Anvaila Emerson, a vibrant party lover, juggles her crush on Kevin Diaz, the basketball team captain, and the return of mysterious Austin Smith to senior year. Caught in a high school drama, Anvaila faces the complexities of emotions, friendships, a...
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As Rachel led me out of the party, her grip on my arm was firm but comforting. The night air hit my face like a slap, cold and bracing, but it wasn't enough to clear the haze of emotions swirling inside me.
"Just breathe, Vinny," Rachel said softly, her voice calm yet commanding. She stopped us by the front steps, her sharp eyes scanning my face. "Talk to me. What the hell just happened there?"
I opened my mouth, but no words came out. A choked sob escaped instead, and Rachel sighed, pulling me into a hug. Her embrace was strong, grounding, and I clung to her like she was the only solid thing in a world spinning out of control.
"I didn't-I didn't do anything, Rachel," I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't try to steal him. I wasn't-I didn't want this."
"I know," she said firmly, pulling back just enough to look me in the eye. "I know you didn't. That girl's crazy, and Kevin's an idiot. But right now, I care about you, okay? Forget them. Forget all of it. Are you okay?"
I shook my head, biting my lip to keep the sobs from spilling out completely. "I don't know," I admitted. "Everything's so messed up, Rae. I don't know how to feel, what to think. I just... I feel so stupid."
"Hey," she said sharply, her hands gripping my shoulders. "You're not stupid. You're human. And this? This isn't your fault. Kevin and Selene have their own crap to deal with, and they're dragging you into it because they're too selfish to handle it like adults."
"But Kevin-he said-"
Rachel's eyes narrowed. "Let me guess. He told you he loves you, right?"
I nodded, tears streaming down my face.
She let out a bitter laugh. "Of course, he did. And he chose the perfect moment to drop that bomb, didn't he? Right when Selene could walk in and blow everything up."
"Rach, it's not like that," I said, my voice trembling. "He-he didn't mean for her to hear. He just... he just said it."
Rachel rolled her eyes. "Vinny, I love you, but you've got to stop making excuses for him. Kevin's been stringing you along for months. He knew what he was doing. And Selene? She's a drama queen who feeds off chaos. This was a disaster waiting to happen."
