𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄 ✔️

Chapter Thirty-Seven

In the next week, study-leave for Alessia's exams begun, though Alessia spent more time plotting than studying. Before Alessia's year group had all disappeared for study-leave, Alessia had been tactfully getting closer and closer to Dylan, ready for the big finale.

She was thinking this Friday. Dylan had told her that he wasn't going to Matt's party since he and Olivia had fallen out—of which was down to the girls and their plotting. After the argument, Dylan no longer felt like going to the party. Alessia would act as both the damsel in distress and as an aid for Dylan on his very lonely Friday night.

In the current moment, Alessia was sat in the school library, though merely to get away from her dad. Her textbooks were scattered around her, but her sketchbook right in front of her—the centre of her attention.

"What are you drawing?" Someone asked suddenly, and Alessia turned to see Lucas stood behind her. She jumped, before glaring at him.

Lucas stared open-mouthed down at what Alessia was drawing, instantly figuring out that it was Dylan. He glanced between the drawing and Alessia.

I, of course, had been the one to promise loyalty to Lucas and not Alessia. Therefore, it was times like these that made it hard to defend Alessia. Especially when there was proof of her affections for the wrong person right in front of her, on a table in the library.

I flipped the control instantly, taking back the reins. I had only done this a few times since I had last given up, and each time was to save her from another problem of her own doing. "Lucas, it's just a drawing," I explained to him.

He shook his head, "So is there one of me too?" He asked.

I paused, "Uh, at home." I told him. Alessia was pretty good at lying, but I wasn't. Lucas sensed this.

He sighed, "Right," he turned to leave, but I got up to chase after him.

"Lucas," I whispered, grabbing onto his arm and pulling him away from the working students.

"No, Alessia, this is the third time now," he said, running his hand through his hair, trying to use the ruse to distract from the fact that tears were springing to his eyes.

"I know–" I paused, "Wait, third time?"

Lucas looked away, clenching his jaw. "I heard what you did at Matt's party." He said, making me frown.

"Sorry?" I asked him, confused.

He sniffed. "Making out with Matt."

I simply opened and closed my mouth, very aware of Lucas' eyes on me, waiting for me to say something.

I swallowed. "Even if that were true, I haven't been to one of Matt's parties in ages."

Lucas scoffed. "Sure, and the whole of Matt's friendship group is spreading immaculate lies about you?" He asked bitterly.

"Yes!" I replied, before realising that I should quieten down, "Because that's what boys like Matt and his friends do. They don't care about anyone but themselves, and they use and humiliate girls just for the fun of it."

"Yeah," he said, "maybe so, but even your love backed it up." He said, nodding over at Alessia's sketches, which were now a few metres away.