Just Swipe Right | Corbyn Besson ✓ ; cmb

vii. grant

"YOU DON'T HAVE a date to the dance?" Federigo burst out, making both Zamora and her brother Ian flinch at the volume of his voice.

"Yeah." Zamora shrugged. "I won't be able to go in."

Turns out, Federigo was one of her brother Ian's block-mates in secondary engineering. So when Zamora mentioned that her surname was Newton during their conversation yesterday, Federigo immediately asked if she was related to his good friend Ian.

Now, Ian invited him over to ask him some questions. And by questions, I mean question. And by question, I mean..

"Why don't you take my sister to the ball?"

Zamora almost choked on her own spit. "Ian!" She scolded her twin brother.

"What?" Ian shrugged, "You need a date for the ball."

"Uh.." Federigo trailed off. "I'm already going with my bestfriend, Charlotte. I asked her the moment it was announced, since neither of us would want to fail Engineering II."

Unexpected disappointment rushed through Zamora as she forced out a smile, "It's alright."

Not like she hasn't experienced rejection before.

Just yesterday afternoon, she was happily shopping for a ball gown. Then after that, she went to the food court and met Federigo right after Meherun ditched her.

While they were chatting yesterday, she had been waiting for someone's call or even text. That someone? Princess. Princess Poser.

She never even got his name and yet their ties were abruptly cut off.

He hadn't texted for the whole day yesterday, so she tried contacting him, but to no avail. It was always voicemail.

However, just this early morning, when she called him at around 12 am, he picked up. But it wasn't the usual flirty voice of Princess Poser.

No, it was much worse.

It was his girlfriend's voice.

Zamora couldn't help but be furious at Princess Poser. Had she known that he had a girlfriend, she wouldn't have let it go this far. They've been talking since November 8, and it was already 21st of December. Not really that much of a long time, but it was enough for her to be attached.

Zamora was furious at him. More than furious. She was livid. However, she was more livid and utterly disappointed at herself.

She couldn't help but feel guilty and dismayed that she was completely heartbroken when Princess Poser's girlfriend answered the phone.

Why?

She had no right.

She had no right to be heartbroken.

All along he belonged to someone else, and even though she secretly hoped that she and him would have ended up together, she knew that it was a pointless case.

Suddenly, she felt a pang in her chest as realization hit her.

Could it be?

She was heartbroken, not because..

Not because she lost a friend?

No, it can't be!

It can't possibly be because she liked Princess Poser!

She shook her head and excused herself from the living room. She ran upstairs and barged into her room, flopping face flat onto her bed as she did so.

"It can't be because I like him." She whispered, the words sounding more painful when she said them out loud.

She felt her heart shatter into pieces when she remembered everything that his girlfriend said earlier during their phonecall at one in the morning.

"Congratulations for what? We've been together for three years and counting. Do you even know who you're talking to, right now?"

The girl's voice rang in her ears like an unwanted siren.

It was a constant reminder that she and whoever that boy is...

They can never be.

Not in a million years.