Tangled Hearts

Chapter 22

"Pen's down," the invigilator announces, and a collective sigh echoes through the exam hall. The sound of papers rustling, and the shuffle of chairs signal the end of a gruelling three-hour ever. I gather my belongings, my mind already drifting away from the now-finished exam.

As I step out of the hall, the afternoon sun warms my face, and I feel a sense of relief. Pulling out my phone, I check for messages and my face lights up when I see one from Finn.

'Pick you up at 8pm, Butterfly'- Finn <3

I can't help but feel a flutter of excitement in my stomach at Finn's message. The nickname "Butterfly" never fails to make me grin. It's funny how such a simple thing can carry so much warmth and affection. With a quick reply of "Can't wait! xx ", I tuck my phone back into my pocket and head towards the café.

Lost in my thoughts, I suddenly bump into someone. Looking up, I realize it's Nate. His expression hardens the moment our eyes meet.

"Hi, Nate," I say hesitantly. He doesn't respond, turning to walk away.

"Nate, please, can we talk?" I plead. He stops, not turning around but not walking away either.

"Please," I repeat, my voice softer. After a long pause, he finally nods, albeit reluctantly.

We find a small table in the corner of the café, away from prying eyes and ears. The tension between us is palpable as we sit down. I take a deep breath, knowing this conversation won't be easy.

"I'm sorry, Nate," I begin, my voice trembling. "I'm really sorry for cheating on you."

Nate's jaw tightens, his eyes piercing into mine with a mix of hurt and anger.

"Sorry? You think a simple sorry will fix everything?" he snaps, his voice low but filled with emotion.

"You left me for Finn, Lily. I was nothing but good to you, treated you well, respected you, and you threw it all away. For what? Why did you even date me if you had feelings for him?"

He shakes his head, looking away. "I thought I was over you, over this but- " he sighs

My heart aches at his words. "I didn't want to hurt you"

"Well, that was a very funny way of not trying to hurt me"

Nate stands up abruptly, clearly done with the conversation and sighs.

"Look Lily, I'm sorry for the way I acted at the party," he says. "But I have to go, I have a class."

"Can we at least go back to being friends?" I ask, my voice small and hopeful.

He pauses for a moment, then shakes his head. "I need time."

"You know," he stops for a second, "I really did love you, I hope you're happy"

With that, he walks away, leaving me sitting alone at the table, feeling the weight of my actions settle heavily on my shoulders.

*************

I drag myself back to my room, the weight of the conversation with Nate still heavy on my mind. Pushing the door open, I find Kam and Jen lounging on couch, chatting away. They both look up as I enter, their expressions shifting to concern when they see my face.

"What happened?" Kam asks, sitting up immediately. "Was the exam that bad?"

"It's not that"

I drop my bag on the floor and flop onto the bed next to them. "I bumped into Nate at the café," I say, my voice heavy. "We talked. Well, kind of."