iLOVE YOU (You Series #2)

Chapter 74

I burst through the cafeteria doors, breathless as the bright fluorescent lights of the hallway seemed to blur together.

Every step I took felt like a desperate gasp for air. I could hear Kent's voice calling after me, but I didn't stop. I couldn't bear to look at him, not after what I had just discovered. The pain and betrayal I felt were overwhelming, making it hard to breathe.

Tia's words replayed in my head like a broken record, each repetition cutting deeper.

The rejection at the beach suddenly made sense. I had thought Kent was respecting my boundaries, that he cared so much about me. But no—it was just his guilt.

He wasn't waiting for the right time; he just couldn't bring himself to be with me while thinking about Tia.

Everything clicked into place and I felt so stupid. Emma was right about him, boys like Kent wouldn't wait around for someone like me. He wasn't even interested in me.

My chest tightened with the weight of my realization. How could I have been so blind? I wished I had not been so blind to see what was right in front of me.

I made myself believed that Kent loved me, but it wasn't love; it was all a lie. He had been playing me all along and it hurts so much.

I ran as fast as I could, my feet pounding the floor until I reached the parking lot.

The frigid wind hit me like a slap in the face, snapping me back to reality and that was when I saw Bryce. He was leaning against his car, his eyes fixed on me with a look of concern.

"Alex, what's wrong?" he asked, his voice low and gentle, as he pushed off from the car and took a few steps towards me.

I tried to speak, but the words caught in my throat. Instead, I burst into tears, and Bryce quickly pulled me into a hug. I buried my face in his chest, letting the tears flow. He held me tightly, his arms wrapped around me like a shield, protecting me from the pain and heartache.

Just then, I heard Kent's voice behind me. "Stay away from her."

I turned around and I saw Kent walking over. His steps loud and rough.

He suddenly grabbed my arm, but I jerked it away immediately, not wanting him to touch me.

"Don't touch me" I spat, my voice shaking with anger and hurt. "Just leave me alone."

Kent's face twisted in a mixture of anger and desperation. "Alex, please listen to me. I can explain..."

But I cut him off, my voice firm. "No, Kent. I don't want to hear it. You lied to me."

"Alex please!" he pleaded, his tone desperate, but I couldn't bear to hear it anymore.

"You lied to me!" I yelled, my voice echoing in the empty parking lot. "What is there to explain, Kent? That on my birthday, the day you were supposed to be with me, you were with her? While I was going crazy, thinking that something might've happened to you, you were in bed with Tia..."

He flinched, and I saw guilt flash in his eyes, but it wasn't enough. Nothing he could say would ever be enough. 

"Alex, that's not—"

"Don't you dare deny it!" I interrupted, the pain twisting into fury. "How could you do that to me?" I continued, my voice breaking. "How could you do that to us?" I just needed to know why destroyed something so beautiful.

He opened his mouth, but no words came out. Just silence. His silence spoke louder than anything else.

His face crumpled, his shoulders sagging as he reached for me again, but I took a step back. My hand reached for the necklace around my neck—the one he gave me on our date and I yanked it off with trembling fingers.