First-Person POV - Hanna
Emily’s hand gripped my wrist so tightly, I thought she might cut off my circulation. She didn’t let go until we were behind the closed door of the pantry, away from the crowd and noise of the party.
Before I could even speak, her hand cracked across my face—hard.
The sting of Emily’s slap reverberated through my cheek, but it was nothing compared to the burn of her words. I stood there, frozen, my mind scrambling to process what had just happened. Her eyes, usually so warm and full of laughter, were sharp now, blazing with betrayal and anger.
I blinked, trying to find my voice, but nothing came out. My heart pounded in my chest, the guilt that had been gnawing at me all night suddenly overwhelming.
“How could you?” Emily demanded, her voice trembling with fury. “You used him, Hanna! You used Elordi to make Finn jealous. It’s the other way around, huh? What the hell is wrong with you?”
I opened my mouth to defend myself, but all I could manage was a choked, “I didn’t mean for it to go this far.”
Emily’s eyes narrowed, her lips pulling into a sneer. “Didn’t mean for it to go this far? What did you expect to happen? Did you think everyone would just go along with it? That no one would get hurt?”
“I was trying to get Elordi’s attention,” I said, my voice barely a whisper, my throat tight with emotion. “I liked him for so long, and he never noticed me. It was just... supposed to be a way to make him see me.”
“But then you kissed Finn,” Emily shot back, her voice cold and unforgiving. “You chose him.”
The weight of her accusation hung heavy in the air. It was true, and I had no defense. I hadn’t planned on falling for Finn. That wasn’t part of the deal. But somewhere along the way, things changed. My feelings shifted, and now everything was unraveling.
“I didn’t mean to hurt anyone,” I whispered, my voice cracking under the weight of my own guilt.
Emily’s expression softened for just a second, but it didn’t last. Her hand dropped to her side, but her eyes remained hard. “You hurt everyone, Hanna. Elordi. Finn. Me.”
I looked down at the floor, shame flooding through me. I didn’t know how to make this right. I didn’t know if I even could.
“You’re my best friend,” Emily continued, her voice quieter now, but no less intense. “And you lied to me. You played all of us.”