Dear Diary, The Cross Brothers are After Me - Chapter #5 - Free To Read

Date: September 10th
Time: 8:00 AM

Dear Diary,

The library is my last refuge. Everywhere else, the Cross brothers find a way to tear me down or make me question what they’re doing in my life. Aiden taunts me like it’s his job. Asher’s charm feels like a trap I can’t avoid. And Grayson… he’s the most confusing of them all. He doesn’t say much, but his presence speaks louder than any words.

I need space to breathe, to think. Maybe the library will give me that. Or maybe I’m fooling myself into thinking I can escape them.

-Lila

***

After a week of relentless teasing and pranks, I needed a place to breathe. I thought the Cross brothers were too busy ruling the school to bother with me here. Clearly, I was wrong.

I was seated at a table near the back, lost in my notes, when I felt someone slide into the chair beside me. I didn’t have to look up to know who it was—the faint scent of cologne, the lazy confidence in the way he moved—it had to be Aiden.

“Studying so hard, sunshine?” he drawled, leaning back in the chair and resting his arms behind his head. “Afraid you’ll flunk out before the semester ends?”

I didn’t respond, my eyes glued to my notebook.

“Come on, don’t ignore me,” he said, his voice taking on a softer, teasing edge. “I think you like the attention. Admit it, sunshine.”

I slammed my pen down and glared at him. “I’d rather swallow glass.”

He smirked, tilting his head as if considering my words. “Careful,” he murmured. “I might just hand you a shard.”

I pushed back my chair, ready to leave, but his hand shot out, stopping me. His grip wasn’t tight, but it was firm enough to make me hesitate.

“Why do you keep running, Lila?” he asked, his voice low now, almost serious. “We’re not that bad, are we?”

I yanked my arm free, my glare unwavering. “You’re worse.”

If Aiden’s attention was unsettling, Asher’s was confusing. He wasn’t as obvious, but he found ways to insert himself into my day, usually at the worst possible moments.

Like in gym class, when Tessa “accidentally” shoved me into the bleachers during a dodgeball game. I was about to pick myself up when Asher appeared, offering me his hand.

“We’re not all bad, you know,” he said, his voice smooth and steady as he helped me up. “Just mostly.”

I stared at him, unsure of how to respond. Was this his idea of an apology?

Before I could say anything, Tessa appeared, her arms crossed and her glare icy. “What are you doing, Asher?” she demanded.

He shrugged, his expression calm. “Helping. You should try it sometime.”

Tessa’s face turned crimson, but she didn’t say anything else. Asher just gave me a small smirk and walked off, leaving me more confused than ever.

Grayson, on the other hand, didn’t tease or taunt. He didn’t even acknowledge me most of the time, but his presence was impossible to ignore. He was like a storm cloud—silent but heavy, always looming.

The real problem was Tessa. She was relentless, her jealousy driving her to new levels of cruelty. It all came to a head in the bathroom one afternoon.

I had barely walked in when Tessa and her posse cornered me.

“You really think you’re something special, don’t you?” she sneered, stepping closer.

“I don’t think about you at all,” I shot back, my voice steady despite the knot of fear in my stomach.

Her eyes narrowed, and I braced myself for whatever was coming next. But before she could do or say anything, a voice cut through the tension like a blade.

“Back off. Now.”

We all turned to see Grayson standing in the doorway, his expression colder than I’d ever seen it.

Tessa hesitated, clearly torn between defying him and saving face. But one look at his eyes, and she relented, backing away with a muttered excuse before hurrying out with her friends.

I stayed frozen, unsure of what to say.

“Are you okay?” Grayson asked, his voice softer now, almost reluctant.

I nodded, my throat too tight to speak.

He lingered for a moment before turning to leave, his words stopping me in my tracks. “Be careful, Lila. Not everyone here plays fair.”

That night, I couldn’t shake the events of the day. Aiden’s taunts, Asher’s mixed signals, Grayson’s warning—it was all swirling in my mind.

I sat by my window, staring out at the quiet street, hoping the cool night air would clear my thoughts. But then I saw it.

Grayson, standing by his own window, watching me.