“Did you hear?”
The girl’s voice made me pause mid-step. I was walking past the lockers, clutching my books, when the nosy whisper caught my attention. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but when I heard my name, I froze.
“Lila,” the girl whispered again to her friend, her voice dripping with fake concern. “The Cross brothers are at it again. I swear, it’s like they can’t help themselves.”
My stomach twisted. I took a step closer, keeping my footsteps quiet as I strained to hear.
“They made another bet,” the girl continued. “Just like they did before. You remember, right? With Evelyn?”
My heart stopped. Evelyn. Her name was like a ghost haunting me at every turn, a name I couldn’t escape.
Her friend gasped. “No way. A bet about what?”
“About Lila,” the girl replied smugly. “Apparently, they’re betting on who can get her to sleep with them first.”
I felt the blood drain from my face.
“It’s disgusting,” her friend said, her voice quieter now. “I mean, you’d think they’d have learned after Evelyn. They’re so messed up.”
I didn’t wait to hear more. My legs carried me down the hallway before I even realized I was moving. My chest was tight, my heart pounding in my ears.
A bet. About me.For the second time.
The words replayed over and over in my mind, each one cutting deeper than the last. I thought I could handle their games, their moods, their chaos. But this?
I stormed into the library, my pulse racing as I spotted Aiden and Asher sitting at a table, deep in conversation. They both looked up as I approached, their expressions shifting from confusion to something darker when they saw the look on my face.
“Lila,” Aiden started, leaning back in his chair like he had all the time in the world. “What’s got you so worked up?”
“Don’t play dumb with me,” I snapped, slamming my books onto the table. “I know about the bet.”
Asher stiffened, his relaxed posture gone in an instant. Aiden, on the other hand, smirked like he didn’t have a care in the world.
“What bet?” Aiden asked casually, crossing his arms.
“Don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about!” My voice was louder than I intended, but I didn’t care. “The bet. The one you made about me.”
Asher avoided my gaze, his jaw tight. Aiden leaned forward, his smirk fading as he narrowed his eyes.
“Who told you that?” he demanded.
“So it’s true?” I shot back, my voice trembling with anger.
“No,” Aiden said firmly. “It’s not true. Whoever told you that is just trying to mess with you.”
I turned to Asher, who still hadn’t said a word. “Is it true?” I asked, my voice breaking. “Asher, look at me. Is it true?”
He hesitated, his hand curling into a fist on the table. “It… it started as a bet,” he admitted finally, his voice low. “But it’s not what you think.”
I felt like the floor had been ripped out from under me. “Not what I think? How is this not what I think?”
“Because it’s not about that anymore!” Asher said, standing up abruptly. “Yeah, we made the bet, but things changed. It’s not about the bet anymore, Lila. Not for me.”
I stared at him, my chest tight. “And what about Aiden? Or Grayson? Did things ‘change’ for them too?”
“Don’t drag Grayson into this,” Aiden said sharply, his tone suddenly defensive. “This has nothing to do with him.”
I let out a bitter laugh. “Of course it does. It always does. Everything with you three is connected, isn’t it? Evelyn, the fights, the lies—it all ties back to you.”
Aiden stood up, his chair scraping against the floor. “You think you know everything, don’t you?” he said coldly. “You think you’ve got us all figured out?”
“I don’t know anything!” I shouted, tears stinging my eyes. “Because none of you will tell me the truth! All you do is keep secrets and play games, and I’m sick of it!”
“Lila—” Asher started, but I cut him off.
“Don’t,” I said, my voice trembling. “Just don’t. I can’t believe I actually trusted you. I thought you were different.”
Without waiting for a response, I grabbed my books and walked away, my heart pounding in my chest. I didn’t care where I was going. I just needed to get away from them.
Diary Entry
Date: October 6th, 11:45 PM
Dear Diary,
They made a bet about me. A bet. Again. I feel so stupid for ever thinking they could be decent. Asher said it wasn’t about the bet anymore, but how am I supposed to believe him? How am I supposed to trust any of them when all they do is lie and keep secrets?
I keep thinking about Evelyn. What happened to her? Did she believe them too? Did they play the same games with her until she disappeared?
I don’t know what to do anymore. Part of me wants to walk away, to forget about them and their stupid drama. But another part of me… another part of me needs to know the truth. About Evelyn. About them. About everything.
Even if it destroys me.
Lila
I didn’t realize how far I’d walked until I found myself back in my room, the door closing behind me with a soft click. I dropped my bag onto the floor, my hands still trembling as I tried to calm down.
But then I saw it.
My phone buzzed on the desk, the screen lighting up with a new text message from an unknown number.
I picked it up, my breath catching as I read the message:
“They’re lying to you. Ask Grayson about her.”
My heart stopped.
Her. Evelyn.
I sank onto the bed, the phone slipping from my hands as the weight of the message settled over me.
The thing is, I already confronted Grayson. Grayson had warned me to stop meddling.