Chapter 74: Chapter 73. Jaded

Chapter 73

Theo and Daphne

Daphne was buried in paperwork, her fingers flying over the keyboard as she scanned through reports, when she heard the soft click of her office door opening. She barely looked up, assuming it Tina needing something, until a familiar presence filled the space.

Theo cleared his throat to catch her attention.

Daphne looked up to find him leaned casually against the doorway, his sharp suit perfectly tailored, his tie loosened just enough to make him look effortlessly put together. He was watching her with that unreadable expression again, the one that always made her heart trip over itself.

"How's your day going?" he asked smoothly.

Daphne blinked. Slowly, she sat back in her chair, narrowing her eyes. "What?"

Theo's lips curved slightly. "Your day. How is it?"

Okay. Weird, Daphne thought.

They were both drowning in work. Deadlines were looming, meetings were stacking up, and yet here he was, acting like they had all the time in the world for small talk.

"Fine?" she said, dragging out the word with a sigh. "Why?"

Theo stepped further inside, slipping his hands into his pockets as he studied her. "Come on a walk with me. It's a beautiful day."

Daphne stared at him. "A walk?"

"Yeah," Theo smiled. "A walk to remember."

Daphne's eyes narrowed.

"Like the move," Theo chuckled. "Have you ever watched it?"

Daphne nodded her head.

"Come," Theo said, holding out his hand. "A walk through Central Park and then lunch."

Daphne's suspicion only deepened. Theo never just 'went on walks' during work hours. And he definitely didn't take long lunches when they were this busy.

Her fingers drummed against the desk as she tried to figure out what was going on. Was he up to something? Was he planning some kind of elaborate prank? Or—her stomach twisted—was this it? Had he just been dragging out whatever he'd started the other night?

Her pulse picked up. "Why?" she asked slowly.

Theo smirked, tilting his head. "Because I want to."

Daphne narrowed her eyes. Liar.

But she couldn't exactly say no—not without looking paranoid. And despite herself, she was curious.

After a long beat, she sighed and grabbed her coat. "Fine. But if this is some kind of scheme, I swear to God, Theo—"

"A scheme?" Theo laughed, stepping aside to let her pass. "Relax, sweetheart." He pressed a hand to the small of her back, guiding her toward the door. "You'll like this one."

Daphne wasn't so sure about that.

But as she let him lead her out of the office, the tiny, nagging suspicion in the back of her mind only grew stronger.

______________________

Mason and Wendy

The diner was a cozy, old-fashioned spot with red leather booths and checkered floors, the kind of place that smelled like fresh coffee and sizzling bacon. The soft clatter of dishes and low hum of conversation filled the air, blending with the occasional sizzle from the open kitchen.

Wendy sipped her coffee while Lily chatted with Alexa. The boys all sat around quietly or scrolling on their phone. The six of them were crowded around the small table, exhaustion and the remnants of their camping trip still clinging to them. Their clothes smelled faintly of bonfire smoke, and the comfortable ache of hiking sat heavy in their limbs. The table was cluttered with coffee mugs, crumpled napkins, and packets of sugar, Lily's chatter blending in with the soft hum of morning diners.

The waitress arrived, setting down each plate with practiced ease. French toast for Lily, an omelet with extra cheese for Gabriel, Wendy's avocado toast, Alexa's waffle topped with whipped cream, Jake's loaded breakfast burrito, and Mason's plate—eggs, bacon, and a side of home fries.

Mason stared at his plate, blinking at the golden pile of potatoes where his curly fries were supposed to be. Before he could brush it off, Wendy's sharp eyes caught the mistake.

"Didn't you ask for curly fries?" she asked, frowning.

Mason waved a hand dismissively. "It's fine. Not a big deal."

"Tell the waitress," Wendy said, tilting her head.

"Nah," Mason shrugged. "She's busy. I'll be fine."

Wendy scoffed, unimpressed. "Are you scared or too shy?" she teased, arching a brow.

"No," Mason snorted, reaching for his fork.

"Don't touch it," Wendy stopped him, grabbing his wrist just before he could dig in. Mason sighed, but before he could argue, she was already calling out. "Hey, sorry—he actually ordered curly fries." She gestured toward Mason's plate, her brows raised expectantly.

The waitress glanced down and winced. "Oh, you're right! I'll fix that right away."

Mason leaned back against the chair with a resigned chuckle as Wendy shot him a smug look.

"Happy now?" he asked.

"Very," she said, stealing one of his bacon strips.

"You're a little gangster," Mason grinned.

"I asked her very nicely," Wendy said.

Mason shook his head, amused. "Yeah, and still managed to intimidate her."

Wendy smirked, taking a bite of the stolen bacon. "It's a gift."

Across the table, Jake chuckled as he unwrapped a straw. "Remind me never to get on your bad side."

"She doesn't have a bad side," Alexa said, cutting into her waffle. "She just has a 'getting-things-done' side."

"Which, in this case, means bullying waitresses into correcting a minor inconvenience," Mason said.

"It's not bullying," Wendy argued. "It's ensuring fairness in the world."

Lily, syrup dripping from her fork, nodded in approval. "Honestly, she's doing a public service. I could never send food back."

"So it runs in the family, huh?" Wendy tilted her head.

Mason exhaled dramatically, resting his chin on his hand. "I was perfectly fine eating home fries."

"Lies," Wendy said, pointing at him with the remaining half of his bacon. "Deep down, you knew you deserved better."

Mason huffed a laugh, "I wasn't going to die on the homefries hill. Not worth it."

Wendy rolled her eyes just as the waitress returned, setting down a fresh plate of crispy, golden curls in front of him.

"Here you go," the waitress said, exchanging his plate with a quick smile. "Enjoy."

"Thanks," Mason said, then turned to Wendy with a smirk. "Happy now?"

"Ecstatic," she said, popping another bite of bacon into her mouth like she was the one who had won something.

________________

Lily

Lily twirled her fork idly through the syrup-drenched remains of her French toast, her attention half on Alexa as she animatedly talked about a new eyeshadow palette she had been obsessing over.

"I swear, the shimmers are next level," Alexa gushed, pulling out her phone to scroll through her camera roll. "I tried the gold shade last night, and it—"

Her voice faltered as a notification lit up her screen.

Lily watched as Alexa's fingers hovered for half a second before she swiftly flipped the phone upside down, face impassive.

It was subtle—probably nothing to anyone else—but Lily's eyes had caught something in that fleeting moment.

The last four digits of the unsaved number.

She blinked. Her mind scrambled, piecing them together with an unsettling familiarity.

It was Jake's number.

Her heart lodged into her throat.

Slowly, as if moving would make it more real, Lily turned her gaze across the table.

Jake was grinning down at his phone, his thumb scrolling, completely unaware of the way Lily's pulse had begun to hammer against her ribs.

It's a coincidence, she told herself. It has to be. She had only seen the numbers for a second—she could've easily been mistaken. Maybe it wasn't his number at all. Maybe she was just being paranoid, letting her mind twist something small into something bigger than it was.

But her stomach churned, the weight in her chest pressing heavier with each passing second.

The way Alexa had flipped her phone so quickly. The way Jake had been grinning. The way that number had looked so familiar.

Lily swallowed the lump in her throat, forcing herself to breathe.

I'm being crazy.

There was nothing suspicious about Alexa getting a text. Nothing weird about Jake smiling at his phone. They were her best friend and her boyfriend—the two people she trusted most.

She was overthinking.

She was being irrational.

And yet, she couldn't push the dreadful feeling away.

Her fingers curled into the hem of her sweater beneath the table, her palms clammy. She needed to shake it off. Needed to stop letting her mind spiral into places it had no reason to go.

And then, as if on cue, Jake slipped his phone into his pocket and reached for her hand, his thumb brushing over her knuckles in a slow, reassuring motion.

Lily's breath caught.

He was being sweet. Affectionate. Normal. Like the boyfriend who had always been good to her. She should feel comforted. She should let it go.

Stop being ridiculous. Stop acting crazy.

And yet, even as she forced a small smile and squeezed his hand back, the feeling didn't leave. It only dug in deeper, whispering that there was something she wasn't seeing.

Something they weren't telling her

______________________

Theo and Daphne

Daphne walked beside Theo through Central Park, her heels clicking softly against the paved path. The crisp December air carried the scent of pine and roasted nuts from a nearby vendor, but she barely noticed. Her mind was running wild, her heart pounding with suspicion.

She kept glancing around, half-expecting something—or someone—to pop out. Maybe a string quartet would suddenly appear. Maybe a fancy picnic setup was waiting just around the bend. Maybe, just maybe, Theo was finally about to do what she had been convinced he was going to do at dinner the other night.

But nothing happened.

No hidden surprises. No secret photographers lurking behind the trees. No suspicious movements from Theo—just a leisurely walk, his hand holding hers as they strolled.

Her nerves refused to settle.

"You're acting weird," she finally muttered, crossing her arms as she peeked up at him.

Theo chuckled. "Am I?"

"Yes."

"Maybe you're just overthinking." His voice was light, teasing, but that smirk—that damned smirk—told her he was enjoying this way too much.

Daphne huffed, shaking her head. She tried to act normal, tried to push away the ridiculous anticipation building inside her. But then—

Theo paused.

Daphne nearly tripped over herself as he turned slightly, holding her gaze. Then, in a slow, deliberate movement—

He knelt.

Daphne's breath caught.

Her eyes widened, her entire body locking up as she stared down at him, her mind going blank.

Oh my God.

Oh my God oh my God oh my God.

Was this it?! Was this finally—?!

Her pulse skyrocketed, her fingers flying to her mouth as she watched him, her stomach twisting in a wild mix of excitement and panic.

And then—

Theo casually tied his shoelace.

Daphne's jaw dropped.

She stood there, frozen, as he looped the lace, pulled it tight, and double-knotted it like this wasn't the most soul-crushing fake-out in history.

Theo glanced up at her, amusement dancing in his sharp eyes. "Something wrong?"

Daphne gawked at him. Her heart was still racing, her face still flushed, and he was just—just—

"Are you serious?!" she hissed, smacking his shoulder.

Theo laughed, rising smoothly to his feet. "What?" he asked, feigning innocence. "You looked like you saw a ghost."

Daphne scowled, crossing her arms tightly over her chest to keep from strangling him. "I hate you."

Theo leaned in, his smirk downright wicked. "What did I do?"

She wanted to argue. Desperately. But the way he was looking at her—the pure delight in his expression—made her stomach flip in an entirely different way.

Still, she huffed dramatically and stormed ahead.

"I'm over this stupid walk," she said. "I'm going back to work and I suggest you do the same, Theodore."

Theo just laughed again, falling into step beside her like he hadn't just shaved five years off her life.

"A walk to remember my ass," Daphne muttered under her breath.

_____________________

Lily

The restroom door swung shut behind Wendy and Alexa, leaving Lily alone in the dimly lit hallway of the gas station. She adjusted the straps of their bags over her shoulder, shifting her weight from one foot to the other as she stared absently at the cracked tile floor.

The drive back home would be long. Hours confined in a car, music humming through the speakers, conversation filling the space. It should've been a comforting thought. But that uneasy feeling still clung to her, wrapping around her ribs like an iron grip.

Her eyes flickered toward Alexa's bag.

The nagging paranoia slithered back, whispering in her ear.

Check her phone.

Lily's stomach twisted. The thought alone made her feel sick. What kind of person would even think about doing something like that? She wasn't that kind of girl. She trusted Alexa.

But the feeling wouldn't let go.

She stared at the bag, heart pounding. She could feel her heartbeat in her fingertips.

She just had to see. Just to be sure. Just to shut down this stupid, awful feeling that had been eating away at her since the diner.

Her hands moved before she could stop herself.

Lily swallowed hard as she unzipped Alexa's bag, fingers trembling slightly as she searched through the tangled mess inside. She felt around for the familiar shape of a phone—brushing past a hairbrush, a pack of gum, and a tangled pair of earbuds—until her fingers closed around the cold, smooth surface.

She hesitated.

This is wrong. So, so wrong, Lily told herself.

Her head screamed at her to stop, to put the phone back, to walk away.

But her hands ignored her conscience as she lifted the phone from the bag, the weight of it heavy in her palm.

Lily inhaled sharply, her breath shaky.

Then, with her pulse hammering in her ears, she pressed the power button and typed in Alexa's code that she had given her months ago.

The screen unlocked with a soft click.

Lily's stomach twisted violently as she stared at the glowing display, her thumb hovering over the messages app. The nausea rose fast, thick and suffocating, curling at the back of her throat like she was about to be sick.

Don't do this.

Her whole body was screaming at her to stop—to put the phone back and forget this ever happened. But her hands, traitorous and trembling, moved on their own.

She tapped the message icon.

Her breath caught as the chat opened.

At the top of the screen, the unsaved number stared back at her. The same last four digits that had burned into her brain back at the diner. The same number that belonged to Jake.

Lily's heart dropped into her stomach. Her eyes scanned the messages, and every hope she had began to leave her body.

Alexa: So, what happened last night? Please tell me my sweet darling Lily finally let you hit it.

Jake: Lol, she was too busy with you at the picnic remember?

Alexa: What about after? You saw her after no?

Jake: Nah....she said she was tired and wanted to go to bed.

Alexa: Wow....she's making you work for it, huh? And I have to say, you're a sweetheart for being so patient with her. I swear she's like a little kid with her cherry. Baby girl needs to get laid.

Jake: Tell her that, please, LOL

Alexa: It's not my job to make sure you get some action, sir. That's your girlfriend's job.

Jake: Yeah, whatever :P U free later? The guys are throwing a Christmas party tonight.

Alexa: Can't, with Lily and Wendy.

Jake: Bummer. Swing by after.

Alexa: I'll let u know

Lily's fingers went ice cold. The phone felt like lead in her grip, her vision blurring at the edges as her head spun.

Her lungs wouldn't expand.

Her heart was hammering too fast, too erratic.

What the hell is this?

She scrolled up. More messages. More texts exchanged. Some casual, some vague, but all of them wrong.

Her chest felt like it was caving in.

Lily's fingers clenched the phone so tightly it hurt.

A bathroom door creaked open in the distance.

She flinched, shoving the phone back into Alexa's bag so fast she barely registered zipping it up.

Her hands were shaking. Her stomach churned violently.

The sound of footsteps echoed closer, and Lily forced herself to stand, to breathe, to push down the rising nausea clawing at her throat.

She felt like she was going to be sick.

"You okay?" Wendy asked, pausing to look at Lily as she came out of the rest room.

Lily nodded, speechless and unable to form words.

"What's wrong?" Wendy frowned. "You don't look so good—"

"I don'e feel good. I'm going back to the car," Lily barely made it out of the restroom hallway before the nausea became unbearable.

Her limbs felt weak, her breath shallow, her heart pounding so hard she could feel it in her throat. Her legs carried her on autopilot, but the second she reached the car and leaned against the door, her body sagged as if all the air had been knocked out of her.

"Lily?" Mason poked his head out the driver's window, his voice was sharp with concern. "You good?"

Lily leaned forward and placed her hands on her knees, trying to steady her breathing.

"What the hell?" Mason said as he stepped out of the car and grabbed a water bottle. Walking to Lily's side, he pressed it into her hand before pushing back her hair to look at her face. "Do you need your meds?"

Lily nodded.

"The anxiety ones?" Mason asked.

Lily nodded again.

"Where are they?" Mason asked.

Lily pointed to the trunk.

"Hold tight," Mason opened the car door. "Sit down. I'll get your meds."

As Mason hurried to the trunk of his car, Lily swallowed, her fingers trembling around the plastic bottle, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't twist the cap open. Her grip was weak, useless. Her vision blurred at the edges, the weight of what she had just seen pressing down on her chest like a vice.

Before she could process it, another hand reached out.

Without a word, Gabriel took the bottle from her unsteady grasp and twisted the cap open with ease. He crouched down in front of her, holding it out, his dark eyes searching her face.

"What's wrong?" His voice was quieter than usual, laced with something that almost sounded like worry.

Lily's throat tightened. She wanted to tell him. She wanted to say something—anything—but her voice was stuck. Her fingers curled around the bottle as she looked down, blinking rapidly, her vision swimming. Gabriel leaned in slightly, his brows drawing together as he studied her.

"Lily." His voice was softer now, almost coaxing. "Talk to me."

But she couldn't.

Because the second she tried, her breath hitched, and she knew—if she spoke now, she would break.

The sound of hurried footsteps barely registered in Lily's ears. She was too lost in the storm raging inside her head, her fingers tightening around Gabriel's fingers on her knee.

"Lily?" Wendy's voice was sharp with worry as she rushed over, her eyes scanning Lily's face. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

Alexa was right behind her, her expression mirroring Wendy's concern. "You were fine a second ago. What happened?"

Lily forced herself to lift her head, but the moment she met Alexa's gaze, her stomach twisted violently. The weight of the phone, the messages.... it was all there, sitting between them, suffocating her.

Before Lily could even try to respond, another voice cut through the air.

"Lily?"

Jake.

He jogged toward the car, his brow furrowed, his face filled with nothing but concern. His gaze swept over her as he reached for her.

"What happened?" His voice was urgent, almost frantic. "Are you sick? Do you need to lie down?"

Lily felt like she was drowning.

The way he looked at her—like she was the most important thing in the world—felt like a cruel joke. She had seen his texts.

And yet, here he was, acting like the worried, devoted boyfriend.

Her stomach churned.

"She said she wasn't feeling well," Mason supplied, handing her the small bottle of medication he had grabbed from the trunk. "She's not really talking."

Jake's frown deepened. He crouched in front of her, just as Gabriel had, his hands hovering near hers. "Baby, talk to me. What's wrong?"

Lily clenched her jaw.

The term of endearment, the concern in his voice—it made her sick.

"I want to go home."

Lily's voice was barely above a whisper, but it carried enough weight to silence everyone around her.

The moment they were back in the car, she curled into the corner of her seat, pressing her forehead against the cool window. She kept her eyes shut, pretending to be asleep, but the ache in her chest wouldn't let her rest. The world outside blurred past in streaks of gray and gold, the setting sun casting long shadows across the road.

No one spoke.

The car was thick with tension, everyone too afraid to break the silence. Wendy glanced at Lily every few minutes, concern tightening her features.

Mason kept shifting in his seat, restless, his fingers tapping anxiously against his thigh. Every time they hit a bump in the road, he glanced back at her through the rearview mirror, but Lily never moved, never opened her eyes.

By the time they reached campus, the tension was unbearable. The car had barely rolled to a stop when Lily unbuckled her seatbelt and shoved the door open.

"Lily—" Mason started, but she was already stepping out, already walking away.

"I'm fine," she muttered.

Mason and Wendy glanced at one another. They watched as Lily turned and headed toward the dorm. She didn't say goodbye. Didn't spare anyone a glance.

She just needed to be alone.

The door to her dorm clicked shut behind her, and she finally exhaled, pressing her back against the wood. Her hands trembled. Her breath came in shallow, uneven bursts.

Outside, Mason was still watching the building, his worry plain on his face.

"What the hell is going on?" he wondered.

Wendy placed a hand on his arm. "I'll talk to her," she promised. "I'll keep an eye on her tonight."

Mason frowned, unconvinced. "Something's really wrong."

"I know," Wendy said softly. "Just...give her a little time."

But even as she said it, she wasn't sure time would fix whatever had just shattered inside Lily.

___________________

Theo and Daphne

Daphne sat stiffly across from Theo in his office, arms crossed, brows drawn together in a deep scowl as she flipped through the notes for their next meeting. Her lips were pursed, her irritation practically radiating off her in waves.

Theo, meanwhile, sat straight in his chair, utterly unfazed. His fingers tapping idly against the polished desk as he studied the reports and slides in front of them for their upcoming meeting.

"So," he said smoothly, "I was thinking we could—"

"Stop breathing so loud."

Theo blinked. "...What?"

Daphne snapped her head up, glaring at him. "You're breathing. Loudly. It's annoying."

There was a beat of silence before Theo let out an exaggerated sigh, just to prove a point.

Daphne glared harder.

His lips twitched. "You want me to stop breathing, Sunshine? That might be a problem."

Daphne slammed the folder shut. "This day is stupid. All of this is stupid. I feel so cranky."

"No kidding." He smirked, completely unbothered by her snapping. "What is it this time? My breathing? My existence?"

"All of it," Daphne said. "I can't stand to be near you right now."

Theo sighed and leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk. "Daphne....baby," he said in a patient, almost amused tone.

"What?" she snapped.

Theo studied her for a moment, his gaze flickering over the tension in her shoulders, the sharp edge to her pout, the way she kept shifting in her chair like she was ready to combust.

"What's gotten into you?" he asked lightly. "Maybe you need a break."

Daphne huffed. "Maybe I need you to leave me alone."

Theo chuckled, leaning back. "I don't think that would help. You'd just find something else to be mad about."

Her glare sharpened. "Oh, so now I'm just looking for reasons to be mad?"

"Well," Theo drawled, smirking, "first it was my breathing. Then my existence. What's next? The way I blink? The way I—"

Daphne cut him off with an exaggerated groan, throwing her head back. "You're so irritating!"

Theo's smirk didn't falter. He reached for her hand, but she yanked it back, sending him a don't you dare look. That only made him more entertained.

"Sunshine, talk to me," he coaxed. "What's really bothering you?"

Daphne clenched her jaw. Like he doesn't already know. Like he wasn't having the time of his life dragging this out.

She wasn't about to admit it. Not after that fancy dinner, not after that stupid romantic helicopter ride, not after that walk in the park where he literally kneeled down just to tie his shoe.

She had thought he was going to propose. She had felt it coming. Her heart had practically been in her throat the entire night. But then? Nothing.

Now, she was sitting here, fuming, while Theo pretended to be clueless.

"You're being weird," she muttered instead. "Why are you being weird?"

Theo laughed, and the rich, deep sound only made her scowl harder. "I'm being weird?" he echoed. "That's funny, considering you just yelled at me for breathing."

Daphne threw up her hands. "Then stop breathing around me!"

Theo grinned, amused beyond reason. "I don't think that's how it works, princess."

"Figure it out."

His smirk softened into something more affectionate as he leaned forward again, his voice dropping to something smooth, knowing.

"Daphne," he murmured, "just say it."

She froze.

Her heart thudded once—hard.

His gaze was steady, teasing, but also patient. Like he was waiting. Like he knew.

She swallowed.

Then, she did what she did best.

She rolled her eyes, got up from her chair, and stormed out.

___________________

Lily

Lily lay curled up in bed, her blankets pulled tightly around her as if they could shield her from the storm raging inside her chest. The room was quiet except for the soft rustling of fabric as Wendy moved around, quietly getting ready for bed.

Lily watched her through the dim glow of the bedside lamp, her friend's movements calm and routine—pulling her hair up, slipping on an oversized t-shirt, setting her phone on the nightstand. It was so normal.

Lily's stomach twisted.

The secret inside her was suffocating, pressing against her ribs, demanding to be let out. She bit her lip, her pulse hammering in her ears as she debated whether to say anything.

And then, before she could stop herself, she pushed the covers back and sat up.

"Wendy," she said, her voice barely steady.

Wendy turned, surprised to see Lily awake. "Yeah?"

Lily's fingers curled into the fabric of her blanket. She hesitated for a second, then took a shaky breath.

"I need to tell you something," she said. "I found out about something, but I can't tell anyone about it because of the way I found out. And I don't know how to feel about what I found out. Well, actually, I feel alot of things...I just don't know which are the correct feelings to be feeling right now."

Her heart pounded as the words hung between them, heavy and unshakable.

Wendy frowned, stepping closer, her expression soft with concern. "What's up?"

"I went throught Alexa's phone."

Wendy's eyes widned, "Um...excuse me? What?"

"I saw Jake's number pop up on her phone and I had this god awful feeling and when you guys were in the bathroom, I couldn't stop myself and I check her phone."

"Lily!" Wendy gasped.

"I know. I know how horrible and terrible I am but I need to tell someone what I saw."

Wendy sighed, running a hand through her hair as she sat down on the edge of Lily's bed. Her expression was torn between disbelief and concern.

"Okay," she said slowly, trying to process. "What exactly did you see?"

Lily swallowed hard, her throat dry. "I—I didn't read everything. I just saw the messages. His number. And there were... a lot of them." Her voice cracked, and she pressed a trembling hand against her forehead. "They were talking about me. About me not sleeping with Jake yet."

Wendy's brows knitted together. "Are you sure? What the fuck?"

"I know his number, Wendy." Lily's voice was sharp, raw. She hated how desperate she sounded, how her paranoia bled into every word, but she couldn't stop. "I saw what they wrote to each other. Alexa is telling him I need to get laid while she's telling me to not sleep with him. He invited her to the Christmas Party tonight and when I brought up the party, he didn't say anything about it."

Wendy exhaled, rubbing her temples. "Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit."

Lily let out a shaky breath, her stomach twisting in knots. "Tell me I'm crazy. Tell me I'm making this all up in my head and that I'm dramatic."

Wendy hesitated. "I mean...baby girl.....You're not stupid. You know what this looks like."

Lily shook her head quickly, as if trying to rattle the thoughts loose. "No. No, Alexa wouldn't do this to me. She's my friend. She would't do this."

Her voice trembled, and she hated how uncertain she sounded.

Wendy scoffed, folding her arms. "Then why are you checking her phone, Lily? Why are you sitting here trying to convince yourself she's your friend? Why is she playing both sides?"

Lily opened her mouth but had no answer. She wanted to believe there was some kind of explanation—some reason that didn't make Alexa look like a traitor and Jake look like a liar. But the messages were burned into her brain, flashing in front of her every time she closed her eyes.

"She probably has a good reason," Lily tried weakly. "Maybe she was just trying to... help in a weird way?"

Wendy's expression darkened, her lips pressing into a thin line. "That's bullshit, and you know it." She ran a hand through her hair, frustration simmering beneath her voice. "Lily, listen to me. People who love you—who actually care about you—don't do this behind your back."

Lily stared at her, feeling raw, exposed.

Wendy exhaled sharply and shook her head. "Look, maybe I'm jaded. Maybe I've just seen this shit play out too many times, but I know what sneaky looks like. My dad? He cheats on my mom all the time. I've seen how people cover their tracks, how they lie, how they make you doubt what you know is real. And this?" She gestured vaguely, her brows knitting together. "This is sneaky as hell."

Lily's stomach churned.

"Jake and Alexa are hiding something," Wendy continued, her voice edged with certainty. "I don't care how long you've been friends with her. Something about this is wrong—and I think you already know that."

Lily swallowed the lump in her throat, gripping the edge of her blanket. She wanted to fight back, to defend Alexa, to find some thread of logic that would undo all of this. But she couldn't. Because no matter how she twisted it, no matter how many excuses she tried to make, it all pointed to the same thing.

Something was wrong.

And that realization made her feel like she was going to be sick.

Fun Fact: I had a friend in high school like Alexa....she was the inspiration behind this storyline