Chapter 1
Hearing the truth made my heart pound against my ribs.
For the past month, my childhood friend, Julian Thorne, had been feeding me stories about being jumped, framed, and humiliated at school.
I threw myself into protecting him, but I couldn't block every blow. When the situation finally became unbearable, I suggested he transfer schools for a clean slate.
I remember the day he stood before me soaked from a bucket of ice water, his sharp cheekbones ghostly pale. Trembling, he grabbed my hand and said, "I can't face a new place alone."
We had been inseparable since kindergarten, walking to and from school together for over a decade. Deep down, I had even been nursing a quiet crush on him.
So, in a rush of loyalty, I made a promise. "Don't worry, Julian. I'll go wherever you go."
But standing outside that private room, I finally realized it was all a cruel ruse to push me out of his life.
Did he really hate me that much?
Inside, his friend kept talking. "Clara is crazy about you. What if she falls for someone else out there?"
"Her?" Julian scoffed, treating the idea like an absurdity. "She's so loyal she'd take a beating for me without flinching. You really think she'd ever stop loving me?"
His friend muttered, "I don't know, man. She just doesn't seem like someone you mess with."
"No chance," Julian replied lazily. "Our school is full of rich kids, and has she ever given a single one of them a second glance?"
His tone dripped with disdain as he added, "She's always hovering around me. It's annoying."
The room burst into sharp, mocking laughter. I wanted to run, but my feet felt rooted to the floor, forcing me to stand there and endure the humiliation.
One guy clicked his tongue. "First time I've seen someone push away a girl who's that crazy about them. Respect, bro. But if you're so sick of her, why not just tell her? She doesn't seem like the type to beg."
Julian frowned. "She's too intense. Being straight with her wouldn't be that easy."
He paused before dropping the real bombshell. "Besides, Lily gets all torn up whenever she sees Clara. She only feels okay when I'm there to hold her hand. I'm doing this for Lily's sake. Clara will just have to deal with it for a bit."
The pieces suddenly snapped together. Julian had started faking the bullying just a week after Lily Mercer transferred to our school.
"You sly bastard! A new girl shows up, and you're already whipped?" someone chuckled. "But Lily does have that fragile, damsel-in-distress vibe. Guys eat that up. Clara is too sharp, and she always has that icy glare that keeps everyone at arm's length. No matter how gorgeous she is, that's a tough sell."
The others quickly piled on, tearing me apart like sharks in a feeding frenzy. Julian didn't stop them or defend me. Instead, he nodded along, agreeing with every jab.
My heart sank into a dark, throbbing abyss. For a fleeting moment, I wanted to kick the door open and demand answers.
Why did he lie? Did he feel even a flicker of guilt while watching me get hurt for him? Did our years of friendship mean absolutely nothing?
My mother’s words echoed in my mind.
“Don’t waste your energy on pointless battles. People don’t turn rotten overnight.”
I turned and walked away.
Julian thought I was transferring with him.
He was wrong.