I sat in the passenger seat, enveloped by the familiar scent of Liam’s car—a bittersweet comfort infused with memories of us. I stole a glance at him; his expression was stern, his eyes fixed on the road ahead.
The rain pounded relentlessly outside. I’d argued that I should just take a taxi after his infuriating cousin Caleb ditched me, but Liam wouldn’t hear it. He insisted it was too risky for me to commute in this weather. So here we were, courtesy of Caleb—two exes who once shared everything, now trapped in the tight confines of his car, the silence between us thick with things left unsaid.
I shifted in my seat, restless. I never thought I’d find myself back in his car after our breakup. We’d promised to stay friends, but being this close to him sent my heart racing. The awkwardness was suffocating.
Liam broke the silence abruptly. “It’s been pouring for hours,” he said, his tone casual but clearly an attempt to ease the tension.
I nodded, mute. I wanted to reply, but the words wouldn’t come—they stuck in my throat, unwilling to surface.
The quiet crept back in. I turned to the window, watching raindrops chase each other down the glass. It was a pointless distraction; every time my gaze drifted back to Liam, my pulse quickened.
My thoughts spun wildly. The burden of our unresolved past pressed heavily on me. I longed to ask about Alex—about that recent school blog post—but fear and pride held my tongue, the words caught in a tangle of emotions.
He glanced at me briefly before returning his focus to the road. “You okay?” he asked.
I turned to him, confused. “Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?”
“You seem off. Still feel weird around me?”
“Weird?” I let out a forced laugh, aiming for indifference. “No way! It’s just… it’s been a while, that’s all.” I crossed my arms, a flimsy shield, though inside I was unraveling.
Liam chuckled. “Oh, come on. You look like you’re overthinking everything right now. It’s pretty obvious you’re uncomfortable.”
I couldn’t believe he was teasing me. I was already on edge. “You’re so annoying. I’m not,” I shot back, denying it even as his playful jabs grated on me.
He smirked. “Sure. Your face tells a different story. Just admit you miss me, Mira,” he pressed, his teasing relentless.
I slapped my hands over my face, mortified. His laughter rang out. Was he ever going to stop?
His amusement suddenly sparked my irritation. Was he actually enjoying this? I’d had enough. “Stop it!” I snapped, my annoyance spilling over.
He must’ve sensed it because he went quiet, his eyes narrowing as he looked at me.
“Sorry,” he mumbled. “I was just messing around. I know things are strange between us—I didn’t mean to make it worse. I just wanted to lighten things up.”
He might’ve been right—I was overreacting—but I wasn’t letting it go. I needed him to understand how much it stung. The guilt of choosing my dreams over him still gnawed at me, and now he was poking at that wound.
“You’re making it worse, though,” I said, turning to face him. “Fine, you want the truth? Yes, I feel awkward being alone with you. I’m uneasy every time I’m near you—especially right now, stuck in my ex’s car!”
I tore my gaze away, staring out the window. Anger simmered inside me. “You’re too clueless to joke about stuff like this. It’d be fine if our breakup was old news, but it’s still raw. Knowing I’m the one who ended it just piles on the guilt and pain. So stop—it’s not funny,” I said, forcing myself to calm down.
A heavy silence hung between us for a few seconds.
“I get it. I’m sorry, Mira,” he said softly.
I didn’t look at him, keeping my eyes on the rain-streaked window. “Guess it’s easy for you to move on. You’ve already found someone else,” I muttered under my breath, thinking he wouldn’t catch it. I was wrong.
“I heard that,” he said, his voice shifting, heavier now. “Mira, I want to explain about Alex. What you saw in that post—”
I cut him off, whipping around to meet his gaze head-on. “You don’t owe me an explanation, Liam. You’re free to like whoever you want—you’re single.”
His face changed after that, an unreadable shift in his expression. His eyes grew serious, almost startled by my words.
For a moment, he said nothing, then he nodded slowly, a faint, forced smile tugging at his lips. “You’re right, I guess.”
I sighed, a twinge of guilt hitting me for snapping. “I’m sorry. Forget what I said. It’s been a rough day, and I didn’t mean to dump it all on you. I might be overreacting.”
He just nodded, and the rest of the drive passed in strained silence.
After what felt like an eternity, he pulled up in front of my house. I mumbled an awkward thanks for the ride, but as I reached for the door, he stopped me.
“Take this,” he said, holding out his umbrella.
I shook my head. “No need. I’ll just dash inside.”
“Please, take it. You might catch a cold,” he insisted.
“Liam, it’s a short run. I won’t get drenched.”
“You’ll still get wet,” he countered. “Let me walk you in, then.” His eyes held a quiet resolve that made it hard to argue.
I hesitated. Sharing an umbrella with him felt unbearably awkward, but the rain was hammering down now, and I didn’t want to be stubborn about it. Reluctantly, I stepped out.
We walked to the gate in silence, the air between us dense. The only sound was the rain drumming on the umbrella. I tried to ignore how near he was, but it was impossible.
I glanced at him. His face was turned away, intent on the path ahead. He seemed so focused, so steady, and for a fleeting moment, I felt an odd calm. I’d missed this—being close to him like this. I couldn’t believe I was still able to study his features so closely.
I reached for the gate, but as my hand brushed it, his did too. Our fingers collided, a jolt shooting through me.
I yanked my hand back, my cheeks burning. We stood there, eyes locked, the silence thick and charged. Time seemed to slow, my heartbeat loud in my ears.
I broke the moment, looking away and clearing my throat. “Sorry,” I whispered, barely audible.
He nodded, wordless, and turned to open the gate.
I noticed his hand trembling as he did, but he managed, and we stepped through.
“Thanks for the ride and walking me home,” I said once we reached the porch.
He offered a faint smile. “You’re welcome,” he replied, his gaze lingering on mine.
I turned to head inside when he called out, “Mira.”
I faced him again, catching a rare vulnerability in his eyes—something I hadn’t seen in ages. “What?” I asked.
“Do you still love me?” The question hit like a thunderclap, freezing me in place. I hadn’t seen it coming. My mind raced, words failing me. What should I say? The truth? A lie? I didn’t know.
My mouth opened, but nothing came out. “Liam…” I managed, his name a shaky breath.
He looked as shocked by his own words as I was. Composing himself, he met my eyes. “Never mind,” he said hastily, regret lacing his tone. “Forget I asked.”
He turned and walked off without waiting for an answer. I stood there, rooted, the weight of his question crushing me.
What just happened?
What did he mean by that? Was he fishing for something specific, or just toying with me again?
Of course I still love him. We’d ended things for a reason, but that didn’t erase my feelings.
If only I could say it—but I can’t. I’d just end up swallowing every word I’d said to him the day we broke up.
I hurried inside, shutting the door behind me. His question clung to me, heavy and unyielding. I leaned against the door, my mind a tangled mess.
“You okay?” Bea asked, spotting me.
I straightened up quickly and faced her. “Oh… yeah, totally!”
She eyed me skeptically. “Really? I saw Liam drop you off. Are you two back together?”
Bea had only been staying here a short while, and she was already prying like a pro.
I shook my head. “I didn’t have an umbrella, so he drove me. I didn’t want to, but I had no choice—I’d have gotten soaked otherwise.”
“Oh, got it. You know, it’s pretty amazing how you’ve pulled it off,” she said.
I frowned. “Pulled what off?”
She gave a shy smile. “Staying friends even after breaking up. If it were me, I don’t think I could handle it.”
I looked away. If she only knew how much I struggled. The real issue was, no matter how hard I tried to keep my distance, circumstances—and the people around us—kept pulling us back together.
I stared at the floor, my mind replaying my exchange with Liam.
“Mira?” Bea’s hand on my shoulder jolted me back.
“Huh? What’d you say?” I stammered, refocusing on her.
She looked concerned, puzzled. “You sure you’re okay? You just zoned out there.”
I sighed, giving up the pretense. “Something’s bugging me.”
She didn’t press, but her eyes brimmed with curiosity.
“Remember that school page I mentioned?” I started.
“You mean Buzzworthy Scoop? That blog with all the student gossip, mostly fake?”
I nodded. “Yeah, that’s the one.”
“What about it?” she asked.
“They posted about Liam and his old fling, saying they’re rekindling things,” I explained.
“Is that why you’re off today?”
Sort of, but I wasn’t admitting it. “No way! That’s not getting to me.” Her doubtful look made me dodge her gaze.
“Then what is it?”
I took a deep breath. “When he dropped me off earlier, he asked if I still love him.”
Her eyes widened, and she clapped a hand over her mouth. “What’d you say?”
I shook my head. “What could I say? I was too shocked to answer. I tried, but he told me to forget it.” I met her gaze—her disbelief mirrored mine. She couldn’t believe he’d ask that either, not after pushing for us to stay friends.
“That’s what I can’t figure out,” I went on. “Why ask if he’s got something going with Alex?”
She rested a hand on my shoulder, comforting. “Mira, the answer’s staring you in the face.”
“What? I don’t get it,” I said, confusion taking over.
“Maybe that post isn’t true. Maybe Liam’s still holding out hope you two can fix things.”
I laughed dryly. “No way. He didn’t deny it.”
“Did you ask him?” she pressed.
“No, but he tried to explain, and I shut him down. I figured he’d just feed me excuses—like he didn’t mean to fall for someone else so fast.”
Bea rubbed her forehead, incredulous. “Seriously? What if he meant something else? What if he was going to say there’s nothing between them?”
“But if that were true, he’d still clear it up, right? If he wanted a clean slate, he would’ve,” I countered.
She sighed. “That’s your take, so fine. But Mira, if you could answer his question, what would you say?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know.”
She opened her mouth to reply, but we both froze as Briana came downstairs. She passed us, and I caught her smiling at Bea before heading to the kitchen.
“Did she just smile at you?!” I asked, stunned.
Bea nodded, grinning. “Yeah.”
“You’re good now? How’d that happen?” I asked, floored.
“She came to me last night and talked. Apologized for being harsh and said she’d try to make up for it,” Bea said, her happiness obvious.
Had Briana finally seen how awful she’d been? But that seemed unlikely—she never learned. I’d known her forever; she could be so manipulative. I couldn’t shake the suspicion she was scheming to win Bea over.
“You sure she’s for real?” I asked, skepticism creeping in.
She paused. “Yeah, she seemed genuine when we talked. Why would she fake it?”
I forced a smile. “Good to hear. Hope it lasts.”
Bea looked at me earnestly. “And I hope you two can patch things up someday,” she said, smiling. “I know my sister’s messed up with you a lot, but I think she’s trying to change. She’s got some good in her, I’m sure.”
I glanced away. Bea meant well, but making peace with Briana felt out of reach.
I’d forgiven her long ago and would accept her if she reached out. But I doubted she would—she’d hated me forever, and I didn’t see that changing.
———
The next day, I trudged down the school hallway, head down, lost in thought. Liam’s question from yesterday still gnawed at me.
“What did he mean by that?” I muttered. “Was it just curiosity? Or was he checking if I’m over him so he can date guilt-free? Or maybe…” I sighed. “Whatever!” I scratched my head, frustrated.
When I looked up, I stopped cold. Amid the crowd, Liam was the first I saw, staring at me from afar.
What if I just asked him? What’s the worst that could happen? I’d only be asking what he meant yesterday.
I started toward him, but then someone called out, “Liam!”
I turned—it was Alex, jogging toward him by his locker. He shifted his gaze from me to her, surprised but smiling as he greeted her.
I let out a breath. Jealousy stabbed at me. It hadn’t been long since we split, so seeing him with her cut deep.
I could lie to everyone else, but not myself.
Before he could look back, I turned away. “Forget it. I’ve got my answer,” I whispered.
Bea was right—it was right there. Liam had moved on, found someone new. Someone not like me, who’d left him for Italy.
As I spun around, I crashed into someone. Looking up, it was Caleb.
Talk about timing—the perfect person to run into.
Caleb’s eyes widened. After ditching me yesterday, I figured he’d avoid me today. “M-Mira?” he stammered.
I glared. “You jerk…”
Before I could unleash on him, he bolted.
No way. I took off after him. I needed an outlet for my anger after seeing his stupid cousin with Alex, and Caleb was perfect—he’d screwed me over yesterday. I wasn’t letting him off easy!
As I chased him, students’ stares followed us.
It felt like they were making something out of it. I even caught Liam and Alex glancing over as I sped by. I don’t know why Caleb ran that way, past them—it made me look desperate for attention.
I caught up, and he stopped, facing me. “Mira, I’m sorry,” he panted, exhausted.
I scoffed. “Yeah, I bet you are.”
I stepped closer, but he held up a hand, likely sensing I’d hit him. “Wait—let me explain.”
I glared. “No need, jerk! You made everything worse. You know I’m avoiding him, and you set me up to ride home with him? Real smooth!”
He scratched his head. “I did it ‘cause I know you still care about Liam. I thought I could help you two get back together.”
“You’re not helping! You’re making it weirder. He’s moved on, found someone else—and so have I.”
He gave me a look like he didn’t buy it. “I don’t believe that for a second, Mira. It’s clear you both still love each other. Mady and the others would back me up.”
I rolled my eyes. “Can you drop it?” I said, faking a swing at him.
“Just stating facts,” he teased.
I took a deep breath, reining myself in before I decked him. “Look, I get you meant well, but this wasn’t it. I’d rather you let us sort it out ourselves. Let us move on.”
Students passed, their looks catching my eye. What was their deal? They’d been staring since the chase.
Caleb seemed to notice too, pulling out his phone. Mine was back in class, so I peered over to see.
A fresh Buzzworthy Scoop post popped up:
'Well, things got… interesting in the hallway this morning. We saw Mira and Caleb—Liam’s cousin (and Mira’s ex)—chasing each other like a rom-com scene. Liam and Mira’s breakup was recent and messy, so seeing them all here, with Liam and Alex nearby, was wild.
Students are buzzing about what sparked it. Some say it’s just playful, others think there’s more.
Theory one: Mira and Caleb are trying to make Liam jealous. Everyone knows Mira’s not over him—seeing him with Alex has to hurt. Maybe she’s using Caleb to get his attention, show him what he’s lost.
Theory two: Could there be sparks between Mira and Caleb? That chase might’ve been flirty, hinting at something new. Love pops up in weird places, right?
Whatever’s up, Mira and Caleb are shaking things up, adding fresh drama to school.'
Minutes after the chase, and it’s already posted? Who cares about a hallway run? Why’s it always a spectacle?
Instead of getting mad, an idea hit me.
I looked at Caleb, and he seemed to guess it. “Why’re you staring like that?”
“After what you pulled, I know how you can make it right,” I said with a sly grin.
His eyes widened, like he knew what was coming. “Whatever it is, I’m out. Take my apology and let’s move on.”
I raised an eyebrow. “You think I’d let you off that easy after yesterday?” I paused, locking eyes with him. “Let’s pretend we’re dating.”
His jaw dropped. “Are you insane? Why?!”
“I’ve got reasons. Trust me,” I urged.
“No way! Deal with it yourself,” he shouted.
Students turned at his outburst. I smacked his shoulder. “Quiet down!” I hissed.
“How can I, with you spouting nonsense?”
I dragged him to a quieter spot. “Just hear me out, okay?”
He shook his head. “No chance. Never,” he said firmly.
I rolled my eyes. “The page already has us as a thing—why not lean in? Show them we’re dating, like it says.”
He frowned. “That you’re making Liam jealous ‘cause you still love him?”
“No! Not that!” I groaned. “That we’re a real couple.”
“Why fake it?!”
“To get back at him for moving on so fast. I want him to see I’m not the only one who’s moved on,” I explained.
He laughed.
“What’s so funny?!” I snapped.
“You totally want him jealous.”
I glared. “No! I just want payback. After yesterday’s mess, I need this.”
He looked puzzled. “What happened when I left you with him?”
I spilled it all, and he went quiet, thinking. “Mira, sometimes guys can’t say what they mean, so they get misunderstood.”
I laughed sarcastically. “So he shows it by dating Alex? That’s garbage! Stop covering for him.”
He stayed calm. “I think you’re the one hurting Liam, not the other way around.”
His words stopped me cold, echoing in my head. I couldn’t believe he’d say that. But as it sank in, unease crept over me.
Was he right? Had I been so wrapped up in my own hurt that I missed how I’d affected Liam? I’d been furious, lashing out—maybe wrongly.
Caught in my own emotions, I’d lost sight of the full picture. Guilt flooded me. Maybe I’d been the one causing him pain all along.