𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐅𝐔𝐋 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐎𝐒

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟐𝟏

LILIANA
ROSELINE

Jaxon and I had finally patched things up after school, and he'd decided to take me out on a date—well, technically, his family was invited to some event, and we were going as a couple. It felt good to be back on the same page with him, but there was a pit in my stomach I couldn't ignore. I was lying to him, and I couldn't stop it. I didn't even know what we were, but pretending like everything was fine broke something inside me. It hurt more than I cared to admit. I just wished Jaxon would understand that Marci and Damon being together wasn't the end of the world. Maybe one day he would understand, but for now, I had to keep pretending.

I remembered my conversation with Damon earlier, and the weight of it still sat heavy on me.

_

"Damon, how are we going to brainstorm this project?" I asked, walking into the lab for our assignment. It was going to be a long few hours, but I could handle being teamed up with Damon. The guy had softened up a little, and I couldn't help but appreciate that. I wasn't sure if he was playing a part or if he was genuinely trying to be a bit nicer to me, but I was thankful for the break in tension.

"I don't know, Liliana," Damon replied, looking over at me with a far more serious expression than usual. "But we have something more important to discuss."

I could feel my stomach twist, knowing exactly what he meant. The weight of his words hung in the air, making it hard to breathe. This was bigger than the project. I could already feel the guilt creeping up on me, but I couldn't back out. Marci was my best friend, and even though I liked Jaxon, I would never betray Marci for him. No matter how tangled up things got between the three of us, I couldn't do that.

Damon's next words caught me off guard, his voice low and serious. "You can't mention us to Jaxon. You need to keep this between us, okay? Do your best, and I'm sorry for dragging you into this mess."

Hearing Damon say sorry felt like a rare moment of vulnerability, a crack in the armor he usually kept up. I gave him a small smile, trying to ease the tension. "You don't have to apologize," I reassured him, though my insides churned with uncertainty. "It's fine."

"You're sad that you're lying to him, I'm sorry." Damon forced out.

I stiffened. Yeah, he'd never forgive me.

_

Jaxon was picking me up at six, so I had an hour to get ready. The minutes ticked by slower than usual, but I managed to get dressed and touch up my makeup before my mom walked into my room with a soft smile.

"I hope he treats you right," she said, her voice carrying a hint of maternal concern.

"Mommy, of course he does," I replied, slipping the ring onto my finger, the metal cool against my skin. I always loved calling her "Mommy." It felt like a small piece of my childhood I could hold onto. Even now, at thirty-eight, she looked younger than most women her age.

She smiled, but it quickly faded as she looked down. "I'm sorry, honey. Your dad won't be here for your birthday. He's off on another one of his business trips." Her apology hung in the air like a weight I didn't want to acknowledge.

I looked down, trying to hide the bitterness that crept up in me. The distance between my dad and me had been there for as long as I could remember. My dad had always been a workaholic, and that had driven a wedge between us. It wasn't just because of the business. It was because his whole world revolved around it, and everything else—especially us—came second.