9

Kailee Bennett

Noah Carter was kissing me.

Slow. Careful. His hand curved around my cheek like I was something delicate. Something worth touching.

“I always knew you had it in you,” he whispered. “You just needed someone to see it.”

I smiled, heart racing. “You see me?”

“I’ve always seen you.”

My chest squeezed.

And then—

My alarm clock rang, a shrill annoying sound I had purposely set to get me out of bed. 

Reality slapped me in the face. I jolted upright in bed, heart thudding in my chest as I just woke up to the sound of mom’s voice downstairs. Laughing. Probably at one of Greg’s jokes. The kind that made her forget I existed.

I groaned into my pillow, slamming it over my head.

Noah Carter was still just a dream. 

Yesterday’s scene on the bleachers came flooding back. The heat of Ryder’s hand on my waist, the echo of Sienna’s voice calling me desperate… a pity pick. 

Sienna thought I was throwing myself into Ryder’s lap like a stray desperate for attention.

Whatever. I didn’t care.

(Okay, maybe I cared a little.)

But I shouldn’t have. Because I knew what this was. Ryder wasn’t some misunderstood hero. He was using me to get under Sienna’s skin. That’s it.

And I was using him, too.

I needed to get better at the play. I needed Noah to see me. That was the deal. Just strategy.

Just survival.

But why was I mad?

I got in the shower and got dressed, standing in front of my very large mirror. I considered letting my hair down but I wasn’t about to take Ryder’s suggestion after what happened last time and besides what did he know about hair or how it framed the face 

I pulled it up in a bun as usual and stared at the mirror. 

A large reflection of how heavily built I was. Sometimes I wondered why I had to be so fat and unattractive? 

My phone buzzed, I was running late. 

No time to sulk 

I headed downstairs and I could smell it. Bacon. 

My favorite. 

“Oh, hi honey. Good morning” my mom turned around, spatula in hand, wearing one of those aprons that said Kiss the Cook like she actually cooked more than once a year. 

Well, you’ve gotta impress the new husband. 

I sighed and  walked over to the table. Greg gave me a warm smile. “Morning, Kailee.”

“Morning,” I mumbled, dropping into the farthest chair from them. 

Ryder walked in, his hair tousled like he had just woken up from sleep. 

His was shirtless, his sweatpants hanging teasingly below his waist, revealing that V-line

Fuck, he looked so….

No. What was I doing? 

I hated myself for noticing, for counting his packs on his abdomen severally

“Ryder,” Greg said casually, “you should wear a shirt at the table.”

He didn’t spare Greg a glance. He grabbed an apple from the table and bit into it. 

“Why? I thought we’re family.” He replied, his mouth full

“Still,” Greg said, voice tightening, “some manners would be appreciated.”

“Too bad no one taught me that” Ryder answered, glaring at his dad. 

It was weirdly uncomfortable. I grabbed a piece of toast. Looked at it. Put it back

I wasn’t really hungry.

Or maybe I was. I don’t know.

There wasn’t time for breakfast anyway.

I had school. Lines to memorize. A thousand reasons not to eat.

And honestly?

I liked the way my jeans felt a little less tight this morning.

My mom cleared her throat, in a bid to ease the tension. “Ryder, why don’t you sit for breakfast”

“I don’t do pretend family bond meals” he grabbed a plate and served himself. “But y’all have fun though” 

He was about to head upstairs but Greg spoke up, “shouldn’t you be already prepared for school?”

“Nah. I’d be too early for detention”

He didn’t wait another minute, he left for his room 

Well, that was awkward. 

Apparently, I wasn’t the only one with parental issues. 

I pushed my chair back and got up. “Bye. I’m off to school” I announced, out of mere formality. I nodded to their goodbyes and headed out 

The moment I stepped into school, I felt it.

The silence. The stares. The barely concealed smirks.

Something was wrong. I knew that feeling too well.

I found out two steps later when Charlotte stormed up to me, phone in hand.

“Don’t freak out,” she said, which obviously made me freak out.

“What happened?”

She shoved the screen in my face.

A photo.

Me. Sitting on Ryder’s lap. I blinked. That little bitch! 

She took a picture of I and Ryder at the bleachers 

The caption burned like acid:

“Pity points = Juliet?? Ryder’s really committing to this revenge plot.

The comments were worse.

“No way she got that role without crying to the teacher.”

“Imagine being used to make his ex jealous. LMAO.”

“The real acting is pretending this isn’t pathetic.”

And the cherry on top?

Sienna herself had liked all the hate comments on the post. And commented:

“Some girls will do anything to be seen.”

My stomach dropped.

Charlotte was still talking. “We can report it, or I can just fill her locker or bag pack with dead frogs. I’ve already got the frogs. Your call.”

I shook my head. “It doesn’t matter.”

But it did.

Every word of it mattered.

Because it was exactly what I feared people would say.

That I didn’t earn this.

That I was just some sob story with enough drama to land a part out of pity.

“Let’s just head to class and hope it dies before lunch” I sighed 

It in fact did not die by lunch. It got way worse 

“I swear to God, if one more person sends me that bleacher picture, I’m transferring schools.” I bent my head over the lunch table

Charlotte snorted beside me. “This school loves drama. Maybe I should start a gossip podcast and monetize this mess.I have a lot of revenge ideas on my mind. It’s all your call.”

I felt someone take a seat beside me and just thought someone was about to show me the picture for the upteenth time today. I lifted my head from the table ready to give the person a piece of my mind but it was Ryder 

“Who are we planning on getting revenge on?” A smug smile on his face 

I rolled my eyes and dropped my head on the table. “Finally decided to graze the school with your presence”

“I heard y’all were starving to look at something good. I just thought I’d save everyone the troubles and just show up” he smirked 

“You definitely gave us something to look at alright” Charlotte slid her phone across to him with the picture of me and him on display 

He furrowed his brows, picking up the phone. He released a low chuckle when he saw the picture. “Oh my gosh, can you send this to me? We looked so good” 

He zoomed in on the picture, admiring it. 

“Did you read the captions and comments?” I asked, trying to hide my anger at his excitement 

“Yeah I did” he answered simply, still admiring the picture 

He didn’t think that was a problem?

I turned, narrowing my eyes. “Excuse me?”

“What? Looks like it’s working. She’s spiraling, that’s why she’s doing this. People are just creative when they’re jealous.”

“Jealous?” I asked, unwilling to believe that all he still cared about was Sienna being jealous 

He gave a single shrug. “She wouldn’t be so loud if she wasn’t .”

I crossed my arms. “You think being humiliated online is a win?”

“Humiliated? This just looks to me like you’re getting attention. And that’s what you need for Noah to notice you”

“If you want I could tell everyone you two are actually siblings. It’ll definitely embarrass the hell outta Sienna.” Charlotte suggested “Then we can talk about my revenge plans. We can’t push that aside”

“Don’t bother, Char. I wouldn’t want anyone to be aware that this douchebag was somehow related to me” I fused, getting up

I don’t know why I was even surprised that he didn’t care that I was being humiliated. Of course all he cared about was making Sienna jealous

I turned to him, forcing a laugh. “Just let me know next time I’m supposed to look pathetic for the plot.”

I didn’t wait for him to answer. If I stayed, I was going to cry. And I’d already given the internet enough content.