Beautiful Things

Chapter 8-Tears

I STARED DOWN AT my phone, my heart stuttering in my chest. She had sent me a picture and a long message apologizing for my unfaithful boyfriend. I tapped the photo, seeing an image captured within it that made hot, angry tears well in my eyes.

Xavier, with his arm around another girl, his face twisted into a huge, fake grin. I asked Sidney when it was taken. She told me at the basketball after party. I downloaded the image and forwarded it to Xavier.

♡

Oscar's eyes narrowed, speculative about what was making Bailey look so... broken. It was clearly something someone had texted her. He leaned forward, examining her face more clearly. Tears slowly grew in her eyes, and Oscar felt a growl emanate in his throat. Who would do this to her?

♡

I blinked the tears away from my eyes, and looked up at Oscar. He looked angry for some reason.

"What happened?" His voice was curious, but there were hints of another emotion I couldn't identify within it. I tucked my phone away in my back pocket, ignoring the dinging sound that made me flinch.

"N-nothing," I sniffed, and Oscar, in one sweep, wrapped his arms around me. I tightened, but didn't pull away.

"Tell me what happened. It will make you feel better." His voice was a whisper, muffled in my hair. My heart thumped.

I told him everything.