Chapter Two

"Asher. Why aren’t you picking up?" I hiss for the umpteenth time. I’ve been ready for school for over twenty minutes, and still, no sign of my boyfriend. He’s always the one who drives me to school — ever since we started dating, he’s kept that routine religiously. But now, not only is he late, he’s not even answering. A simple text would’ve been enough.

Feeling disoriented, I give up and order a ride.

By the time I reach school, the assembly is over and everyone’s already heading to class.

"That’s her..." a junior whispers, but quickly looks away when my eyes meet hers.

"She must have heard..." another voice murmurs by the lockers.

A chill runs down my spine. “That’s weird,” I mutter under my breath. Maybe I’m overthinking. Still, as I head to my locker, people part like I’m contagious — their stares sharp enough to cut through me.

“What is going on? Why are you all staring at me?” I snap, loud enough that they flinch. Mostly classmates, people I don’t even talk to. “Haters,” I mumble, slamming my books into my locker before heading to class.

Alice — my best friend — is already seated at our desk. But as soon as I move toward her, the whispers grow louder, crawling under my skin.

I drop beside her, forcing a shaky smile. “Is it just me, or is everyone staring at me today?”

She gasps, eyes wide, and stands abruptly. “Catherine, you’re here!” She grabs my wrist and pulls me up before I can ask more, dragging me straight out of the room. I catch sight of a girl nudging another toward me before they both turn away.

“What is going on? Did I mess up my makeup or something?” I pull out my phone, but Alice doesn’t stop until we’re inside the bathroom.

She turns to me, pale and hesitant — the kind of look that makes my stomach drop. “Now you’re making me worried. What’s going on?”

“Asher,” she blurts. “He cheated on you. With the new girl.”

For a moment, I actually laugh. “This is a joke, right? A prank? Because I’m not falling for it. Tell Asher if this is his big idea of making me smile, it worked. I’m fine, okay? Even though my parents ditched me, I’m fine. You don’t have to do this to cheer me up.”

“Your parents didn’t come back?” Alice asks softly.

It suddenly feels suffocating. “Wait—no! No, he would never cheat on me. We’re happy. I talked to him yesterday, everything was fine. We made plans.”

“Catherine…” Alice’s voice trembles. “Check his I*******m. The whole school knows. He kissed her at the assembly this morning.”

My hands shake as I unlock my phone and open his profile. Maybe this is some kind of prank, maybe there’s a caption explaining everything — a surprise, a joke, something.

But the illusion shatters instantly. The new upload hits like a slap: a romantic date at a garden, Asher’s hands cupping Jennifer White’s face — lips locked.

Jennifer White. The new transfer blondie. The same girl who begged to join my cheer squad, and I turned her down because we were almost graduating.

The same girl.

The phone slips from my grip.

“Catherine…” Alice whispers.

I breathe in. Hard. The air feels too heavy to swallow.

This can’t be. There has to be some kind of explanation. We were okay. Asher is better than this. I refuse to believe it.

“Catherine, wait up!” Alice calls, but I’m already storming down the hallway, straight toward the boys’ locker room.

I push the door open. The room falls silent. Conversations stop mid-sentence; a few guys look up — some with pity, others just curious.

“Anyone seen Asher?” I demand.

They exchange glances before one of them mutters, “The bleachers. He’s at the bleachers.”

As I turn to leave, another voice hisses, “You shouldn’t have told her.”

Alice catches up, trying to grab my hand. “Cat, slow down—”

“I’m fine, Alice.” I pull my hand free. “I just need to sort things out with Asher. Probably a pretty big misunderstanding.”

Misunderstanding.

The word feels hollow.

My better half mocks me: He was kissing her. A full-blown French kiss, Catherine. You think they’re cousins?

I reach the bleachers. They’re empty at first glance — until my eyes climb to the last row. There he is. Hands tangled in the same brown hair I used to love running my fingers through. His mouth pressed against hers.

“Asher!”

My voice cracks through the air like glass. Both of them freeze.

“Cat, calm down!” Alice pleads, gripping my wrist.

“I am calm, Alice.” My voice trembles, not from calmness but from the rage clawing its way up my throat. “I just want to know what I did wrong. We were fine yesterday. We talked. We laughed.”

I reach them. Her fingers are still shamelessly looped around his neck, lipstick smeared across his face — proof I wish I could unsee.

“What happened, Asher?” My voice breaks. “You said your mom had guests over. You said you couldn’t come. And now you’re here—kissing her? What happened?”

He just stares. Blank. Silent.

“Say something, Asher! Why are you kissing her?” My eyes dart to Jennifer. “Why is her picture on your I*******m?”

“Cat…” He exhales. “We need to talk.”

“That’s what I’ve been saying!” My voice rises despite myself. “So talk! Tell me what I did wrong! We’ve been together for three years—three—and you’re throwing it away for her? For a girl you barely know?”

Jennifer stands, her tone dripping with mock sweetness. “Hey, Miss Hannah Montana. Hate to break it to you, but the world doesn’t revolve around you. Asher doesn’t love you anymore.”

“That’s a lie…” My voice wavers.

“Aw, princess lost her candy.” She smirks. “Stop crying, baby.”

I turn to Asher, desperate. “Tell her to stop.”

He looks away. “Let’s break up, Catherine.”

The world goes still.

“We’re done.”

For a second, I can’t breathe. My gaze flickers from his blank expression to Jennifer’s smug, victorious smile. When she laces her fingers through his and brushes past me, my shoulder stings from the bump — but not as much as the hollow ache spreading through my chest.

I stand there, frozen, as the truth sinks in.

“Asher cheated…” The words scrape out of me like glass.

Alice pulls me close, wrapping her arms around my trembling shoulders. “Catherine, you need to pull yourself together…”

But I can’t. My voice breaks into her shirt. “He cheated on me. I loved him so much.”