Ciara hadn’t planned on spying. She had simply been on her way to meet Jacob when she rounded the corner and froze. There, in a shadowed corner of the library, Hanna and Finn stood close, their faces barely inches apart. Even from a distance, Ciara could see the way Hanna looked at Finn, her eyes soft and unguarded in a way that Ciara hadn’t seen before. And then, before she could turn away, Hanna closed the space between them, pressing her lips to his in a kiss that was soft at first but then deepened, full of the longing and conflict they were both trying to ignore.
Ciara’s heart twisted as she watched, a sharp pang of hurt and resentment piercing through her. She quickly stepped back, pressing herself against the wall out of sight, her mind racing. She shouldn’t have been surprised; she’d sensed the lingering tension between Hanna and Finn for a while now. But seeing it in person—seeing Hanna so openly betray Marco and Jacob—was another story.
Her hands clenched into fists as the memory of the kiss lingered in her mind, the image of Hanna wrapped up in Finn as though no one else in the world mattered. She thought of Jacob, of how much he trusted Hanna, defended her, even when Ciara herself had had her doubts. Jacob saw Hanna as someone genuine, someone who valued loyalty and honesty. And now, here she was, proving that all wrong.
Part of Ciara wanted to storm into the library, confront Hanna and Finn, make a scene. She wanted to tell Jacob immediately, to expose Hanna for what she really was. But another part of her—the part that had worked hard to change, to become someone better for Jacob’s sake—held her back. She knew how important trust and honesty were to him, and if she acted out of anger, it might backfire, hurting her relationship with him. She might come across as petty or vindictive, just the kind of person she’d been trying to leave behind.
The school bell echoed through the hall, snapping her back to reality. She took a deep breath, her mind swirling with the implications of what she’d just witnessed. As she walked down the corridor, her movements felt mechanical, her thoughts a storm of jealousy, frustration, and guilt.
When she spotted Jacob waiting for her by the lockers, his easy smile only deepened the ache in her chest. He looked so at ease, so trusting, and the thought of shattering that innocence made her hesitate. She forced a smile as she walked up to him, trying to mask the turmoil bubbling beneath the surface.
“Hey, you,” he greeted her, leaning in for a quick kiss. His arm wrapped around her shoulders, and she felt the warmth of his embrace, a stark contrast to the cold knot of anger festering in her chest.
“Hey,” she replied, managing to keep her tone steady. “Sorry, I got a little sidetracked.”
“No problem,” he said, completely unaware of the inner battle she was waging. “Ready to go?”
She nodded, but as they walked together, his arm around her, she felt the weight of her secret pressing down on her, growing heavier with each step. The idea of confronting Hanna tempted her, but she knew it would be a risk. Jacob wouldn’t take it lightly if she lashed out at Hanna, especially not when he had been trying so hard to get her and Hanna to make peace.
The rest of the day passed in a blur, and Ciara felt as if she were operating on autopilot. Her mind kept replaying the kiss, the way Hanna had looked at Finn, as though no one else existed. And each time the memory resurfaced, it brought with it a fresh wave of resentment.
By the time she got home that evening, Ciara was exhausted, drained from the battle between her anger and her instinct to keep the peace. She lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling, grappling with the decision that weighed heavily on her. Should she tell Jacob? Should she expose Hanna for betraying not only Marco but him as well?
As the hours slipped by, Ciara’s anger slowly cooled, replaced by a simmering sense of hurt. Hanna had been someone she’d started to consider a friend, someone she had made an effort to understand for Jacob’s sake. But now that fragile trust felt shattered, and Ciara’s old wounds were starting to reopen, the insecurities and resentments she’d tried so hard to bury creeping back to the surface.
She thought about confronting Hanna directly, about letting her know that she’d seen everything. Maybe it was better to give Hanna the chance to come clean on her own, to see if she’d be honest with Jacob and Marco about what she’d done. But a part of her, the part that still felt betrayed, wanted to keep the secret just a little longer, to let Hanna squirm under the weight of her own guilt.
In the end, Ciara decided she’d wait. She’d give Hanna a chance to be honest, but if she didn’t take it, Ciara wouldn’t hold back. She would protect Jacob from being hurt, no matter what it took. And if Hanna wanted to risk everything she’d built, then Ciara would be ready to pick up the pieces—and maybe even find a way to turn the tables in her own favor.
With a deep breath, Ciara closed her eyes, determined to play her cards carefully. She didn’t know how this would end, but she knew one thing: Hanna wasn’t going to get away with this.