A CRIME LIKE LOVE

Why I denied myself love

They asked me why, but I had no idea.

Mrs. Miller was the one ready to push me off a cliff if I so much as glanced at her son. I never wanted to fall for him, but I did.

Yet, the moment I wished to fall out of love with Ryder, he came back.

What do I do when he's everywhere I look? And then we live under the same roof. His room was the first thing I saw every day when I stepped out of mine. What do I do when—

"Riana!"

Oh no. Mum. What now?

I groaned as I stretched my legs out of bed. It was another day—the second day since Ryder returned from Paris. Another day of seeing his taunting face.

I strode to the bathroom, quickly went through my morning routine, and headed out.

Once dressed, I slung my backpack over my shoulder and walked down to the dining hall, where the Miller family was already having breakfast.

"Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Miller."

I pulled out a chair and sat down.

My eyes met Ryder's, but he looked away immediately, as though I didn't matter.

"What happened to 'Mum' and 'Dad'?" Mr. Miller asked.

He was a man I'd always known to have a stern face and a cold expression that made him impossible to read.

My fingers tightened around my skirt as I tried to control my emotions.

Ever since my mother and I moved into this house, he had said, "Call me Dad," and pointed to Mrs. Miller. "Call her Mum."

It wasn't too much to ask.

But when I looked at Mrs. Miller's warning glare, I remembered the slap she gave me the last time I uttered the word she considered an atrocity: Mum.

I wouldn't dare make that mistake again.

"I'm sorry," I muttered, staring at the table.

Just when the atmosphere couldn't get any tenser, Claire gagged dramatically.

"Sitting at the same table as a lowlife whose mother is our cleaner just stinks," she spat. "I'm out."

"Claire, sit down," Mr. Miller growled, rubbing his temples.

But she ignored him and stormed out.

"Ariana."

I looked up.

Mrs. Miller wore a sinful smile that instantly told me she was up to something.

"When are you bringing your boyfriend home so we can meet the boy you spend fifty percent of your time with?" she asked sweetly.

Ryder choked on his food.

"Careful, dear," Mrs. Miller said, patting his back like she was the most caring mother in the world.

He looked at me, searching my face as if asking, Is this true?

"He's coming over this weekend," I said, trying to avoid Ryder's gaze.

I had no choice. I never did.

Mrs. Miller had told me that if I didn't get a boyfriend before the week was over, she would throw my mother and me out of the house.

So I choose Greg.

He was Ryder's best friend and the perfect person for the job of breaking Ryder's heart and making him stop loving me.

I know it is betrayal.

But then again, I have no choice.

A chair screeched against the floor.

Ryder stood up.

Without saying a word, he left.

And then it was just me and his sick—in —the —head parents.

At school, it was the usual routine—classes, lunch, and more classes.

Time flew by so quickly it felt impossible to keep up. At Emberose High, you didn't just live.

You survived.

And that's exactly what I'd been doing since I got into this school filled with spoiled rich kids.

Greg.

I spotted him heading toward the school library.

I should probably follow him and tell him how much I liked him and wanted to be his girlfriend.

Ugh.

The thought alone made me sick.

It would destroy him when he realized I was only using him to get over Ryder.

"Hey!"

I jogged toward him and stopped him before he reached the entrance.

"Hi, Greg."

"It's been a while, Riana. How've you been?"

"I've been... great."

I swallowed hard.

"Look, Greg, I..."

The words stuck in my throat.

Should I do this and risk making the biggest mistake of my life?

Or should I refuse and face Mrs. Miller's wrath?

"I like you. I love you. I've had a crush on you since middle school, and I've never had the courage to tell you. I just..."

My breathing turned uneven.

"Hey, Riana. Slow down, okay? Breathe."

I nodded.

Then his attention shifted behind me.

"Hey, Ryder."

I turned immediately.

Ryder?

Oh no.

He heard everything.

I take it back!

No, I don't like Greg.

I like Ryder.

But now what was he going to think?

That I was some desperate girl throwing herself at his best friend?

"Hey, Greg."

Ryder walked over to us, then stared at me as though I'd suddenly grown a second head.

"Oh, so this is the boyfriend Mum was talking about."

He looked at Greg, and there was something dangerous in his eyes as he did.

The kind of look that made my stomach twist.