Falling For You

Chapter 5: Guilt and Consequences

Bianca’s POV

The next morning, guilt weighed heavily on me. The memory of what I had done to Mateo gnawed at me all night. That kiss—it wasn’t just a kiss. It was a reckless moment of desperation, a step too far. I had crossed a line I didn’t even know existed until I saw the hurt in his eyes.

Mateo had done nothing to deserve this mess I’d pulled him into. And now, I was left with this overwhelming need to make things right, even though I had no idea how. The day had barely started, but I already felt like I was running on fumes.

I arrived at school early, hoping to catch Mateo before classes started, but it seemed like he was purposely avoiding me. In the halls, he walked past me as if I didn’t even exist. I wanted to run after him, but something in his eyes told me he wasn’t ready to talk. Not yet.

Lunch came and went, and still, I hadn’t had the chance to make things right. But I wasn’t going to give up that easily. I had to explain myself. Apologize.

As I made my way to the locker area, my stomach churned when I spotted Roxanne leaning against the wall, her arms crossed and her gaze fixed directly on me. There was a glint of something in her eyes—suspicion, curiosity, or maybe both. Either way, I knew this wasn’t going to be a friendly conversation.

"Bianca," Roxanne called, her voice dripping with mock sweetness, "we need to talk."

I steeled myself, already sensing where this was going. "What do you want, Roxanne?"

She pushed herself off the wall and sauntered over, her smile tight, calculated. "Oh, just wondering how your little romance with Mateo is going. Everything seems... off. Like you two aren’t really together. Weird, right?"

I froze for a moment, but I wasn’t about to let her see me falter. "Our relationship is none of your business."

Roxanne raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by my attempt to be strong. "Oh, come on. I can smell a fake from a mile away. You can’t honestly expect everyone to believe that you and Mateo are real."

I crossed my arms, standing my ground. "Believe what you want, Roxanne. But if you think you’re going to prove anything, you’re wasting your time."

She tilted her head, her smile never wavering. "We’ll see about that. It’s only a matter of time before I find the proof I need. And when I do, well..." She trailed off, leaving the threat hanging in the air like a dark cloud.

I turned to leave, but her voice stopped me in my tracks.

"Oh, and Bianca," she added, her tone playful but sharp, "you better watch your back. Wouldn’t want to be humiliated in front of everyone, right?"

I didn’t respond. I couldn’t. My heart raced as I walked away, but my mind was spinning. She was digging. Roxanne wasn’t going to stop until she found out the truth. And when she did... I shuddered at the thought.

Mateo’s POV

That night, I couldn’t sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Bianca’s face—how desperate she looked, how she had kissed me on the cheek like I meant something to her.

But I knew better. It wasn’t real. She didn’t mean it.

She was only using me to get back at Aaron, and I was nothing more than a pawn in her game. The thought made my stomach churn with anger. I wasn’t some joke to be toyed with.

I tossed and turned in bed, trying to shake the frustration out of my head. Why had I even agreed to this fake relationship? It wasn’t supposed to go this far. But now...

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. This was getting out of hand, and I didn’t know how to stop it.

A knock on my bedroom door pulled me from my thoughts.