Dare to Fall

Chapter XLIX

"Mr. Anderson would like to speak to you in his office," Ms. Flora said, her voice cutting through the buzz of students in the hallway. 

I closed my locker with a heavy sigh, my heart racing at the thought of what this meeting could entail. I could feel the weight of uncertainty pressing down on me as Ms. Flora started walking away, her shoes clicking against the polished floor. Reluctantly, I followed her.

We arrived at the office, and she gestured for me to enter. As I stepped through the door, I was met with the familiar sight of Liam's office, filled with his usual books and papers. Ms. Flora took a seat at her desk, scribbling something on a notepad, and I stood awkwardly, waiting for Liam to make an appearance.

Just then, the door swung open, and I found myself face-to-face with Cayden. Our eyes locked, and I felt a strange mixture of anger and longing welling up inside me. It was hard to believe that just a week ago, we were together. I was the first to break the eye contact, feeling the sting of vulnerability. I muttered an excuse as I stepped past him into his father's office.

"Have a seat," Liam said, motioning to the chair across from him. I plopped down, and he shifted in his own seat, a serious look clouding his features.

"I know you're not exactly thrilled about me marrying your mom," he began, his tone earnest. "And I'm sorry for how this affects you and Cayden."

I remained silent, listening intently, my heart pounding in my chest.

"I love your mother," he continued, his gaze softening. He stood and moved to sit beside me, his presence filling the small office with an unexpected warmth. "And I know you care about my son."

"I don't," I replied, my voice trembling slightly as I struggled to hold back tears. It felt like I had been crying non-stop for a week, trying to ignore the hollow ache in my chest that had come with our breakup. "Not anymore," I whispered under my breath, barely loud enough for him to hear.

Liam's expression shifted to one of concern. "I'm really sorry," he said. I shook my head, forcing a sad smile that didn't quite reach my eyes.

"Don't be. As long as you two are happy, then I'm happy. I just want my mom to be content again, even if it means losing someone from my life," I said, trying to sound stronger than I felt.

He reached out, taking my hand in his, gratitude shining in his eyes. "Thank you," he said, and I returned a weak smile.

Standing up, I walked to the door, twisting the knob to leave. I glanced back at Liam, my heart heavy. "I hope your son learns what love means from you," I said, letting the words linger before stepping out, gathering the remnants of courage I had buried deep inside me.

As I entered History class, the familiar chatter of students surrounded me, but today felt different. My gaze drifted across the room, landing on Cayden and Katie. She was perched on his lap, flirting and laughing, her smile wide and victorious. I felt a pang in my chest, a mixture of hurt and disbelief.

Cayden caught my eye, and I saw something flicker in his expression—was it regret? It was quickly overshadowed by Katie's triumphant grin. I rolled my eyes and turned away, trying to focus on anything else.

"What's up?" Logan slid into the seat beside me, a friendly smile on his face.

"The ceiling," I said, feigning nonchalance as I placed my bag on the desk, pulling out my History notebook.

Logan snatched the notebook from my hands, holding it just out of reach. "You know, I never thought you'd have a sense of humor."

"Really? What does that even mean?" I asked, jumping slightly in my seat, reaching for the notebook, but he kept it just out of my grasp.