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Jason Hart was kissing me.

The shock hit me like a punch to the gut, and I shoved him away instantly. First, he tells me he knew I was Isabella Ace. Then, out of nowhere, he confesses he loves me, and now this? What the hell was wrong with him? Had he forgotten I was dating his best friend?

I wiped his kiss away with the back of my sleeve, trying to steady my racing heart. "What are you doing?" I demanded.

"Kissing you," he said flatly, like it was obvious.

"Well, no shit. Why?" I pressed. This couldn't be real. He even told Amanda he never liked me. So what changed?

He shrugged, calm and collected, like this was the most natural thing in the world. "I wanted to prove my feelings are real. Thought a kiss was the best way to show you."

"But you can't love me." If he really did, he wouldn't have waited until now, when I was finally happy with someone else.

His eyes darkened with desperation as he reached for my hand and gently caressed it. "I do, Izzy. I really do."

I jerked my hand away. "No, you don't." There was no way.

His cold finger lifted my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze. "I do. And I always have." His eyes burned with something fierce and unyielding.

"What do you mean, 'always'?"

"Izzy... I've been in love with you since you were six years old."

I gasped, stunned by his confession. Six years old? We didn't even meet until middle school. Where was I when I was six?

He sighed deeply. "We were best friends until... until that happened."

"Until what happened?" Confusion tangled in my mind. How could I not remember being friends with him? What had happened back then?

"Nothing. Just forget it."

I paused, trying to process. "Okay... but you have to promise me something."

"What?"

"You can't tell anyone I'm really Isabella Ace." I pressed hard. After everything, I couldn't risk my secret getting out, especially not to Rachel. Who knew what she'd do if she found out? "Please. You have to keep it."

A sly smirk tugged at his lips. "That's honestly up to you."

"Huh?"

He stepped closer. I instinctively took a step back. "Break up with Thomas," he said low and steady, "or I'm going to tell him." His eyes hardened at the mention of Thomas.

"You're not serious."

"I'm dead serious." I swallowed hard, caught in the weight of his gaze. They didn't waver once. "Thomas is my best friend. I have to protect him, don't I?" His voice carried a sharp edge I hadn't heard before. Maybe he didn't approve of what Thomas and I have.

"But I thought you were my friend too..."

"Sadly, I don't want to be just friends with you, Isabella."

"Jason, I can't—"

"Look," he cut me off, his tone final. "Break up with Thomas by next Friday, or I tell him myself."

And just like that, he was gone, leaving me stunned and speechless.

That wasn't the Jason I knew. The Jason I knew would never threaten me like that. But the look on his face said everything, he was dead serious.

I grasped the necklace Thomas had given me, clutching it tight as the cold metal pressed into my fingertips.

What should I do, Thomas?

For some reason, Thomas never came back. After Jason left, I hurried back to Amanda and waited anxiously for him. But after fifteen agonizing minutes, Gabe appeared and told me Thomas had already left, quietly slipping away just minutes before. I thanked him and rushed out to the parking lot to see Thomas walking with Rachel. A knot tightened in my stomach, seeing Rachel's arms around him. I wanted to call his name, but the words were stuck in my throat. It felt like I was suffocating, gasping for air, desperate for the sound to escape me, but nothing came out. All I could do was watch Thomas get in the back seat of Rachel's car with Megan in tow.

Not wanting to jump to conclusions, I grabbed my phone and sent Thomas a quick text. Then I waited. And waited. But nothing. No reply. A dull ache started building in my chest as I stared at the screen, hoping it would light up with his name. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. I called him. Straight to voicemail. My heart sank. Since we started dating, he's never ignored my calls. I knew he had his phone on him... so why was he suddenly not answering? Why now? Was it really because of Rachel?

I'd tried calling him all weekend long, but to no avail, each time, it went straight to voicemail, no ringing, no chance to even hear his voice. My texts went all unanswered too, which wasn't like him at all. I kept checking my phone obsessively, half-expecting a message, half-dreading what it might say. By Sunday night, I could barely sleep, my stomach twisted in knots, replaying what I'd seen on Friday after the game—him walking off with her. But today was Monday, and he had to show up at school. He couldn't avoid me forever, especially not if we still had first period together. Unless... unless he didn't show up at all, which honestly, scared me even more.

"Still nothing?" Amanda's voice broke into my thoughts, gentle but laced with concern.

I shook my head in disappointment. When I didn't come back with Thomas, Amanda, being the good friend she is, started searching for me right away. The moment she saw my tear-streaked face, she demanded to know what had happened. When I told her Jason had threatened me, she was furious. But when I added that Thomas had left with Rachel, she was a full-on storm. I hadn't seen her that mad since Jason's party.

"Don't worry, Isabella. I got this."

"Got what?"

She smirked in response, then grabbed my wrist and pulled me down the hallway. Without hesitation, she shoved past people, ignoring the stares thrown her way. When we rounded the corner, I immediately knew what she was doing.

I pulled back, stopping her. "Um... why are we heading toward Rachel's locker?"

"Because I'm pretty sure that bitch has something to do with this," Amanda said, her voice sharp. "We find Rachel, we find Thomas."

"Are you sure about th—" I began, but I didn't get to finish.

Amanda's eyes narrowed into slits. I turned to follow her gaze and there she was, Rachel. And beside her was Thomas, their fingers laced tightly together. My heart dropped.

I stared at them, frozen, words stuck in my throat. This, this—was exactly what I'd been afraid of. Seeing them together. Seeing them like how Thomas and I were just last week.

"Thomas," Amanda snapped, his name seething through her teeth. "What are you doing with her?"

Rachel laughed and tossed her hair back, her green eyes hardening with satisfaction.

"Why wouldn't he be with me?" she said, arching a brow. "He's my boyfriend, after all."

"You've got to be kidding me," Amanda growled, her glare sharp. "Last time I checked, he was dating Isabella."

"Well, last time I checked, Thomas was mine first." Rachel's lips curled into a smug smile. "And now he's mine again."

Amanda stepped forward. "I seem to recall him dumping your sorry ass—"

I barely registered the rest of what she said. My eyes locked with Thomas's for the first time. He didn't say a word. But just for a second, before his face turned cold, I thought I saw it. A flicker of guilt.

Then he looked away, gaze shifting to Rachel.

"Thomas..." My voice cracked. His jaw tightened, and I watched his mouth twitch, just slightly.

"Please tell me this isn't true."

"I'm afraid it is." His voice was flat, emotionless. Like I was nothing.

"B-but, Thomas, you—"

"Oh, for fuck's sake," Rachel snapped at me, her voice sharp and cutting. "He doesn't want you anymore. So just deal with it." Her lips curled into a sly smile before she yanked Thomas down by the collar and kissed him. I didn't even have time to react.

My eyes widened. And what hurt most wasn't just that she kissed him, it was that he kissed her back. Willingly. By the low groan that escaped his throat, he was enjoying it.

"Come on, Izzy. Let's go," Amanda said quickly, pulling me away. When we turned the corner, she finally let go of my wrist.

"God! What was I thinking?" she muttered, pacing beside me. "I never should've brought you there."

"It's not like you knew that would happen," I whispered, trying desperately not to cry. I swore I wouldn't break down in public again. Not after last time. But the image of Thomas kissing Rachel replayed in my mind, stabbing at my chest like a thousand tiny needles.

"Izzy..." Amanda's voice softened. She stopped and looked at me, her eyes searching mine. "Are you okay?"

I shook my head, grabbing her shoulders like I needed them to hold me upright.

"No, I'm not okay!" I cried, my voice cracking. "My boyfriend just broke up with me in the most humiliating way possible, and I don't even know why! Did you see Rachel? She was all over him! And T-Thomas, h-he let her—" My words dissolved into a choked sob.

Amanda pulled me into a hug. "Izzy..." she whispered. "Since when did you really fall for Thomas? What happened to the game plan? We were halfway there."

"I-I don't know," I said, wiping at my face. "But when she kissed him, the pain I felt... it was worse than anything I've felt in a long time. I know I shouldn't care. But I do."

The tears came harder then, blurring everything. I could hear whispers around us, low murmurs and not-so-subtle stares from classmates. Amanda must've noticed too, because I suddenly heard her voice, loud and angry, "Keep walking. Mind your business!"

She turned back to me, her expression softening. "It's okay, Izzy. We'll figure this out, alright? You said everything was fine at the basketball game, right?" I nodded, unable to speak. "When did he start acting weird?"

"After he went to the locker room..."

Amanda's eyes lit up, a spark of realization flickering. "Then something must've happened while he was getting changed."

"Too bad there weren't any cameras near the gym," I joked weakly, trying to lighten the mood as I wiped more tears away.

"No," Amanda grinned. "But we've got the next best thing."

I gave her a confused look. She patted my shoulder.

"I'll deal with Thomas. You go to the nurse."

I narrowed my eyes. "Why would I go to the nurse?"

"You're in no shape to be in class right now."

"Yes, I am!" I protested. "I'm not skipping just because Thomas dumped me."

Amanda placed a firm hand on my shoulder. "Isabella, you just had a full-on breakdown in the hallway. That's not 'fine.'"

"That doesn't mean I have to go to the nurse," I mumbled.

She tilted her head at me. "Do you really want to sit in class and see Thomas and Rachel together?"

I fell silent.

"You're not stable right now," she said gently, then her smile widened mischievously. She waved over someone behind me. I stiffened the second I sensed someone's presence at my back.

"Look, Jason here can take you," she said innocently.

My stomach dropped. Jason!?

My pulse spiked in panic. Not him. Not after what he said the other day.

"I-I—"

Amanda leaned in and whispered, "I know what he said. But right now, he's the only one who knows the full story."

Yeah... and the only one who could ruin everything if he wanted.

"I guess," I muttered. As much as I hated to admit it, she was right.

Amanda smiled, clearly relieved I wasn't fighting her on it anymore. "Take her to the nurse and make sure she stays there," she told Jason.

"Will do," he said with a small grin.

"Feel better," Amanda whispered as she pulled me into a hug. I leaned into her, letting the warmth of her comfort wash over me.

"Thanks," I said quietly as she turned and hurried back down the hallway.

Silence settled between Jason and me as we started walking. Then he spoke.

"So... I'm guessing he broke up with you after all."

I jerked my head toward him. "How do you know?"

He gestured toward my face. "Your eyes," he said softly. "They're red."

I looked away, embarrassed. "Are you still going to tell Thomas?" I asked, eager to change the subject.

He grimaced. "Yeah... about that, please don't take what I said the other day too seriously."

"Really?" I asked, confused. "But you said—"

"I know what I said," he interrupted, his gaze falling to his hands. "I'm sorry. I—I got jealous."

"Jealous?" I blinked. "Of what?"

"Not what—who," he corrected. "When I was trying to tell you how I felt, you were still talking about him." His eyes glinted with hurt. It made my chest twist with guilt.

"I-I didn't mean to, Jason. I didn't realize I was doing that."

"It's fine," he said, brushing it off. "I'm sorry for threatening you. That secret wasn't mine to expose."

"Thanks... but it doesn't matter now. Thomas and I are over." Saying it aloud made it real. Final. And it hurt.

Jason looked at me, his expression softening. "Izzy, it's okay if you want to cry."

All the pain I'd been holding back crashed over me like a tidal wave. He wrapped me tightly in his arms, a fragile lifeline in the chaos, and I finally let myself fall apart. The tears spilled uncontrollably, soaking into his shirt, burning hot and desperate. His large hands cradled my trembling head, fingers threading gently through my hair, grounding me when everything else felt like it was slipping away. I clung to him as if he were the only solid thing left in a world that was falling to pieces around me.

"I'm so sorry, Izzy," he whispered. "If I could, I'd take your pain away."

His breath was warm against my ear.

"But you know what?"

I shook my head.

"I promise, I'll make you forget about him. Even if it's the last thing I do."

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