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"i cheated on her. the girl i was dating a few months ago. our management decided it was best to keep what happened secret, so they leaked fake facts about her. they said she cheated, she didn't. i did. it was late and i was drunk and stressed and i fucked the first girl i saw. i did drugs, too. not anymore, i quit, but i was addicted to coke for a good year."

"luke--"

"don't, jenn. i don't deserve you. you're this nice, sweet, innocent girl from boston who i started talking to online because i needed a distraction. ashton found you first. i lied to you. he read one of your dms to me and decided you were cute. he told me about you and you sounded amazing. i fucked up, jenn. i love you, i do. but i don't-- i can't be with you." luke was now in tears. he wasn't sobbing, but i could tell that he was about to. shaky breaths escaped him as he blinked back tears, tugging on his hair. by now we were on the 24th floor. the doors opened and luke stood up straight.

i followed him down the hall where we entered his room. calum and ashton were sitting on the couch, michael nowhere to be found. the two boys turned around at the sound of the door opening and both immediately stood up.

"jenn--"

calum put an arm in front of ashton, holding him back. luke stormed into his room, slamming the door and leaving me alone with the two boys.

"he told you," calum said. it was supposed to be a question, but sounded as more of a statement. i nodded, taking a breath. i could see his adam's apple bob up and down as calum swallowed harshly, while ashton moved to walk around to couch. he brought me into my arms. awkwardly, i hugged him back.

i made eye contact with calum over ashton's shoulder. he bit his lip, blinking and looking down, as if he was guilty of something though we both knew he wasn't. ashton stroked my hair, pulling away and grasping my shoulders. "you okay?"

i shrugged.

"i'm sorry."

i shrugged again.

"i'll take you home," calum spoke and i looked to him. ashton shot him a look, which i couldn't see, though calum shrugged him off. he whispered something to ashton, then walked into his room.

"i'm really sorry, jenn." i looked over at ashton who was standing in front of the couch, his arms crossed over his chest. a look of desperation crossed over his expression. "i'm serious. i didn't mean for any of this."

"any of what, ashton?"

before he could answer, calum returned, spinning his keys around his fingers. i looked to him and he nodded. "ready?"

"yeah."

i left without another word to ashton. calum and i walked down the hall in silence, leaving luke and ashton behind.

"so, um—"

"don't," i shook my head, crossing my arms as calum hit the down button. "i don't wanna hear it. two people already lied to me today, i don't need to hear another one."

"jenn, i'm not going to lie to you. i, actually, want to tell you the whole truth."

i looked at him. "how do i know what your saying isn't false?"

"because i'm the one person you can trust right now, jenn," he said and i lowered my eyebrows. "you know all those times i tried talking to you, but luke shrugged me off? i tried to tell you, jenn."

"what?"

as we walked into the large metal box, i tried recalling the times the boy had tried pulling me away from my lying boyfriend. once i realized he was right, i sighed. i fell back against the elevator wall as he pushed a button and the doors closed.

"jenn," calum began. "luke didn't tell you the whole story."