Beneath The Surface

Chapter 48: The Aftermath

Ava arrived at school the next day, feeling different. She had barely slept, her mind consumed by thoughts of everything that had happened—Lucas, Ethan, the friendships she had taken for granted. She had spent the whole night trying to figure out where she had gone wrong, but the truth was, the answers weren't simple.

Walking through the school gates, she could feel the weight of everyone's stares. Whispers floated around her like a low hum, but Ava blocked them out. She had promised herself she wouldn't let them get to her today.

The first class of the day was history, and as she took her seat, she glanced over at Lucas, who sat a few rows away. He was engrossed in his notebook, his face expressionless. Ava's stomach twisted, remembering how close they once were. She hadn't seen him smile in days, and that only made the pain worse.

The class dragged on, but Ava barely registered the words on the board. Her thoughts kept circling back to Lucas. Should she talk to him? Apologize? Or would that make things worse?

When the bell rang, she quickly gathered her things and headed for the door, but before she could leave, Lucas stood up and caught her eye.

"Ava, wait," he said quietly, walking toward her.

Her heart skipped a beat, and she paused, swallowing her nerves. This was the moment she had been dreading, but also the one she had hoped for. Maybe this could be a fresh start, a way to fix things between them.

"Lucas, I—" she began, but he shook his head, cutting her off.

"Let me talk first," he said, his voice calm but firm. "I've been thinking... about everything. I know you've been going through a lot, and I get it. But what I can't do anymore is keep being the one who's always left behind."

Ava's heart sank. His words hit her like a punch to the chest. "I never meant to hurt you," she whispered.

"I know," Lucas said softly, his expression softening for a moment. "But you did. And the worst part is, I kept letting it happen. I care about you, Ava, but I need to look out for myself too."

Ava blinked back tears, trying to keep it together. She had known this conversation was coming, but hearing the words out loud made it all too real.

"I'm sorry," she said, her voice trembling. "I never wanted you to feel like you weren't important to me."

"I know," he repeated. "But this is where I need to step back. I can't keep waiting around for you to figure out what you want, Ava. It's not fair to me."

Ava nodded, even though it felt like her heart was shattering into a million pieces. She wanted to beg him to stay, to tell him that she would do better, but she knew it wasn't that simple. Lucas deserved more than apologies and promises.

"I understand," she said quietly. "I hope... I hope you'll be happy."

Lucas gave her a small, sad smile. "You too, Ava."

And with that, he turned and walked away, leaving her standing alone in the empty classroom. Ava stood there for a moment, frozen, as the reality of what had just happened sank in.

Lucas was gone.

Her chest tightened, and she hurried out of the room, not wanting anyone to see her cry. She ducked into the nearest bathroom and locked herself in a stall, pressing her back against the door as silent sobs wracked her body.

She had lost him. One of the people she had trusted most in the world was gone because of her mistakes, and there was nothing she could do to change that.

When she finally pulled herself together, Ava splashed cold water on her face and stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her makeup had smudged, and her eyes were red from crying. For the first time in a long while, she didn't bother to fix it. She just stared at the girl in the mirror, feeling every ounce of the pain, the guilt, and the regret.

This was her life now. A life without Lucas.

But as much as it hurt, Ava knew she couldn't keep running from the consequences of her actions. If she wanted to move forward, she had to face the mess she had made—starting with Ethan.

As much as she dreaded it, she knew the next conversation she had to have wouldn't be any easier. But maybe this time, she wouldn't lose everything.

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