Chapter 29: Chapter 29

TRISTAN

~Amelia Harrington, you told me that all people are worthy of love. You were the first person to make me feel worthy of anything. You brought me to life six years ago, and I’ll love you forever for it.~

My palms are damp with sweat when I press save. God, I sound so needy, but it’s nothing short of the truth. She was the first person who made me feel like something other than my looks or talent matter. When she looked into my eyes, she saw ~me~.

The cursor blinks at the bottom of the last paragraph, and I close the document and the laptop. It’s done, and my God, what an exhausting effort it was. If I weren’t so anxious, I’d be ready to collapse on my bed and take a nap.

Itemizing my feelings for Amy required more strength than a conditioning drill where I’m pushed to my physical limits. I hated having to sit still with these achingly vulnerable thoughts. My heart is near bursting with love for her, and it’s screaming at me to seek instant results. Any time I wrote a passage or even a sentence that rang true, I had to fight the urge to grab my phone from my top dresser drawer and turn it on so I could call her and let these words pour out.

She deserves better than that. She deserves patience and grueling determination. I’ll tell her when the time is right.

Now, I need to make sure I get that opportunity.

I rise from the desk, stretching my arms high in the air after what feels like centuries hunched over the keyboard.

I head down the hallway to Nick’s room. When I glance through the door, Harper is at his desk while Nick is sitting on the bed with his laptop.

“I need you to do something for me,” I say to Nick.

He frowns. “What’s up?”

I shove my shaking hands in my pockets to still them. “Can you and Serena make sure Amy comes to the closing ceremony? She doesn’t have to stand up with the other contestants. She just needs to be in the crowd.”

He winces. “She’s been really upset lately. I don’t think she’ll—”

“Tell her she’ll be getting the K scholarship. I’m making sure of it. I can even have the administration office send an email confirming it if she doesn’t believe me, but she needs to be there.”

His eyes dart to Harper and then back to me. “I’ll see what I can do, but Harper needs to talk to you about something.” His jaw ticks. “It might help with Amy.”

A chill prickles over my skin as I look at Harper, who’s glaring daggers at Nick. “I came to you because I needed to vent,” she says. “Because I feel fucking awful.”

He scowls. “How do you think Tristan is going to feel?”

My stomach roils. “What is this about?”

Harper’s eyes grow pained.

“I’m telling him if you don’t,” Nick says.

“Telling me what?” I nearly shout.

“Fine.” Harper shoots me a pleading expression before standing up from the chair and walking over to me. “Let’s go to your room.”

My heart thumps in my chest as I lead the way out into the hallway. As we walk into my room, I catch sight of Harper’s quivering lips, and the back of my neck prickles.

What did she do that made her feel “fucking awful” enough that she had to vent to Nick? Is this about Amy?

Harper sits down slowly at my desk chair, twisting her fingers together in her lap. I take a deep breath and search her expression for answers.

“What is going on?” I burst out.

She looks up at me, her eyes glistening. “Tristan, I…” She shuts her eyes for a moment. “I did something really bad.”

My heart twists in my chest, and my hands grow cold. Somehow, I know where this is going.

It has something to do with Amy.

The silence stretches between us, an agonizing crawl.

“Goddamn it,” I say, unable to bear it. “Just tell me.”

Tears fill her eyes. “The night I came to your room a few nights ago…you know, to study…”

“Yes,” I say sharply, and she flinches.

I knew something was up with her that night, and like an idiot, I ignored it.

“I took a picture of you.” Harper’s voice is barely above a whisper. “While you were asleep.”

Dizziness descends over me, so intense I sway forward. “Why would you take a picture of me like that?”

But I already know.

She showed it to Amy.

She swallows hard and clenches her hands into fists on her thighs. “I went to Amy’s dorm the next day.” Her words tumble out now. “And I told her we slept together. I used the picture as proof.”

The room tilts, and my legs tremble beneath me.

This is why Amy transformed from one day to the next. The night before, she was warm and tender, telling me I’m one of the most interesting people she knows. The very next day, she told me I was boring.

Though my whole body is shaking, a warm light flickers in my heart.

This, I can fix.

I still have work to do for all the lies I’ve told Amy, and for that day I lashed out at her by letting Harper read her fanfic aloud. I still have to pay for hiding my love away like it would burn me if I ever let it surface. For concocting this wild plan of enrolling her in the game instead of confessing my true feelings.

But Amy’s rage and pain over my supposed betrayal…

I can fix this.

“Jesus, Harper.”

“I know.” Her voice tells me she really does know how bad this is. She’s petty sometimes, but her cruelty seems to be reserved for Amy.

Which begs the question…

“Why did you do it?” My voice slices through the room, making her jump.

“I don’t know. I—” Harper’s voice breaks, and she fidgets with the hem of her shirt. “I know it was awful. I hated myself afterward.”

“Good,” I snap before I can stop myself. The anger is a living thing inside me. My first time having sex with Amy was ruined because of Harper.

“Harper, you’ll have to do better than ‘I don’t know.’”

The room goes quiet except for the faint hum of the heater. I take a deep breath, trying to steady the whirlwind of thoughts spinning through my head.

“It’s not fair,” she finally murmurs. “The two of you get to be together. You get my old best friend. And she gets you.” Tears fall down her face. “You’re going to leave me behind, just like she did.”

I groan, frustration clawing my skin at her selfishness. “No. That’s not what’s happening. ~You~ left Amy behind, and now…” I shrug, the movement jerky. “You’re probably going to lose me too. But because of ~your~ actions.”

Her sob seems almost yanked from her chest. “Please.” The word is so faint, escaping with a slight movement of her lips.

With effort, I make my way over to where she’s sitting and crouch down in front of her. It won’t do any good to rail at her for a choice she can’t go back and change, one she clearly regrets.

Still, I want to fucking scream at her.

“Harper, no one is leaving you. You’re pushing people away.”

She buries her head in her hands, and it’s as if a dam breaks. Sobs start rolling in, one after the other.

“Every time you lash out,” I say, “every time you let jealousy take over, you drive a wedge between yourself and the people who care about you.”

She sucks in a shuddering breath, her head still buried in her hands.

“You need to fix this.” My voice is much firmer now. “You know that right?”

She looks up at me, her eyes red and glistening. “I know, but…could you give me some time?”

I cross my arms over my chest. “Nope. You do this now, Harper. Right after you leave here. Otherwise, our friendship is over.”

Her eyes grow wide. “You mean we can still be friends?”

Her tone is so cheerful that I fight the urge to groan. “I don’t know. Hopefully, I can forgive you.”

She frowns. “Hopefully?”

I clench my jaw. “Yes, hopefully. You did something truly heinous. I love Amy, do you know that?”

Her face crumples, and she lets out another sob. “I don’t want to hear it.” Her tone is petulant.

“Too bad. You need to understand how serious this situation is. Because of you. You need to go to her now. She’s staying at Serena’s dorm. Marina Point, room 312.” I pat her back. “Go.”

She flinches. “My face is all red.”

“Good.” I stand up from the bed and walk over to my door. “Maybe it’ll help her see how truly sorry you are.”

She rises slowly from her chair, her expression pleading. I typically coddle her when she’s upset, but I won’t now.

Just as she approaches the door, she hesitates. “Do you think Amy will ever forgive me?”

“Maybe,” I say, “But that doesn’t matter. You aren’t doing this for yourself, right?”

Her shoulders slump. “No, I’m doing this for you. And…for her, I guess. I do still love her. I wish I had…” She shakes her head. “It doesn’t matter. Like you said, this isn’t about me.”

“No.” My voice is breathless. “Please go now, and call me as soon as you’ve talked to her to let me know how it goes.”

She nods before disappearing down the hall.

I’m in a daze as I walk to my dresser and pull out my phone. My pulse is fluttering against my throat as I press the power button. If only I could transport myself to an hour in the future when Harper’s conversation with Amy is over.

Will it change Amy’s mind instantaneously, or will she still have her doubts about me?

The screen flickers on and slowly loads. After a moment, a text appears, and my frantic heart jumps into my throat.

Amy

Can we arrange a time to meet up? I have something to say to you, and I need your full attention.

Oh holy fuck. She sent this four hours ago.

She finally wants to talk.

The hope in my heart nearly sends me to my knees. I fall on my bed as euphoria drifts through my veins.

She wouldn’t ask to meet if she weren’t softening toward me. My stubborn Amelia would fob me off forever if she really hated me. Hell, that’s what she’s done for six straight years.

Oh God, please let this be my open door.

I want to rush over to her dorm right now, but she needs to have that conversation with Harper first. How long will their conversation take? An hour at the most.

I couldn’t wait any longer than that anyway.

I pull up my phone and write out a text. It’s surprisingly difficult with my trembling thumbs.

Tristan

Let’s meet in an hour. Just tell me where.