† 𝐅𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧 † Angels Love

Chapter 21

Star's POV

I needed to find him. I couldn't leave things like this. Despite everything, despite the anger, the fear, and the hurt, I knew I couldn't let Christopher go. 

I couldn't pretend that what I felt for him wasn't real. I loved him. The realization had come too late, but it was undeniable now. My feelings for him ran deeper than anything I'd ever known. And even if it terrified me, I had to face him, to tell him the truth.

The hallways of the school felt impossibly long as I searched for him, each step echoing in my ears like a drumbeat. I glanced around corners, peeked into empty classrooms, the dining hall, the library—anywhere he might be. But Christopher was nowhere to be found. The longer I searched, the more frantic I became, my heart pounding faster with each minute that passed.

Finally, I found him in the training grounds, just like before. He was sitting against a tree, his head bowed, his sword laid beside him on the grass. The sight of him made my heart twist, a flood of emotions rushing to the surface. Relief, fear, love, anger—it was all there, a storm that threatened to overwhelm me. I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what I needed to say.

"Christopher," I called softly, my voice trembling. He looked up, his eyes meeting mine, and for a moment, neither of us spoke. I could see the exhaustion etched on his face, the shadows under his eyes, the tension in his shoulders. He looked as broken as I felt, and the sight made my heart ache.

"Star," he said quietly, almost, only almost with worry in his voice. "What are you doing here?"

"I needed to see you," I said, stepping closer, my hands twisting nervously. "I needed to tell you something."

He watched me, his expression unreadable, and I felt a wave of anxiety crash over me. But I pushed it down, knowing I couldn't back out now. 

"Christopher, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything. For the things I said, for making you angry. I'm... I'm scared, but not of you. I'm scared of how much I care. I—" I hesitated, my voice breaking. 

"I love you."

The words hung in the air between us, raw and vulnerable. I watched his face, searching for a reaction, a flicker of emotion that would tell me how he felt. But his expression remained impassive, like a mask he'd pulled on to keep me out.

Christopher sighed, looking away from me, his gaze distant. 

"You lost, Star," he said softly, his voice cold. "That's what this was all about, wasn't it? The bet. Whoever fell first loses. Well, you fell. You lost."

The words hit me like a slap, my breath catching in my throat. "What? No, Christopher, this isn't about the bet. This is real. I'm telling you how I feel—"

"It doesn't matter how you feel," he interrupted, his voice hardening. "I don't love you, Star. I never did. This was all just a game, a stupid bet. And you lost."

My heart clenched, pain lancing through me. "You don't mean that," I said, my voice trembling. "You can't mean that. What about everything we've been through? When we danced, when you kissed me—"

"It meant nothing," he said sharply, standing up. "I don't care about you. I never did. I was just playing along, seeing how far I could push you. But now it's over. You lost, and that's all there is to it."

The coldness in his eyes, the finality of his words, made my chest feel like it was caving in. I took a step back, shaking my head in disbelief. "No. You're lying. I know you care. I know you do. You're just trying to protect yourself."

"You lost the bet, Star," he said again, his voice a harsh whisper. "And you know what that means."

The truth of his words sank in like a stone.If he wins, I should break a rule with him. A rule that could get us both in serious trouble. 

He was doing this on purpose, I realized. He was pushing me away, trying to force me into a corner, to make me hate him. He didn't want to face his own feelings, didn't want to admit that he cared, so he was using the bet as a shield. He was trying to protect himself by hurting me.

Or- he just really didn't care.

Tears blurred my vision, and I turned away, unable to look at him any longer. "Fine," I said, my voice breaking. "You win, Christopher. I lost. But this isn't a game to me. It never was."