Heart Stealer

Chapter 15 Heartbroken Hearts

I never imagined it ending this way—that I would lose both the boys I loved in one night. Pierce betrayed my trust and I betrayed Matteo's. Now the tears won't stop falling and my heart won't stop aching. How does one recover from a heartbreak like this? I feared there was no coming back from this point.

To add to my problems, there was a bombshell waiting for me on the first day of school. Those were getting more frequent nowadays.

"Thea, is everything okay with you? You look worn out." Jules looked concernedly at me as we walked into school.

"No, Jules, I'm not okay. Everything's a mess. I don't even know where to begin..." I was close to breaking down again. Jules wrapped her arm around me in comfort.

"Aw, D, you know you can tell me anything. Come on, let's go find a private spot so we can talk."

"Thanks, Jules, I—" we were interrupted by the familiar buzz of phones throughout the hallway indicating a new post. Jules and I pulled out our phones, like everyone else.

"Wonder what it is—it's only the first day..." Jules said, frowning. It was a breaking news video clip on the school news website.

"Stacy Truscott here, bringing you the prime story to ring in the new year! We have an exclusive tip on the identity of Bellfort's very own Kissing King, Pierce Hartman's secret girlfriend!" I went ashen. Oh no.

"A week before Christmas, our very own golden boy was caught making out in the library with his mystery girl! Just days later, things got steamy at the Butterfly ball and it looks like the affair continues! And who is the mystery girl you ask? Why, it's none other than golden girlfriend, or should I say not-so-golden girlfriend, Thea Gardener!" Gasps went up from everyone as pictures of Pierce and me making out in the library and at the Butterfly ball popped up on the screen. Jules gawked at me, but before she could say anything, Stacy's voice continued.

"Brought to you from an anonymous tipper, pictures finally revealing her identity! Who'd have thought that Thea Gardener would be the cheating type? And to stab our Matteo Sterling in the back like that? Outrageous! Golden Boy Matteo has been unavailable for comment, by the way. Folks, it looks like Thea Gardener has been carrying out this little illicit relationship for quite some time now. More to follow in an exclusive feature story."

This was worse than a nightmare. The looks of shock and horror people gave me weren't easy to pass off as a bad dream.

"Thea! Is this true?" Jules stared at me, unable to believe her eyes. I gave a sob and fled. I had hit rock bottom, there was nothing left anymore.

I passed by Karen and her posse and couldn't stop myself from hearing her snide remarks.

"I always knew you were a slut, Gardener. But playing around with two golden boys? That's low," Karen threw harshly at me. My throat felt tight. "At least Matteo will see the real you now. The slutty tramp I knew you always were." I couldn't take it anymore. I ran blindly, tears clouding my vision. I smacked into someone and when I saw who it was, my heart dropped.

"Thea!" Pierce. Always Pierce. Whenever things got really bad, he'd show up. He studied my face and his expression steeled.

"We need to talk." He grabbed my hand and pulled me into the gym which was mercifully empty. I pulled my hand away once he had shut the door.

"Did you do this?" I asked him through my tears.

"No, no! Thea, I would never do this to you! You can't seriously think I'd do something like this!" He clung to my shoulders and sounded so sure that I felt I had to believe him. But it was difficult.