“Maybe when we are most tempted to give up is when we really shouldn’t.”
---
~ Elizabeth ~
I thought I had had enough at the library—until I got into my room, dropped to the floor, and the tears came streaming down uncontrollably.
I clutched my chest. It hurt—so deeply I couldn't tell if the pain was from heartbreak, betrayal, or maybe both.
Then suddenly, as if remembering something urgent, I grabbed my phone and logged into my socials. The first thing I noticed?
Patrick had blocked me.
And then... I saw I’d been added to a group.
Holland’s High ~ 20XX set.
A school group? I blinked, confused. For what reason?
I opened it, and right there, I saw I’d been tagged several times. My heart thudded as I clicked one of the tags.
It was a picture of Evie and Patrick—holding each other affectionately. Not kissing, but close. Too close.
Through my tears, I wondered, Why weren’t they kissing? Was that supposed to make it hurt less?
Then I saw the caption.
“Do you like our surprise, bitch?”
It was from Sarah Hampton. Of course. The Queen Bee herself. But why? Why stoop so low? And what had I done to deserve this?
With a heavy sigh, I dropped my phone—only for a new notification to light up the screen a few minutes later.
It was from my boss at the café.
: Hey, I heard you’re back. Would you like to take over your job from where you left off?
The message took me off guard. I stared at it for a while before replying:
: Yes. When can I start?
The response came in quickly.
: Anytime you’re ready.
: Tomorrow? I typed, needing something—anything—to keep me from spiraling. I knew grieving was important. But I also knew I had to start moving on before the grief drowned me.
: Okay. We’ll be expecting you.
I placed my phone aside and curled up on my bed. For the first time that day, I felt I’d made the right decision.
---
The next day at school went by more smoothly than I expected, so much so that I found myself wondering if something bad was just waiting to happen.
But nothing did.
Not until Elena, one of the cheerleaders, approached me after class.
“You’re not planning to ditch your responsibilities today too, are you?” Her tone was sharp, almost taunting. Maybe she’d heard. The whole school probably had, anyway.
“No,” I replied, and headed to the locker room to change into my uniform.
Standing by the arena, watching Patrick and the guys play, I felt a wave of nostalgia crash over me.
Just days ago, we’d been laughing together, sharing secrets, kisses. But now? It felt like a lifetime ago.
How could everything change so fast?
“You’re staring too much,” Sarah’s voice pierced through my thoughts.
I turned to face her, still in her school uniform, supervising from the sidelines.
Right. She wasn’t on the team—just there to gloat.
“And?” I took a step toward her. I wasn’t weak. I wouldn't let her see me broken.
“And you think pretending to be strong will help?” she scoffed. Laughter rippled through the arena. I looked around. Faces sneering. But none cut deeper than Evie’s.
They knew exactly where to strike.
“What’s going on here?” The coach’s voice boomed across the arena. We quickly dispersed.
Cheer practice began, but I couldn’t stop watching Patrick. He was off. Slower. Not quite like his usual self back in Miami. Was I just imagining it?
Regardless, he still won. As always. And no one else seemed to notice a thing.
Maybe I was being too sensitive.
After practice, I picked up my stuff and went to the locker room to change. The cheer outfit wasn’t bad—I could’ve worn it home, but it just felt… uncomfortable.
Besides, walking all the way home in it? No thanks.
Dad still had no idea I was walking now. Things had changed. Funds were tight.
I’d barely stepped outside when—
“Do you like my surprise?”
“Patrick…” I breathed, half-whisper, half-squeak. He was the last person I expected to see here.
“I asked you a question, Virginia,” he said, stepping closer. “Do you like my surprise?”
I instinctively stepped back until I hit the wall. Now he was hovering over me.
I blinked fast, refusing to cry. He wouldn’t get that satisfaction.
“Your surprise?” I asked, my voice barely steady.
“Yes.”
The one that crushed me? I almost said, but swallowed the words.
“It was… unexpected, but—”
“You didn’t really think I’d date you, did you?” His voice was cold. Distant. I shivered.
“You—”
“So you did?” His eyes lit with amusement. He let out a cruel laugh.
“How pitiful,” he sneered. “Did you really think I, Patrick Diego, would date a girl like you?”
My fists clenched. My throat tightened.
“Tsk, tsk…” He reached out to touch my face. I flinched and pulled back. He laughed harder.
“You thought I liked you?” I stayed silent. The truth was—I did. Despite everything, I had believed in us.
“You’re joking,” he said. “You’d be lucky if I even spared you a glance.”
My jaw trembled, but I steadied myself. “Then why are you here?” I asked, finding a sliver of strength.
“To remind you to stop dreaming. You’ll never have my heart. Never.”
And with that, he walked away like it meant nothing.
I slid to the floor, trembling. My heart ached so badly, I felt numb.
It’s one thing to be rejected in silence. But to be rejected with such cruelty?
That… stings.
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A/N: What did you guys think of the chapter?