I didn't sleep much that night. Every time I closed my eyes, that video replayed behind my lids Alexis's smug voice, Ethan's clenched fists, and that single damning sentence: "You're still the same selfish jerk who broke me."
Even though Ethan had explained it, even though he looked me in the eye and said I could trust him, something inside me refused to settle.
Was it fear? Or was it instinct?
By morning, I felt like a shaken soda can tight-lidded and ready to explode. I walked into school with my hood up, trying to make myself smaller. Invisible. But that was impossible now. The fake dating thing had turned me into someone people noticed.
Whispers followed me down the hall. I didn't need to hear full sentences to know they were about me. And Ethan. Me and the mystery texts. and Alexis.
It was like walking through a minefield of stares and assumptions.
I kept my head down until I reached my locker. Then I saw him.
Ethan was leaning against the wall nearby, his backpack slung low, his brows furrowed like he'd been waiting a while. He straightened as soon as he saw me, stepping forward.
"Scarlet," he said, his voice quiet. "Can we talk?"
I hesitated, then nodded stiffly. "Not here."
We found an empty classroom. I stood near the door, arms crossed, while Ethan hovered near a desk, looking like he wanted to close the space between us but didn't know how.
"You didn't respond to any of my texts last night," he said.
"I didn't know what to say."
He ran a hand through his hair. "Scarlet, I meant what I said. That video wasn't what it looked like."
"I know," I said, but the words tasted sour. "But that doesn't mean it didn't feel like something."
His shoulders dropped. "You still don't trust me."
"It's not just about trust," I snapped. "It's about feeling like I'm drowning in things I don't understand. You have a history with Alexis that keeps biting back. And now I'm getting dragged into it."
"I didn't choose that," he said.
"I didn't either!"
The room fell silent, the air between us sharp with tension. I finally sat down at a desk, rubbing my temples.
"I'm scared, Ethan," I whispered. "Every time I think I'm safe, something else happens. The texts, the video, Cassidy showing up… It's like someone's playing a game and I don't know the rules."
He walked over slowly, crouched beside me. "Then let's break the game. Together."
I looked at him into his eyes, his face, and for a moment, I remembered how all this started. The fake dating. The smiles that slowly became real. The touches that lingered too long.
I remembered how it felt to fall for someone when I least expected it.
"I want to believe you," I said. "I do. But if we're going to do this, if this thing between us is going to survive, I need honesty. All of it. No more half-truths. No more protecting me from things I deserve to know."
His jaw tightened. "Okay. You're right. Full honesty."
A knock on the door interrupted us. We both jumped.
Mr. Carter, the guidance counselor, poked his head in. "Sorry to intrude. Ethan, could I speak with you for a moment?"
Ethan stood, confusion on his face. "Sure."
I watched him go, anxiety crawling up my spine. I didn't like surprises, and lately, that's all my life has been.
I sat in the empty classroom, waiting. Ten minutes passed. Then fifteen. I finally stepped into the hallway.
I hadn't gone far when I heard raised voices echoing from Carter's office.
"I didn't do it!" Ethan was saying. "Why would I harass my own girlfriend?"
My blood turned to ice.
"Sit down, Ethan," Carter said sternly. "We have screenshots. Multiple. Messages that originated from your student login. Including the most recent video."
"No, no way. That wasn't me. Someone's framing me!"
I backed away before I could hear more. My legs felt numb. My chest is hollow.
It didn't make sense. Ethan wouldn't do this. He couldn't.
But then again, how many times had I told myself that lately?
I walked until I reached the girls' restroom, locking myself in a stall and trying not to panic.
Someone was framing him.
Or… he'd been lying all along.
I didn't know what to believe anymore.
By lunch, word had spread. People were whispering about Ethan being pulled out of class. About a supposed "investigation." About Alexis's crying in the office.
I didn't eat. Just sat outside on a bench, knees tucked up, trying to figure out if my heart was breaking or just bracing itself.
Cassidy appeared like smoke.
"Mind if I sit?" she asked, not waiting for permission.
She wore a smug expression, her lipstick flawless, her hair curled to perfection like nothing in the world could touch her.
"I heard things are… tense between you and Ethan," she said.
I didn't respond.
"Alexis always said he was a smooth liar," Cassidy continued. "But you know what I think? I think you're not as naïve as you act."
I turned to her slowly. "What do you want?"
"Just to give you a warning," she said, smiling. "Some people don't stay broken up. Not really. And sometimes, boys who fake date fall back into old habits."
"Is that what you're hoping for?" I asked. "Or what Alexis is paying you to say?"
Her smile faltered. Just a flicker.
And I saw it. The crack in her performance.
"You're not as slick as you think, Cassidy," I said. "I might've been quiet before, but not anymore."
She stood abruptly, brushing imaginary dust off her jeans. "Suit yourself. Just don't say I didn't warn you."
As she walked away, a cold wind swept through the courtyard. But inside me, something else stirred, not fear. Not doubt.
Resolve.
I stood, pulling out my phone and opening a new note.
If they wanted to play games, fine.
But this time, I was going to win.