The days leading up to exams were a blur of late-night studying and relentless attempts to keep my head down. It wasn’t just about academics anymore—it was about survival. Every time I stepped into the school, it felt like I was stepping into a battlefield.
I tried to avoid them as much as I could. Vanessa and Logan. The painful pair. The more I avoided them, the easier it was to convince myself that their relationship wasn’t real, that it was all built on lies and manipulation. But avoiding them didn’t make the ache go away. It just gave it time to fester.
Vanessa was glowing, of course. She walked through the hallways like a queen, her hand resting on her growing belly as if it were a badge of honor. She looked triumphant, smug in a way that made my stomach churn every time I saw her.
She had everything she wanted.
And yet, she was still a liar.
A liar who had taken Logan, ruined Caleb’s life, and made everything feel like a cruel, twisted joke.
It happened during lunch. I was walking past them in the hallway, determined to keep my head down, when Vanessa’s voice rang out.
“Emma, hey!” she called, her tone so saccharine it made my teeth hurt.
I stopped reluctantly, turning to face her. She stood there with Logan at her side, her arm looped through his in a way that made my chest tighten.
“This is my last few weeks at school,” she said, her smile wide and artificial. “Don’t act like you’re not happy for me.”
I said nothing, my jaw clenched as I fought to keep my emotions in check.
“We’ve talked to our parents,” Vanessa continued, her voice light and breezy. “And we decided it’s best if I just concentrate on the baby for now. Right, Logan?”
Logan’s expression was unreadable, his eyes not quite meeting mine. He gave a small nod, his shoulders tense.
Vanessa’s smile widened. “I am sure that it’s a boy!” she said, her voice filled with exaggerated excitement.
The words hit me like a punch to the gut. My vision blurred, and I felt something twist painfully in my stomach. I couldn’t stay there—not for another second. Without saying a word, I turned and bolted down the hallway, ignoring Vanessa’s smug laughter as I ran.
I barely made it to the ladies’ room before my stomach revolted. I leaned over the sink, gripping the edges tightly as I threw up, my body shaking with a mix of nausea and rage.
Liar. Liar. Liar! The word echoed in my head like a drumbeat.
How could she speak to me like that, knowing everything she’d done? How could she stand there, so triumphant and proud, when her entire world was built on deception?
Tears streamed down my face as I tried to steady my breathing, my chest heaving with the effort of holding myself together.
Then I heard footsteps behind me.
“Emma.”
I turned, wiping at my face with the back of my hand. Jake stood in the doorway, his expression filled with quiet concern.
“Jake,” I croaked, my voice barely audible.
He stepped closer, his movements slow and deliberate as if he were afraid I might break. “Are you okay?”
I let out a bitter laugh, the sound shaky and hollow. “Do I look okay?”
Jake didn’t respond. Instead, he closed the distance between us and wrapped his arms around me.
For a moment, I stiffened, unsure of how to react. We’d barely spoken before—not beyond polite exchanges and the occasional nod in passing. But now, standing there in his arms, I felt something I hadn’t felt in a long time.
Comfort.
Jake didn’t say anything. He just held me, his arms steady and reassuring as I let myself fall apart.
The tears came harder then, and I buried my face in his chest, my sobs muffled against the fabric of his shirt. He didn’t try to shush me or tell me it was going to be okay. He just stood there, his presence solid and unwavering.
When I finally pulled back, wiping at my face, he gave me a small, lopsided smile. “You’re stronger than this,” he said simply.
I let out a shaky breath, nodding. “I don’t feel strong.”
“You don’t have to right now,” he said. “But you will.”
His words settled over me like a blanket, softening the edges of my pain.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
He shrugged, his smile widening slightly. “Anytime.”
As Jake left, I stood in the bathroom, staring at my reflection in the mirror. My face was pale, my eyes red and swollen, but there was something else there—something I hadn’t seen in weeks.
Resolve.
Vanessa might have built her world on lies, but I wasn’t going to let her drag me down with her. Not anymore.
I had a future. A real one.
And I wasn’t going to let her take that away from me.