In Love, Against All Odds

When Love Turns Sour

Author's POV :

The park bench felt cold, the sun just starting to dip below the horizon. Katherine's heart pounded in her chest, her throat tightening as she faced Bradwin. She could hear the faint laughter of kids in the background, a cruel reminder of how peaceful life could seem when yours was falling apart.

"I can't believe you're actually saying this right now," Katherine said, her voice trembling but steady enough to sting. She crossed her arms, more for protection than out of anger.

Bradwin leaned against the wooden backrest, his skin flushed, probably from embarrassment—or guilt. His brown hair, usually messy in a way she found cute, now looked like it belonged to a stranger.

"It wasn't supposed to be like this, Kat," he muttered, not meeting her eyes.

"Don't call me that," Katherine shot back, her jaw clenching. "You've got her now, don't you? Call her 'Brenda,' since she's apparently everything I'm not."

"It's not that simple!" he said, raising his voice slightly, though he still wouldn't look at her.

"Bro, it's really that simple," Katherine snapped. "You cheated. You chose her. What's not simple? The math is basic."

Bradwin groaned, running a hand through his hair. "I didn't choose her! It just happened, okay? I was feeling—"

"Oh, don't you dare pull the I was feeling lonely card," Katherine interrupted, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You were lonely, so you thought, 'Oh, let me go kiss Brenda. That'll fix things.'"

He rolled his eyes, the smallest smirk tugging at his lips. "You're being dramatic."

That was it. Katherine stood up so fast the bench squeaked beneath her. "You did not just call me dramatic. You chose another girl over me. You made the choice to screw this up. Don't you dare make this about me!"

Bradwin finally looked at her, his dark eyes sharp. "I'm not making it about you! But, Kat, you're always busy—"

"Don't." She held up a hand. "Don't even try. You've been gaslighting me this whole time, haven't you? Making it seem like I'm not enough, like it's my  fault you can't keep your hands to yourself?"

Bradwin's mouth opened like he wanted to argue, but nothing came out. Instead, he just shook his head and looked away again.

Katherine's chest ached, but the anger burned brighter than the pain. "You know what? I'm done. Go play house with Brenda or whoever. I'm not sticking around for this mess."

She turned on her heel, storming off without looking back.

---

The café near their university, Crescent Brews, was buzzing as always, with students and people chatting loudly while music played in the background. Katherine sat at their usual table, her fingers wrapped tightly around a cup of hot chocolate she didn't even want.

Across from her, Alista leaned forward, her blonde hair falling into her freckled face. "Kat, what the hell happened? You've been a mess all day."

Katherine shook her head, her black hair falling over her face. She couldn't even meet Alista's piercing gaze. "Bradwin cheated on me. With Brenda."

Alista's jaw dropped. "You're kidding."

"I wish I was," Katherine muttered, her voice breaking.

"That absolute—" Alista stopped herself, taking a deep breath. "I'm so sorry, babe. You deserve way better than that trash bag of a human."

"I was so stupid," Katherine admitted, her voice barely audible over the chatter around them. "Adri told me—she told me he was bad news. And I didn't listen. I was so mad at her, but she was right."

At the mention of Adriana, Alista's jaw tightened. She didn't say anything about it, though. "Kat, listen to me. This is not on you. This is all him. He's a piece of crap, and you're a freaking queen. Don't let him make you think otherwise."

Katherine nodded, even though the knot in her chest refused to go away. Before she could say anything else, the café door opened, and Adriana walked in.

Katherine froze.

Adriana spotted her almost instantly, her deep brown eyes softening when she noticed the redness around Katherine's. She hesitated for just a second before making her way over. Dalia followed behind her, quiet but supportive as always.

"Hey," Adriana said, her voice careful.

"Hey," Katherine replied, barely above a whisper.

Dalia gave Katherine a quick hug before sliding into a chair next to Adriana. "I heard what happened," she said softly. "That guy's trash. Straight-up trash."

Adriana nodded, her gaze steady on Katherine. "I told you he wasn't good for you, Kat. I didn't want to be right, though. I'm really sorry."

Katherine bit her lip, trying to stop the tears from spilling over. "I should've listened to you. I'm so sorry for everything I said to you. You didn't deserve that."

Adriana leaned forward, resting her hand on Katherine's arm. "Hey, it's okay. I just want you to be okay. We'll get through this, alright?"

Katherine nodded, feeling a flicker of relief despite the storm still raging inside her.

Alista shifted in her seat, clearly uncomfortable with the reunion but keeping her thoughts to herself. Instead, she glanced at Dalia. "So, what's the plan? How do we help Kat get her mind off this jerk?"

Dalia grinned. "We could trash talk him all night. That usually helps."

Katherine managed a weak laugh. "Thanks, guys. I don't know what I'd do without you."

---

Later that night, Katherine sat on her bed, scrolling through her phone. Messages from Alista and Adriana flooded her notifications, both of them checking in on her. She didn't have the energy to respond, though.

Her chest still felt heavy, and her mind replayed Bradwin's words over and over. She thought she loved him. She thought he loved her too.

But now? Now she just felt stupid.

As another tear slid down her cheek, her phone buzzed with a notification from Adriana.

"Hey, I know things are rough right now, but I'm here for you. Always. Let's talk tomorrow?"

Katherine stared at the screen for a moment before typing back. "Thanks, Adri. I'd like that."

Her chest still ached, but for the first time all day, she felt like maybe—just maybe—she wasn't completely alone.  

---

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