Stole My Heart 💕

13 - Cat and mouse game

Candice had thought her bond with Nick had grown stronger after the accident and the time she had spent at his home. The walls between them had started to crumble, and for the first time, she had allowed herself to believe that maybe—just maybe—things between them were shifting into something more. But now, standing in the bustling college courtyard, all those thoughts seemed foolish.

Candice had just finished her lecture when she stepped out into the courtyard. She adjusted her bag, scanning the crowd for Nick, her heart fluttering at the mere thought of seeing him. But just as her lips curved into a small smile, the sight before her made it vanish instantly.

There he was—Nick—standing beside a girl with honey-blonde hair and an annoyingly perfect smile.

Lisa.

Nick's ex-girlfriend.

Candice's fingers tightened around her phone, her knuckles turning white as a wave of shock rolled through her, leaving her breathless. Her heart pounded in her chest, a chaotic rhythm that mirrored the confusion swirling in her mind. She had never seen this girl before—never even heard Nick mention her. And yet, there she was, standing so effortlessly close to him, her laughter ringing out like a melody meant only for his ears.

The girl's hand rested on Nick's arm—too familiar, too comfortable, as though it belonged there. As though she still belonged there.

Candice felt an unfamiliar heat rise to her cheeks, her stomach twisting with an emotion she couldn't quite name. What is this? she wondered, her thoughts spiraling. Why does this bother me so much? Why do I feel like... like she's touching something that's mine?

The realization struck her like a jolt of lightning. Mine? Since when did she start thinking that way about Nick? He wasn't hers. He had never been. And yet, the sight of this girl—this complete stranger—laughing with him, touching him so easily, made something sharp and uncomfortable lodge itself in her chest.

She stood frozen, unable to look away, until a voice cut through the noise, shattering her trance.

"She's Lisa," someone said, their tone edged with something between irritation and knowing. "Nick's ex-girlfriend. And a family friend."

Candice turned toward the voice and found Blake leaning against the wall beside her, arms crossed, his gaze locked on the scene with a deep-set frown.

"They dated for more than two years," he added, his jaw tightening slightly. "And now, she's been following him around all day."

The words hit Candice like a punch to the gut. Two years. A real relationship. A history that she hadn't been part of.

Her grip on her phone loosened slightly as doubt crept in, whispering unwelcome thoughts in her mind. What if she still meant something to him? What if... he still meant something to her?

Candice forced a shrug, hoping it masked the way her heart clenched in her chest. "Yeah, I don't care," she murmured, injecting as much indifference into her voice as she could muster. But the tightness in her throat made it almost impossible to sound convincing. Why does this feel like a lie?

Her eyes flickered back to Lisa, who was still standing so comfortably close to Nick, her fingers now lightly tracing the sleeve of his jacket. Candice's stomach twisted. Looks like she wants to reclaim her place.

Blake let out a dry, unimpressed scoff. "More like she never left," he muttered, his voice laced with disdain. He shifted slightly closer to Candice, his presence steady, grounding. "She's been telling everyone they're still together."

The words hit Candice like ice water down her spine. That's why people have been looking at me like that all day. The hushed whispers, the knowing glances, the silent judgment—it all made sense now.