Noah doesn’t look at me the next day.
Not once.
He walks past me in the hallway like I don’t exist. He doesn’t text, doesn’t call. It’s like I’ve been erased.
I tell myself I deserve it. That I should leave him alone.
But I can’t.
Because the worst part isn’t that he’s ignoring me.
It’s that it hurts.
And it shouldn’t. This was supposed to be fake. This was supposed to be a game.
So why does it feel like I’m losing something real?
By lunchtime, the tension in the cafeteria is suffocating.
Jason and Savannah are seated together, but something is off. Jason’s jaw is clenched, his fingers drumming against the table like he’s seconds away from snapping.
Savannah, on the other hand, looks completely at ease, sipping on her drink like she doesn’t have a care in the world.
I barely make it two steps inside when Jason suddenly slams his tray onto the table, making everyone jump.
Savannah sighs. “Dramatic, much?”
Jason stands, his chair scraping against the floor. “Cut the act, Savannah.”
She raises an eyebrow. “What act?”
Jason glares. “You played all of us. Me. Layla. Even Noah.”
Savannah smirks. “And?”
Jason’s fists clench. “And I’m done.”
A ripple of whispers spreads through the cafeteria. People are watching now, leaning in.
Savannah tilts her head, unimpressed. “You’re acting like I forced you into anything, Jason. I didn’t make you cheat. That was all you.”
Jason exhales sharply. “Yeah. I was an idiot. But at least I wasn’t heartless.”
Savannah blinks, like she wasn’t expecting that.
Jason shakes his head. “You never cared about me. You just wanted to hurt Layla.”
My stomach tightens.
Savannah twirls a strand of her hair. “And?”
The cafeteria falls silent.
Savannah smiles.
Like this is a game to her.
Like she won.
Jason lets out a bitter laugh. “You know what? I feel bad for Layla. She lost Noah because of you.” He steps closer. “But one day, you’re gonna lose too, Savannah.”
Her smirk falters.
Jason leans in, voice low. “And when you do? No one’s gonna feel bad for you.”
Then he walks away.
Savannah sits there, expression unreadable, as the cafeteria erupts.
I find Noah after school.
He’s by his car, staring at his phone, his expression unreadable.
My heart pounds as I walk up to him. “Noah.”
He doesn’t look up.
I step closer. “Please, just let me explain.”
He exhales slowly, like he’s debating whether to even acknowledge me. Finally, he tucks his phone into his pocket and looks up.
His brown eyes are guarded. Closed off.
“Explain what?” His voice is quiet.
I swallow hard. “You knew why I asked you to be my fake boyfriend. You agreed.”
Noah nods. “I did.”
“Then why are you acting like this?” My voice cracks. “Why are you treating me like I’m the only one who lied?”
He lets out a bitter laugh. “Because, Layla… I didn’t fake anything.”
The words knock the air from my lungs.
Noah looks at me, his expression unreadable. “I knew it was supposed to be a game. I told myself not to fall for you.” He shakes his head. “But I did.”
Tears burn my eyes. “Noah…”
His voice softens, but the hurt in his eyes is sharp. “Just tell me one thing.”
I nod quickly. “Anything.”
He meets my gaze. “Was it ever real for you?”
The answer is yes.
Yes, it was real. It is real.
But I take too long to say it.
Noah sighs and steps back. “That’s what I thought.”
“No, wait—”
But he’s already turning, walking away.
I watch him go, my heart breaking.
Because I finally realize the truth.
I love him.
And now?
Now, I might have lost him forever.
That night, I lie awake, staring at my ceiling.
The phone on my nightstand vibrates.
I already know what it says before I even look.
“You’re running out of time.”
And for the first time, I don’t ignore it. Because I know the truth now.
If I don’t do something soon…
I’ll lose Noah forever.