Chapter 008

KATY’S POV “Text me the details,” I tell our debate president as I step out of the hall, and she gives me a quick thumbs-up in reply, already turning to talk to someone else. I exhale, shifting my bag higher on my shoulder as I make my way toward the campus café. Honestly, I’d been praying for practice to end early because I’m so thirsty, and all I can think about right now is getting a drink. And maybe it’s everything that’s happened today, or maybe it’s just the long hours, but I feel completely drained as I walk. It’s like I’ve lived three days in one. And the worst part is knowing I still have tutoring with Braydon tonight. The thought alone makes me sigh, my hand raking through my hair. As I push forward, two girls walk past me, and one of them tilts her head my way and whispers something to her friend. Then, clear as day, I hear her say, “Yeah, that’s her.” My steps falter a little, and I turn back, just to make sure she isn’t pointing at someone behind me. But the hallway is empty, and no one is behind me. Which means… she was pointing at me. My mind starts to scramble for a reason why. Did I drop something? Do I look weird? I’m still trying to figure it out when another girl walks past. She keeps her phone angled low, pretending to scroll, but the lens is tilted straight at me. She flicks her eyes up for half a second before looking away, like she didn’t just snap a picture. A knot tightens in my stomach. I raise my hand to my face, brushing across my cheek, my forehead, and even my lips, half-expecting to find something smeared, but my fingers come away clean. So then… why is everyone staring? When I push through the café doors, it’s packed with students clustered around small tables, and the baristas are calling out names over the buzz of conversation. But the moment I step inside, a hush seems to roll over the place, and heads turn, eyes landing on me. It’s that strange, heavy silence, like everyone knows a private joke about me and I’m the last one to find out. God, it’s freaking me out. Is this still about Braydon? I keep my pace steady and slip into line at the counter. All I want is an iced coffee, maybe two cups if it’ll keep me alive through tutoring later. Behind me, a girl joins the line. At first, I don’t pay her any attention, assuming she’s probably waiting on her order. But then she edges closer…too close and I feel the warmth of her breath at my neck before her fingers tug lightly at my sleeve. I spin around, startled, and she takes a quick step back, hands up like she didn’t mean it. “Sorry,” she says, a nervous smile tugging at her lips. “I just wanted to check if it’s real or fake. You don’t mind, do you?” Take a look at what? I think, blinking. Then I look down at myself, and it hits me. Damn it. The jacket. I’m wearing Braydon’s hockey jacket with his name stitched across the back. Everything suddenly clicks into place: the stares, whispers, and secret photos. I press my hands to my face for a second, almost embarrassed at how long it took me to notice. How could I have been so oblivious? But then another thought crosses my mind. How could she think it’s fake? Does she really think it’s impossible for me to be wearing it? Or that I’d just plop on a fake jacket and walk around campus? I shoot her a glare. “It’s real,” I say. “Why would I wear a fake jacket?” She gasps, covering her mouth with her hand. “So it’s true?” she whispers, leaning closer. “Tr…true what?” I stammer, my brain scrambling. “That there’s something going on between you and Braydon,” she says. “I heard he brought you a drink at the library, and now you’re wearing his jacket. Apparently, half the school is freaking out, and his fan club is losing it because he’s never ever given anyone his jacket before.” I clear my throat, feeling a strange flicker of pride. Even if our relationship is fake, it feels good to know I’m the first girl he’s broken his own rules for. “I mean, it’s not a big deal,” I tell her, waving my hand like I actually mean it. “It’s just a jacket.” She inches closer, c*****g an eyebrow. “So… it’s true?” I know exactly what she’s trying to do. She’s trying to confirm if we’re actually together, but I can’t bring myself to say it. I’m not about to hand her the first confirmation, not when it would make it look like I’m the one completely obsessed. Our deal was that he would pursue me, that he’d show the interest first. I square my shoulders and force that awkward, practiced smile like the ones cheerleaders always have in movies. “Why don’t you ask him?” I say smoothly. “I don’t talk about my personal life.” Turning back to the counter, I catch a flash of disappointment cross her face. Not that I care. Well… maybe just a little. A few minutes later, I give my order, and the barista hands it to me after what feels like forever. I grab the cup and step out of the café, feeling a wave of relief wash over me as I’m away from their staring eyes and whispers. I mean, Cadston College is quite small, but still, I didn’t expect the rumors to spread this intensely. His fan club is losing it? I scoff and roll my eyes, not paying close attention, and almost collide with someone. “Sor…” I start to say, but then I look up and freeze. Staring back at me is the same face, the same red hair, the same girl I saw yesterday. The one Bryan… yeah. Did she walk into me on purpose? “Hi, Katy,” she says, cutting me off before I can continue. “Can we talk?” I frown, a thousand thoughts racing, but the loudest one is: what could the girl my ex cheated with possibly want to talk about? How great his d**k felt inside her? Anger surges inside me, and I step aside, gripping my iced coffee like it’s the only thing keeping me from lunging. “I have nothing to talk about with you,” I say, my voice tight, and start to walk away. “I didn’t know you were still together with him,” she calls after me. I pause, my fingers twitching around the cold cup as the words echo in my head. She didn’t know? I turn slowly, tilting my head. “How? I mean, you knew we were dating.” She steps closer, closing the small gap between us. “I did,” she says. “I asked him, but he lied to me. He said you split up, and I only found out that he lied when he told me you were coming, right before you showed up.” I scoff, shaking my head because her words sound like made-up lies. She thought we broke up? Really? “I don’t believe you,” I grind out, my jaw tight. “And if he sent you to lie to me, go f**k yourself and him. You deserve each other.” “I have proof,” she insists breathlessly, just as I start to turn away. Before I can fully look back, she pulls out her phone and angles it toward me. “Here. I’m not lying.” I stare at the screen, my stomach tightening, and it doesn’t take more than a few seconds for my eyes to fall on the words: BRYAN: We broke up. b***h’s always busy with everything but me. Come over and have fun with me. She couldn’t even do it right anyway. My heart clenches as I reread the words, even as I whisper to myself to stay calm and not let it get to me. Then the redhead tucks her phone into her pocket and takes a small step closer, her eyes earnest. “Look… I know I don’t really know you and I probably don’t deserve your respect. But I want you to know that I would never, ever try to come between you and Bryan. I’m not that kind of person. I was just… I believed him, and I’m sorry. I really am. That was wrong of me, and I hate that I even got caught up in this.” She pauses, taking a slow breath. “Anyway… maybe things were meant to happen the way they did. I hear you’re with Braydon now. Good luck with him.” And then she’s gone, melting into the crowd, leaving me alone with my thoughts and the anger still simmering from what I just read.