve. My eyes still on my phone. Still composing a reply that sounds flirty
00:19:50without trying too hard. Well, fuck me sideways. That's a face I've never seen before. Texting lover
00:19:58boy with that dopey-ass smile. Pathetic doesn't even begin to cover it, princess. What the fuck are you
00:20:06doing in my room? Get out! These are tragic. Serena truly, like, seek help levels of unsexy. I said get
00:20:14out!
00:20:16Are you wearing these to the party? Please say yes. I need to see Lucas's face when he discovers
00:20:23what's underneath. Give those back! Granny panties with fruit on them. Bold strategy for a girl trying
00:20:31to lose her b-card. I'm not trying to! Oh, you're definitely trying. That dumb smile you just walked in
00:20:39with? The sad little hair flip in the library? Touching his arm like you learned flirting from
00:20:44a WikiHow article? Get off my bed! Lucas Bennett. That's your big play? You really think that golden
00:20:51retrober boy is interested in you? Unlike some people, Lucas is actually capable of basic human
00:20:57decency. Lucas is capable of fucking anything with a pulse, sure. But interested? Serena,
00:21:05sweetheart, look at yourself. You used to be friends with him. What happened? People grow apart.
00:21:12It happens. That's not an answer. It's the only one you're getting. Ancient history isn't really my
00:21:19thing. But we're not talking about me. We're talking about you and you're gonna show up in some tragic
00:21:26little costume and follow him around all night like a stray dog. And he's gonna ditch you the second
00:21:32someone hotter walks by. You don't know anything about- I know you. 19 years old and never been
00:21:37fucked. You think that's an accident? You think guys just haven't noticed you? They've noticed.
00:21:44They're just not interested. There's nothing there to want. Lucas asked me. Not the other way around.
00:21:52Lucas is working an angle. Probably a bet with his frat brothers. Go ahead. Prove them right.
00:21:59Make a fool of yourself in front of the whole school. I'd rather humiliate myself in front of
00:22:03everyone than spend another second with you. Then we're both getting what we want. Wear the ugly
00:22:08underwear. It'll match the rest of you. The door clicks shut behind him and I don't move for a long
00:22:16time. My fingers find the strawberry underwear crumpled on the carpet and I clutch them against my chest like
00:22:22armor. The cotton is warm from his hands and I despise that I notice. What was that look? Right
00:22:28before he left, his expression shifted into territory I didn't recognize. Not cruel, not mocking, almost
00:22:35desperate. Get out of my head, Thornton. Get out. I look at myself in the mirror. The black bodysuit
00:22:41clings to curves I usually hide beneath hoodies and oversized sweaters. Holy fuck, Serena Lackham.
00:22:48Where have you been hiding that body? Lucas is gonna swallow his own tongue when he sees you.
00:22:53Hell, I might switch teams. What if he doesn't like me? Oh, he'll like you. That boy has been
00:23:00eye-fucking you through every study session. And maybe tonight he finally gets to do it for real.
00:23:08Okay, let's go before I change my mind. The party is chaos incarnate. Music pounds through the walls,
00:23:16bass so heavy the floor vibrates beneath my heels. Stay close. Lucas said he'd be wearing a skeleton
00:23:22mask. Great. Super helpful. I've already counted four skeleton masks in my immediate vicinity.
00:23:29Mia's sorority sisters descend like perfectly coordinated vultures, dragging her towards something
00:23:34called the situation on the dance floor. I park myself near the makeshift bar, draining my cup.
00:23:40The alcohol burns away the edges of my anxiety, making everything softer, warmer, more possible.
00:23:47That's when I see him. Lucas. Tall frame and broad shoulders I recognize. White mask tilted toward me
00:23:54from across the room. My pulse quickens and I tell myself it's the alcohol. He doesn't wave or call out.
00:24:00He simply extends one hand in my direction, palm up, waiting. Probably wants to see if the pre-law
00:24:06princess is as frigid as everyone says. Fine. Let him see. Let him tell everyone afterward. At least
00:24:12I won't be untouched anymore. Won't be the pathetic virgin Caleb mocks at every opportunity. The silence
00:24:18feels intentional. Part of the costume, part of the game. Lucas? He doesn't answer. His hands find my waist
00:24:26instead. Thumbs tracing slow circles against my hip bones. And I decide that silence is answer enough.
00:24:32Oh, we're really committing to the role. I don't want this to be special. I don't want tender words
00:24:38or meaningful glances. I just want it done. Lucas's hands are rougher than I expected,
00:24:43gripping my waist like he's afraid I'll disappear. Fuck. Okay. I kinda like aggressive Lucas.
00:24:50Can you at least lift the mask? I wanna kiss you. He pauses. Then slowly, he pushes the mask up
00:24:59just
00:24:59enough to expose his mouth. In the darkness, I can't make out features. Just the outline of lips
00:25:05that crash into mine with bruising force. God, who knew Lucas had this in him?
00:25:14His fingers finally slide between my thighs. When he pushes finger inside me without warning,
00:25:20I nearly come off the bed. The stretch burns, but the pleasure overwhelms it. Especially when his thumb
00:25:25finds my clit and circles with practiced precision. My mind drifts as sensation builds. What if it was
00:25:32him? I imagine Caleb's hands instead of Lucas's. Caleb's body pressing me into the mattress. Caleb's
00:25:38breath hot against my throat. The fantasy builds pressure low in my belly, spiraling toward a
00:25:44release that hovers just out of reach. My fingers dig into shoulders that belong to one man while my
00:25:49mind belongs entirely to another. My orgasm hits like a freight train. Completely unexpected. It's over.
00:25:57It's done. You're not a virgin anymore. The girl in the mirror looks exactly as hollow as I feel.
00:26:04Congratulations, Serena. You're officially as pathetic as Caleb always said. When I finally emerge,
00:26:10I nearly collide with a familiar chest. There you are. I've been looking everywhere for you.
00:26:17Some dickhead in the same mask spilled his entire drink on me. Had to go change. Did you just get
00:26:23here?
00:26:24You look amazing by the way. The floor tilts beneath me. He's been down here looking for me. Which means
00:26:31the man in that bedroom. That wasn't Lucas at all. I call her princess because that's what she is. A
00:26:38girl who's never had to fight for anything. And I've been crawling and fighting my whole fucking life.
00:26:44The ceiling above my bed holds no answers. But I stare at it anyway. Counting the minutes by the soft
00:26:51sounds
00:26:52filtering through the bathroom wall. A drawer opening. Water running. The whisper of fabric against skin.
00:26:59You're sick. Twisted beyond repair. I remember the first time I called her princess. We were 12.
00:27:05She tried to skip a stone. Failed spectacularly. Her laugh bounced across the water. This mix of embarrassment
00:27:13and joy that hit me right in the chest. You're doing it wrong. Here. Like this. See? Perfect technique for
00:27:23a
00:27:23perfect princess. Thanks, Caleb. Two words. That's all it took. I was done for. Then I went home. That was
00:27:32the summer my
00:27:32father discovered new hobbies. I learned to sleep with my eyes half open. To flinch at footsteps. To
00:27:39disappear into walls. And suddenly, Serena's perfection stopped being something beautiful.
00:27:44It became a mirror. If her life is so perfect, let me be the one in perfection.
00:27:54I wanted to grab her shoulders and shake her until she broke. Until she screamed. And I wanted to
00:28:01hold her until she felt safe enough to fall apart. Pick a lane, asshole. You can't destroy someone
00:28:07and save them at the same time. Because Serena isn't just in my head. She's carved into my bones.
00:28:13My phone buzzes on the nightstand. The racing circuit. The debt follows me like a second shadow.
00:28:20My father's legacy. I wonder how much longer I can keep buried the obsession that drives me to follow
00:28:26her. Like a satellite caught in her gravitational pull. I've been choking on jealousy for the past 20
00:28:33minutes. It was just one of those moments, you know?
00:28:39Look at me like that. Just once. But she never will. You have the most beautiful smile.
00:28:46Lucas leans in closer, whispering something that makes her cheeks go pink. And I'm gripping
00:28:51my hands so hard my knuckles turn white. She doesn't pull away. Doesn't stiffen. Just tilts
00:28:57her head and listens like he's reciting fucking Shakespeare. I want to be at his place. I shove
00:29:02back from the table and walk out before I do something I can't take back. I try the gym first.
00:29:0845 minutes of punishing my muscles until they scream. But every time I close my eyes between sets,
00:29:14I see her hand on his arm. Her smile. The way she leaned toward him like he was magnetic north.
00:29:21I last three hours. Three hours of telling myself I don't care who she talks to. But my feet carry
00:29:26me
00:29:27down the hallway. Her bedroom door is unlocked. The shower runs in the bathroom and I should leave.
00:29:32She left her underwear on the bed. Tiny strawberries printed across the fabric like some kind of joke.
00:29:37A laugh builded in my chest, but it dies before it reaches my throat. The water shuts off. The door
00:29:44opens and... Jesus fucking Christ. She was wearing nothing but a towel that's trying its best but
00:29:52failing spectacularly. Water drops race down her collarbone. Her hair is plastered to her shoulders,
00:29:58darker with moisture. And the way that terrycloth clings to every curve she usually hides under hoodies
00:30:04makes my brain short circuit. This is what she's been keeping from me. She doesn't speak. Her body
00:30:10tells me everything. The way she arches into my touch. The way her breath hitches when my thumb
00:30:15brushes her. She moves against me with increasing desperation. Her fingers in my chest and she lowers
00:30:22her mouth to me. Her fingers find my shoulders when she climbs onto my lap, straddling me and the towel
00:30:28rides up her thighs. Through my jeans, I can feel the heat of her and my hands find her waist
00:30:33like they've been
00:30:34waiting their whole existence for this moment. I wake up so hard it hurts. Her phantom warmth still
00:30:41pressed against my skin. Pathetic. You're absolutely pathetic. She moves against me with increasing
00:30:49desperation. Her fingers in my chest and she lowers her mouth to me. Her phone sits on the counter,
00:30:55screen glowing with an unread message. I should walk away, but I've never been decent where Serena is
00:31:00concerned. The screen illuminates at my touch and my ex-best friend's name stares back at me.
00:31:05Lucas. My blood turns to lead in my veins. The racing circuit. Lucas is taking her to the
00:31:12fucking racing circuit where I'll be competing to pay off another installment of my father's debt.
00:31:17Fuck. My two worlds are about to collide and there's not a damn thing I can do to stop it.
00:31:25Three more races after tonight and you're clear, kid. How does that feel? Like I might actually sleep
00:31:32again. Two years since I stood in our kitchen watching my mother cry over bills my father left
00:31:37behind. When the helmet goes on, I'm supposed to stop being Caleb Thornton. Out here, I'm Shane Lander. 23,
00:31:45no family drama. Just a guy who rides fast and pays his debts on time. You've earned it, man.
00:31:54Fastest rider I've ever let borrow my name. The engine beneath me roars to life, vibrating through
00:31:59my thighs, my chest, my teeth. Despite everything, freedom floods through my veins. This is the part
00:32:06I'll miss when the debt clears. Exhaust fumes curl through the night air. That's when I see them. No.
00:32:12Serena and Lucas walking through the crowd like tourists in a war zone. I'll be right there with
00:32:18you. His arm draped over her shoulders with that casual ownership that makes me want to put my fist
00:32:23through his perfect teeth. She really agreed to come here with him. She really came here to this
00:32:28oil-stained hellscape and men with criminal records. Just focused. The starting signal flares red,
00:32:35then green. First lap, I'm in the lead, but she doesn't leave my thoughts. What the fuck is Lucas
00:32:41thinking? She looks wrong here. Too clean. Too bright. Like someone photoshopped an angel into a
00:32:46method. I risk a glance at the crowd. Mistake. Huge fucking mistake. Our eyes meet over Lucas's
00:32:54shoulder for a second. She knows it's me. The curve comes too fast. One second I'm flying. The next,
00:33:00the bike slides out from under me like the ground itself has betrayed me. Gravel bites into my shoulder
00:33:05blade where the jacket rode up. The sky spins above me in lazy circles, stars smearing into floodlights
00:33:11into darkness. You're an absolute idiot! What the hell were you thinking? I try to answer,
00:33:19but my lungs have decided breathing is optional. Each inhale feels like swallowing fiberglass.
00:33:24Someone call 911! Immediately! No ambulances, girl. We can't let the police search here. He could be
00:33:33bleeding internally! Look at him! I can handle this. We have people who can help. I don't give a
00:33:40fuck about your people! Serena, maybe we should- Shut up! Just shut up and let me think!
00:33:48I gasp and pain floods through me, sharp and clarifying, radiating from my ribs to my spine.
00:33:55Caleb, here you go. Stay with me. Just stay with me, okay? Worth it, I think as darkness creeps in
00:34:03at
00:34:03the edges. Totally fucking worth it to see her look at me that. Have you ever hated someone so much
00:34:10that
00:34:11watching them bleed feels like bleeding yourself? The fluorescent lights of the emergency room buzz
00:34:16overhead, casting everything in a pallid glow. Nurses move around Caleb, checking vitals,
00:34:22cleaning wounds. I agreed to come tonight because Lucas asked, and because some reckless part of me
00:34:28wanted to prove I could be spontaneous. Then the race started, and my eyes found one rider without
00:34:34conscious thought. The angle of his shoulders, the aggressive grace of his turns. I knew it was
00:34:40Caleb before I could name why. Come on, Serena. Let's go. We can still salvage the night.
00:34:47No. I'll take him home. You go. I watch him disappear through the automatic doors and feel
00:34:53nothing. The only thing occupying my mind is the boy bleeding in the room behind me.
00:34:58Six years of cruelty, being called princess like a slur, and yet here I sit in this taxi,
00:35:05watching streetlights strobe across his damaged face, aching with a tenderness that has survived
00:35:10every wound he's ever inflicted. Inside, I flip on the kitchen lights and notice the dark stain
00:35:17spreading across his back, fresh blood seeping through ruined fabric. You're bleeding again.
00:35:24Sit down. The wound is on your shoulder blade. Unless you've developed the ability to disallocate
00:35:32your arms, you can't reach it. Sit down.
00:35:41Let me. His back is a masterpiece of destruction. My hands shake as I clean the wounds. Why do you
00:35:48race?
00:35:49You can't even drive. I can drive fine. I was distracted. Don't move. I know how to pay attention.
00:36:01Speaking of attention, you look cozy with Bennett tonight.
00:36:05We're not talking about Lucas. No? Maybe we should. Did he buy you dinner first?
00:36:14If I didn't know better, I'd think you were jealous. You think this is funny?
00:36:20Finish the damn sentence, Caleb. You're playing with fire, Serena.
00:36:25Good. Maybe Lucas will help me put it out after.
00:36:31Keep talking. See what happens.
00:36:35Lucas wanted to take me home tonight. After the race. He'd be nice, you know? Careful.
00:36:43Everything you're not. Want to know why I crashed?
00:36:49I saw his hands on you.
00:36:53And forgot there was a fucking road.
00:36:56So you're jealous?
00:36:58Don't sound so fucking pleased about it.
00:37:01You have no right to be jealous. Not after everything.
00:37:04I know.
00:37:07Because you were the only beautiful thing I'd ever touched.
00:37:11And I only know how to break beautiful things.
00:37:23Caleb.
00:37:26This is insane.
00:37:29I know. I don't care.
00:37:32Her breath catching. This is where she belongs. In my hands. Under my mouth. Mine.
00:37:38If you want me to stop, say it now.
00:37:40I don't know. But we can't just...
00:37:43Dear you.
00:37:44I should want you to stop. I should hate this.
00:37:49Serena. I've been aroused by you since I was 15.
00:37:53You can read the phone book, but I need a cold shower.
00:37:58You have no idea what you do to me.
00:38:00Then show me. Stop talking and show me.
00:38:03So I do. The bra is white lace. Simple. Devastating. Not strawberry lingerie.
00:38:12I also have regular underwear, idiot.
00:38:15Thank God. Her breathing has gone shallow. Chest rising and falling rapidly.
00:38:21Sensitive?
00:38:24I don't.
00:38:25Every instinct screams at me to take, to claim, to devour.
00:38:29Yet this is Serena. The girl I've destroyed for six years. But I can't stop.
00:38:34So eager for it, aren't you? Who would have thought that a princess could be so lustful?
00:38:40She goes rigid. Fuck.
00:38:42The word princess hangs between us like a blade. Sharp with six years of history. Six years of using that
00:38:49word to hurt her. To belittle her. To make her feel small. Serena, I didn't mean...
00:38:58Don't. Just...
00:38:59Don't.
00:39:00It slipped out. Force of habit. I wasn't...
00:39:04I can't. I can't do this.
00:39:07Serena, please. Just wait.
00:39:10I can't look at you now. I can't be near you.
00:39:13Just let me explain.
00:39:16Explain what? That you've hated me for six years, and now you expect me to believe this is real?
00:39:22This is real. This is the only real feeling I've ever felt.
00:39:26Then why? Why did you try to destroy me?
00:39:34One word. One fucking word. And I destroyed everything.
00:39:39His mouth tasted like copper and recklessness. And I'm drowning in both.
00:39:44This was what I've been missing. This heat. This hunger. This feeling of being wanted so desperately.
00:39:52Princess.
00:39:53And my body went rigid. Not from pleasure. From the avalanche of everything he's ever done to me.
00:39:59Crashing through the walls I'd foolishly let him breach. Every insult lands fresh.
00:40:05Serena?
00:40:06Six years of systematic destruction flood back in a single devastating wave. I don't remember
00:40:12mounting the bike. I don't register the roads I take, the turns I make, the darkness swallowing
00:40:18everything beyond my headlights' weak beam. Muscle memory guides me through streets I've traveled a
00:40:24thousand times before. Our spot, mine, and hers. I cry for her. For the mother who should be here.
00:40:30Who should be the one I run to when boys break me open. I cry for the woman I'm becoming.
00:40:36The truth
00:40:36surfaces between sobs. Ugly and undeniable. And impossible to shove back down where it belongs.
00:40:42I want Caleb Thornton. His hands. His mouth. The desperate way he looked at me before I ran away.
00:40:49The admission settles into my chest with the weight of inevitability. I want him. God help me. I want him.
00:40:57And that's exactly why I can't have him. Serena Lakin doesn't crumble for anyone. Least of all the
00:41:04boy who tried hardest to break her. The neighborhood is tomb silent when I finally coast into our
00:41:11driveway. Legs burning from pedaling through streets I barely remember traveling. Both cars sit in their
00:41:18usual spots. Dark and silent like sleeping sentinels. Parents came home while I was falling apart by a lake.
00:41:25And my father had no idea his daughter spent the evening kissing her stepbrother in their kitchen.
00:41:30The stairs creak once beneath my weight. And I freeze. Heart slamming against my ribs. But no
00:41:36bedroom doors open. No concerned voices call out into the darkness. Sleep doesn't come. I lie on my back
00:41:44and stare at the ceiling. Tracing patterns in the shadows that shift each time a car passes on the
00:41:49street below. His hands ghost across my skin in phantom touches I can't shake. The weight of his
00:41:55body between my thighs. The desperate sound of my name in his mouth. Because you were the only
00:42:01beautiful thing I'd ever touched. The confession plays on loop. Wearing grooves into my brain until I
00:42:07can't tell if I'm remembering or inventing. Did he really say that? Did his voice really crack on the
00:42:13words like something inside him was breaking? I pull my pillow over my face and scream into it.
00:42:19Morning arrives with the subtlety of a sledgehammer. I spend 20 minutes rebuilding my face into something
00:42:25presentable. Each brush stroke feels like armor. Layer after layer of pigment between the world and
00:42:32my devastation. You're fine. You're completely fine. My legs feel like they belong to someone else
00:42:38as I descend the stairs. Caleb is already at the breakfast table. His head lifts when I enter.
00:42:44Everything from last night crashes back. His mouth, his hands, his confession, my retreat. I look away
00:42:51first. The coffee pot becomes my entire focus as I pour with hands that refuse to steady.
00:42:59Good morning sweetheart. You look tired. Late night studying. Something like that. I have some
00:43:06wonderful news. I ran into Richard Bennett at the club yesterday and he mentioned that Lucas has
00:43:14been spending quite a bit of time with you lately. I have to say I was delighted to hear it.
00:43:22Lucas seems
00:43:22like a wonderful young man. Richard and Patricia raised him well. Lucas is nice. More than nice apparently.
00:43:31Richard seemed to think things were progressing rather well between you two. And I must say
00:43:38I wholeheartedly approve. The Bennetts are good people, Serena. Solid values, excellent future prospects.
00:43:47The kind of foundation any father would want for his daughter. Nothing's progressing.
00:43:54We're just friends, Dad. For now. I'm just so glad you're spending time with the right people. Quality
00:44:04connections are important, honey. I have somewhere to be.
00:44:15Well, I wonder what's gotten into him this morning. Young men. Probably some athletic commitment he forgot
00:44:23about until now. My phone buzzes against my thigh. The screen illuminates with Lucas's name and I almost
00:44:34laugh at the cosmic timing of it all. The universe has a sick sense of humor. I should say no.
00:44:40I should create
00:44:41distance from everything. Lucas. Caleb. The entire tangled mess I've made of my carefully ordered existence.
00:44:49Getting closer to Lucas means watching Caleb's face harden every time we're in the same room.
00:44:54My thumbs hover over the keyboard for a long moment. Me. Sure. Because maybe normal is exactly what I need
00:45:01right now.
00:45:03Drowning looks different when you're doing it on dry land. Here's what I'm currently juggling.
00:45:09A faceless stranger who took my virginity and vanished into a sea of identical skeleton masks.
00:45:15A stepbrother whose mouth I can still taste when I close my eyes, no matter how many times I brush
00:45:21my teeth
00:45:21or chawled in coffee. The library has become my bunker, my fortress, my carefully constructed excuse to avoid
00:45:30every space where Caleb might appear. The complicated part that keeps me awake at night,
00:45:35I don't entirely regret it. You look like someone ran over your cat, resurrected it, and ran it over again.
00:45:42Thanks for that vivid imagery. Really appreciate the poetry you've blessed me with today.
00:45:48I'm being serious right now, Serena. You've been weird for days and don't think I haven't noticed every
00:45:54single red flag you're waving. That's complete bullshit and you know it. You maintain your GPA in
00:46:00your sleep. Is this about the mystery guy from the race? Did something happen that night? I don't
00:46:07know what you're talking about, Mia. Oh, come on. Don't insult my intelligence. I saw your face that
00:46:13Monday. Even if something did happen, I wouldn't know how to explain it without sounding completely
00:46:17unhinged. Some things are too tangled to put into words. Try me. I've heard worse things than you can
00:46:24possibly imagine. My older sister once confessed to sleeping with her professor, and I kept that secret
00:46:30through two Thanksgivings and a family reunion. It's complicated. Complicated usually means interesting,
00:46:36in my experience. The messiest situations always make the best stories afterward. This isn't a story I
00:46:42want to tell anyone, ever. This is a disaster. Fine, I won't push you today, but I'm here when you're
00:46:50ready to spill everything. He took this while he was inside me, while I kept my eyes shut. Every tall
00:47:05frame,
00:47:06every athletic build makes me wonder with nauseating intensity. Was it you?
00:47:14You look incredible tonight. That blouse is perfect on you. Thank you for bringing me here. It's
00:47:21beautiful. Only the best for you, Serena. The words should make my heart flutter, but my mind keeps
00:47:28drifting to that photo on my phone. Who took it? What do they want from me? Is this blackmail waiting
00:47:34to
00:47:34detonate? Or a warning shot across my bow? The professor sounds like some kind of weirdo.
00:47:40Did he actually throw chalk at that guy? Allegedly. The kid deserved it though. Remind me never to fall
00:47:47asleep in your classes. Serena, you seem really distracted tonight. Sorry. Just school stress
00:47:57weighing on me. Anything I could help with? Can you tell me why my stepbrother makes me feel more alive
00:48:03in fury than you do in kindness? No. But thank you for asking.
00:48:14I had a really great time tonight. Me too.
00:48:23You should go, Bennett. Now. I was just saying goodnight to Serena, man. And now you're leaving.
00:48:31Immediately. Okay, I'll call you tomorrow, Serena. Goodnight.
00:48:40This roast chicken is truly excellent. Yes, it goes perfectly with the wine.
00:48:46The hospital charity gala is next weekend. I was thinking Serena should attend.
00:48:50Wonderful idea. But Bennett's will be there too. Lucas could introduce you to some partners at his
00:48:56father's firm. Networking is so important at your age. Perfect opportunity to wear that lovely dress
00:49:03we bought last month. Of course. Sure. I'll go with Lucas. May I be excused at an early morning?
00:49:12Of course, sweetheart. Is everything all right? Okay. Everything is perfect.
00:49:20Sorry, I… Well, young people and their moods, I guess. He's probably just tired from training.
00:49:28The season is demanding. When did this happen? When did Caleb Thornton's opinion start mattering more
00:49:35than my own peace. We need to talk. Fascinating opener. The answer is still no. Get out.
00:49:50Lucas isn't what he seems. You need to stay away from him. Oh, this is rich. You're giving me
00:49:56relationship advice now? You, of all people? This isn't about us, Serena. This is about him.
00:50:03There is no us, Caleb. There's you, trespassing in my room, running your mouth about things that don't
00:50:08concern you. You kissed him tonight. I did a lot of things tonight. Breathing, blinking, walking upright.
00:50:18Should I run those by you too, or just the ones involving other men's mouths? On our doorstep.
00:50:23Ten feet from where I was standing. Proximity bothers you now? That's new. You've never had trouble
00:50:31performing with an audience before. Careful, Serena. Or what? You'll make my life miserable?
00:50:37Breaking news. You've been doing that since middle school. I'm immune. You're not immune to anything.
00:50:43Your pulse is jumping in your throat right now. I can see it from here. That's called hatred,
00:50:50Caleb. Search it. Hatred doesn't make your pupils dilate. Hatred doesn't make you breathe like you've
00:50:56been running. Maybe I'm allergic to bullshit. You're certainly giving off enough of it.
00:51:01Then why haven't you screamed for daddy yet? I don't need my father to handle you.
00:51:06No? Then handle me yourself. Put your hands on my chest and shove me out that door.
00:51:17What's the hold up, princess? All that righteous anger and you can't even touch me long enough to push me
00:51:21away? Don't call me that. Touch me and I'll stop. You're terrified. Not of me. Of what happens when
00:51:30you stop pretending you don't want this. The only thing I want is for you to choke on your own
00:51:35ego.
00:51:36Liar. Your whole body's shaking. You're so wound up you can barely stand. You are delusional.
00:51:44Then prove it. Tell me to leave. Mean it. Why are you in my face again? What do you want
00:51:52from me?
00:52:02Come on, princess. Tell me how much you hate me now. I hate. I hate you. Again. Make me believe
00:52:13it this time.
00:52:15Caleb.
00:52:18Every pathetic dream I've tortured myself with dissolves into nothing compared to the weight of
00:52:24her body pressed against mine. Somehow we migrate to my room.
00:52:32You're shaking. No, I'm not.
00:52:41Caleb, your hands are literally trembling. Shut up. I'm just saying. You want to analyze this?
00:52:49Write a thesis about my scizy logical responses? Or do you want me to make you forget how to form
00:52:56sentences? That's what I thought. I'm not a virgin anymore. That doesn't mean it won't hurt the second
00:53:03time. We don't have to do this. If you've changed your mind. I haven't changed my fucking mind.
00:53:12I just... I need you to be sure. Why? Because I'm not a complete bastard. Despite popular opinion.
00:53:22Caleb, I want this. I want you.
00:53:27Tell me if it hurts. I mean it, Serena. One word and I stop.
00:53:35Your turn.
00:53:36Slow down.
00:53:38You've been telling me to shut up and take what I want for years.
00:53:42Now you want me to be patient?
00:53:44Now I want to take my time. I want to learn every inch of you. I want to hear every
00:53:51sound you make. I want
00:53:52to remember this when I'm old and broken and you've moved on to someone who deserves you.
00:53:56Caleb, you're staring.
00:53:59Don't hide from me. Not now.
00:54:02It's embarrassing.
00:54:03You're perfect. You've always been perfect. And I've hated you for it. Hated how much I wanted you.
00:54:09Hated that you made me feel things I couldn't control.
00:54:19Caleb, what are you doing?
00:54:29Caleb.
00:54:30We go slow.
00:54:36I'll stop whenever you say.
00:54:42Caleb, please.
00:54:45Please what?
00:54:46I need you.
00:54:48Please, I need you inside me.
00:54:58Her taste, salt and sweetness, as I drag my mouth down her throat.
00:55:03I've dreamed about this since my first fumbling experiences taught me what bodies could do together.
00:55:09Backseats of cars with girls whose names blurred by morning.
00:55:14Dorm rooms and parties and encounters that meant nothing beyond temporary release.
00:55:19None of them mattered.
00:55:20Because they weren't her.
00:55:23God.
00:55:24We found me, but we're real close.
00:55:26This line we crossed, nobody knows.
00:55:32Don't pray, don't cry.
00:55:35Just let me drown in your alibi.
00:55:39What if we stop pretending?
00:55:43What if we just give in?
00:55:51The warmth pressed against my body, tangible and real.
00:56:02How long have you been awake?
00:56:05A while.
00:56:07You talk in your sleep, you know that?
00:56:11Very entertaining.
00:56:13Right, something about constitutional amendments.
00:56:16And a certain Professor Henderson.
00:56:19Oh, God.
00:56:21Please tell me you're lying.
00:56:23I liked it best when you muttered something about colored markers.
00:56:26Very sexy bedtime talk, Lincoln.
00:56:30You're unbearable.
00:56:32And yet you're here.
00:56:34Still in my bed.
00:56:37The morning is just beginning.
00:56:39Give me time.
00:56:41Take all the time you want.
00:56:43I'm not going anywhere.
00:56:49I should probably go get ready.
00:56:53The gala is tonight, and I need to...
00:56:56A gala evening?
00:56:57Yes, the charity event our parents have been discussing for weeks.
00:57:01Catherine mentioned it at dinner last night, remember?
00:57:04The hospital foundation thing?
00:57:05The whole point of last night was that you don't go with him.
00:57:09Last night had no point.
00:57:11Last night was a mistake.
00:57:13A mistake.
00:57:14That's what you're calling it?
00:57:15What else would I possibly call it, Caleb?
00:57:18You were screaming my name four hours ago, and now it's a mistake?
00:57:21I'll hear your voice before someone hears it.
00:57:26You let Lucas kiss you on our doorstep, and you're going to this gala on his arm tonight.
00:57:33Parading around like nothing happened between us.
00:57:36And?
00:57:37What happens in my life is none of your concern.
00:57:40And I'm supposed to be fine with that?
00:57:43After everything that happened between us last night?
00:57:45You don't get to be anything about my choices.
00:57:50This doesn't give you rights over me.
00:57:53Then...
00:57:54What the hell does it give me, Serena?
00:57:57I need to go. Step away.
00:58:04You're really going to pretend this means nothing?
00:58:07I'm not pretending anything.
00:58:10Liar. I know what you felt.
00:58:14Let me go, Caleb.
00:58:16I can't watch you with him.
00:58:19I can't watch him touch you, knowing what we...
00:58:23Knowing how you...
00:58:24But before I can respond, his slam on the closet makes us both look at the carpet,
00:58:29and my whole world turns upside down.
00:58:34I can explain.
00:58:39Serena, please.
00:58:41Just let me explain what happened.
00:58:43You.
00:58:44It was you.
00:58:46Yes, but it's not yoked.
00:58:48You took my virginity.
00:58:51You knew exactly who I was.
00:58:53And you let me think I was with someone else.
00:58:55I didn't plan it.
00:58:56I saw you with Lucas, followed because I was jealous.
00:58:59And then you took my hand and...
00:59:00And you just went along with it?
00:59:02You let me believe I was with someone else the entire time we were in that room?
00:59:06You thought you were with Lucas.
00:59:07You wanted him, not me.
00:59:09What was I supposed to do?
00:59:10Correct you, Midsduction.
00:59:11Yes.
00:59:13That's what a decent person would do, Caleb.
00:59:15I'm not a decent human being.
00:59:17I've never claimed to be.
00:59:19And the message?
00:59:21The photo someone sent to my phone last week?
00:59:23That was me.
00:59:26I sent to...
00:59:27You photographed me without my consent and then used it to threaten me?
00:59:31It wasn't a threat.
00:59:32It was...
00:59:33I was trying to make you stay away from Lucas.
00:59:35I panicked.
00:59:36I blackmailing me?
00:59:38That was your brilliant plan?
00:59:40You kept spending time with him.
00:59:42And I couldn't just tell you the truth without...
00:59:45Without what?
00:59:46Admitting you'd already violated every boundary that exists between two people?
00:59:50Lucas is not who you think he is.
00:59:53That's what I've been trying to tell you all this time.
00:59:56Oh, this should be good.
00:59:57Please enlighten me about who Lucas is.
00:59:59He's dangerous, Serena.
01:00:02There are things about him you don't know.
01:00:04Things you conveniently couldn't mention until after you'd slept with me twice and gotten
01:00:08caught in your own web of lies?
01:00:09The timing looks suspicious, I know.
01:00:12But I'm telling you the truth right now.
01:00:15The truth?
01:00:15You don't know what that word means, Caleb.
01:00:17You wouldn't recognize truth that introduced itself with a handshake.
01:00:20Serena, wait.
01:00:22You have to listen to me about this.
01:00:26I don't have to do what you say.
01:00:28Lucas hurt someone.
01:00:30Back in high school, there was a girl at a party after everyone else had left.
01:00:34She is the reason we stopped being friends.
01:00:38And you expect me to believe this convenient revelation right now,
01:00:42after everything you've just admitted?
01:00:44It's not convenient.
01:00:45It's relevant.
01:00:47Everything I've done has been to protect you from him.
01:00:50Are you lying to me?
01:00:52This is sickening, Caleb.
01:00:54I know what it looks like.
01:00:56But all I did was because I...
01:00:58Was because you're a manipulative bastard?
01:01:03Last night you told me it might hurt the second time.
01:01:06You knew it was only my second time because you were my first.
01:01:10Serena.
01:01:10Serena.
01:01:11Don't.
01:01:12Don't say my name like that.
01:01:13You can't seem offended right now.
01:01:16And going.
01:01:18Don't follow me.
01:01:19Please don't do this.
01:01:21It's not like that, Serena.
01:01:23So how do I do it?
01:01:27You're exactly the villain I always knew you were.
01:01:30I just forgot for a few hours.
01:01:36And the party tonight?
01:01:38Are you still going with him despite everything I just told you?
01:01:43Your word means nothing to me anymore.
01:01:47This is such a beautiful event.
01:01:49It really is.
01:01:50Cheers to that.
01:01:51Charity galas exist so rich people can feel generous
01:01:55while drinking champagne that costs more than my textbooks.
01:01:59You look stunning.
01:02:00Every man in this room is jealous of me right now.
01:02:03Flattery will get you everywhere, Bennett.
01:02:06That's what I'm counting on.
01:02:09You two look absolutely lovely together.
01:02:11Like something from a magazine spread, honestly.
01:02:16The Bennetts raised a fine young man.
01:02:18I couldn't be happier about you two spending time together.
01:02:22Thank you, sir.
01:02:24Serena makes it easy to be a gentleman.
01:02:37Do you want to dance?
01:02:39I wouldn't want anything more.
01:02:44My father's partner wanted to meet you.
01:02:46He's been asking about my mysterious pre-law girlfriend all evening.
01:02:49I'm not your girlfriend.
01:02:52Every interaction only reveals more kindness, more evidence that Caleb lied.
01:02:58Enjoying yourself, princess?
01:02:59Don't call me that.
01:03:01Playing dress-up with Bennett looks exhausting.
01:03:04Blue suits you, though.
01:03:06Your mother would have approved.
01:03:08Is there something you need, Thornton?
01:03:10It's Lekin now, actually.
01:03:12Didn't you hear?
01:03:13We're one big happy family these days.
01:03:16Just making conversation with my steppister.
01:03:19Family obligation.
01:03:21You understand.
01:03:22Funny how you only remember family obligations when it's convenient.
01:03:26Some of us remember when you couldn't spell the word.
01:03:28And some of us remember things we probably shouldn't talk about at charity gallows.
01:03:33Right, Bennett?
01:03:34Wouldn't want to ruin the evening with ancient history.
01:03:37You're drunk.
01:03:39Maybe you should find some water in a quiet corner.
01:03:42Maybe you should worry less about my hydration.
01:03:45And more about your own glass house.
01:03:48Stones hurt when they come back around, don't they?
01:03:51When we were actually just leaving.
01:03:53Excuse us.
01:04:05I didn't know you smoked.
01:04:08There's a lot you don't know about me.
01:04:10Though I suppose that cuts both ways now, doesn't it?
01:04:14You've been avoiding me all night, Serena.
01:04:17I really like the gala.
01:04:19It's not all about you, Caleb.
01:04:21No?
01:04:23Then why do you look for me in every room you enter?
01:04:26I don't...
01:04:30You do.
01:04:31You've been watching me all night while pretending not to.
01:04:34And I've been watching you pretend.
01:04:42Does Lucas know?
01:04:44Know what?
01:04:46That you're only with him because of me.
01:04:49You're delusional.
01:04:52I chose Lucas because he's everything you're not.
01:04:56And what exactly am I not?
01:04:59Honest.
01:05:00Attentive.
01:05:02Capable of basic human decency without ulterior motives attached.
01:05:06Sounds like a golden retriever.
01:05:09Very exciting.
01:05:10Excitement isn't everything, Caleb.
01:05:13Some of us prefer stability over chaos.
01:05:16You don't want stability.
01:05:18You want to feel safe, wanting what terrifies you.
01:05:22What terrifies me is your complete inability to take responsibility for anything you've done.
01:05:29I've taken responsibility.
01:05:32I told you the truth about Bennett, about Halloween, about the photo, about all of it.
01:05:38After I discovered the mask in your closet.
01:05:41That's not a confession.
01:05:42That's damage control.
01:05:44And yet here you are.
01:05:46Alone with me on a balcony instead of inside with your puppy.
01:05:50I came out here for air.
01:05:52Not for you.
01:05:53Keep telling yourself that.
01:05:57That's a great story.
01:05:59I remember the first time I saw the play.
01:06:06Excuse me for a moment.
01:06:10There you are.
01:06:11I've been looking everywhere for you.
01:06:16Just getting some air.
01:06:17The ballroom was getting stuffy.
01:06:19I can imagine.
01:06:21Caleb.
01:06:23Still here?
01:06:24Just leaving.
01:06:26The view got less interesting.
01:06:28I want to hurt him the way he hurt me.
01:06:30I want him to watch and suffer.
01:06:34Lucas.
01:06:36Serena?
01:06:55What was that for?
01:06:58I just wanted to.
01:07:03I'm not complaining.
01:07:05Feel free to want that anytime.
01:07:07We should go back inside.
01:07:10People will talk.
01:07:12Let them.
01:07:21Funny how memory works.
01:07:23My traitorous mind has other plans.
01:07:25Circling Caleb's face like a vulture over carrion.
01:07:30Devastated doesn't cover it.
01:07:31He looked destroyed.
01:07:33The foundation cracked and walls collapsed.
01:07:36I tell myself this is what I wanted.
01:07:38Punishment.
01:07:39So why does victory taste like ash coating my tongue?
01:07:44The clock reads three in the morning.
01:07:46But even in dreams, I can't escape the blue of his eyes.
01:07:49Right before they went hollow.
01:07:52Lucas and I build something in the spaces between obligations.
01:07:56Coffee shops where baristas know our orders.
01:07:59Library corners we've claimed as territory.
01:08:06I'm really sorry.
01:08:06I'm really sorry.
01:08:06His roommates scatter when I arrive, mumbling excuses that sound rehearsed.
01:08:11They're just awkward around new people.
01:08:16he seems genuine which either means he is or he's very good at pretending
01:08:21that's three shurion thank you i'm a realist not a cheerleader but your other friends like him
01:08:30so there's that they do like him the easy charm the remembered details the way he makes everyone
01:08:37feel important i should be grateful for the consensus instead i find myself cataloging
01:08:42inconsistencies like evidence for a trial i haven't decided to hold his smile doesn't always
01:08:48reach his eyes especially when he thinks i'm not watching caleb watches us across campus with the
01:08:55dedication of someone memorizing a crime scene he doesn't approach doesn't speak doesn't acknowledge
01:09:01my existence beyond those burning blue eyes tracking my movements every time our gazes collide
01:09:07my chest constricts with an ache i refuse to name i look away first because looking longer
01:09:13feels like confession the parade of girls through his bedroom has stopped or at least the volume has
01:09:19dropped to silence
01:09:28you okay fine what happened between you two ancient history serena it doesn't matter anymore clearly it
01:09:40does you can't even look at his car without going full statue we were kids people grow apart
01:09:47that's not an answer and you know it it was just high school drama stuka teenage stuff what kind of
01:09:57stupid teenage stuff did you steal his book beat him at lacrosse tryouts nothing like that
01:10:07then what was there a girl involved maybe but it's complicated complicated how
01:10:21what you two couldn't share her or something there was a girl
01:10:26her name was rachel and things just got messy
01:10:34anyway
01:10:36what are your thanksgiving plans my parents have been asking about you
01:10:40i let him redirect let him kiss my cheek and walk away let the questions settle heavy in my chest
01:10:47rachel a girl things got messy the name circles my mind three hours disappear into the black hole of
01:10:57social media stalking rachel weaver emerges from the digital excavation around midnight i scroll back
01:11:04through years junior prom three years ago caleb on her left lucas on her right whatever broke them
01:11:11apart started with this girl in the blue dress whatever truth caleb tried to tell me has roots i'm only
01:11:20beginning to trace i open a new message window before doubt can intervene the cursor blinks patient and
01:11:27waiting i start typing
01:11:28i start typing
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