006 - The First Lie

Scarlett's POV

Monday morning. 7:28.

I stood on the corner of my street, heart pounding, uniform somehow tighter than usual. Or maybe that was just the panic.

A black car pulled up. The door opened.

Ronan sat inside, looking like he'd stepped out of a magazine. Dark blazer. White shirt. Hair perfectly messy.

"Get in."

I climbed in. The car pulled away.

"You okay?"

"No."

"Good. Honesty." He handed me a coffee. "Drink this. You look like you haven't slept."

"I haven't."

"Me neither." He stared out the window. "First day's the hardest. After today, it gets easier."

"Promise?"

"No." He glanced at me. "But I'll be right there. Every step."

The words should have been comforting. They weren't.

Because every step meant more eyes. More rumors. More questions I couldn't answer.

The car pulled up near the school gates. Not too close. Enough privacy to walk the rest.

"Ready?"

"No."

"Same answer." He almost smiled. "Let's go."

We walked side by side. Not touching. Not yet. Students ahead. Students behind. Phones already appearing.

"Should we—"

He grabbed my hand.

Warm. Firm. His fingers laced through mine like we'd done this a hundred times.

"Eyes forward," he murmured. "Smile slightly. Look comfortable."

I tried. Failed. Tried again.

The whispers started immediately.

Oh my God.

Is that—

No way.

Told you the photo was real.

We reached the main doors. Ronan held them open. Pulled me through. His hand never left mine.

The hallway stretched ahead. Full of students. Full of eyes.

Full of Maya.

She stood by her locker, books in hand. Saw our hands. Saw his face. Saw mine.

Something shattered in her expression.

I wanted to run to her. Explain. Fix it.

I couldn't.

Ronan squeezed my hand. Warning. Reminder.

Keep walking.

We passed her. She didn't speak. Didn't move.

The silence hurt worse than anything she could have said.

More students ahead. A group of rich kids who'd never looked at me twice. Now they stared like I'd grown a second head.

"Is that the scholarship girl?"

"Ronan Whitmore is dating a scholarship kid?"

"Her? Really?"

My face burned. Ronan's grip tightened.

"Keep walking," he murmured. "Almost there."

Almost where? The hallway stretched forever.

A girl stepped in front of us. Blonde. Perfect. Smiling like she'd found something interesting.

"Ronan." She ignored me completely. "Heard you had a busy weekend."

"Not now, Victoria."

"Just curious." Her eyes slid to me. Assessed. Dismissed. "This is your new... project?"

Ronan stopped. Turned. Pulled me slightly behind him.

"She's my girlfriend. Say something else, and we'll have a problem."

Victoria's smile faltered. Just for a second.

"Interesting choice." She stepped aside. "Good luck with that."

We walked past. My heart hammered.

"Who was that?"

"No one. Someone who needs to learn boundaries."

"You just threatened her."

"I protected you." He glanced at me. "There's a difference."

The same words he'd used yesterday. There's a difference.

I was starting to hate that phrase.

We reached his locker. He stopped. Finally let go of my hand.

The loss of warmth felt strange.

"First period starts in ten." He leaned against the lockers. Casual. Like we hadn't just run a gauntlet. "You okay?"

"No. Yes. I don't know."

"Normal." He nodded. "You'll get used to it."

"I don't want to get used to it."

"Too late." He almost smiled. "You're with me now. This is your life."

My life. Three months of this.

I'd signed up for this.

But watching Maya's face across the hallway—watching her turn away—made it feel like the worst decision I'd ever made.

"Ronan." A voice behind us.

We both turned.

A teacher. Mr. Harrison. Chemistry.

"Principal's office. Both of you. Now."

My stomach dropped.

"What for?" Ronan's voice stayed calm.

"Just come."

We walked. Together. No hand-holding this time. Just two people summoned like children.

The hallway blurred. Students whispered. Phones followed.

Principal Langley's office door stood open.

She sat behind her desk. Mrs. Voss beside her. Mr. Delgado from the Ethics Committee on the other side.

This time, there were three chairs.

"Sit down."

We sat. Ronan's knee brushed mine. Accident or on purpose? I couldn't tell.

Langley folded her hands. "There's been a development."

My blood went cold.

"The cheating investigation." She looked at me. "New evidence has emerged."

"Evidence of what?"

"Evidence that supports your innocence."

I blinked. "What?"

Mrs. Voss's jaw tightened. She looked furious.

Mr. Delgado opened a folder. "A second anonymous report was filed over the weekend. This one recants the first. Claims the original accusation was false. Made to harm you."

My heart stopped.

"Who filed it?"

"Anonymous. Same as the first." He slid a paper across the desk. "But it includes details only someone involved would know. Specifics about the first report. Dates. Times. Locations."

Ronan shifted beside me. Barely.

"We're taking this seriously," Langley said. "The original accusation is now in question. Your suspension is lifted pending further investigation."

Lifted.

My scholarship was safe.

For now.

"You're free to resume normal activities." Langley stood. "We'll update you as the investigation continues."

Normal activities.

Like fake dating the most dangerous boy in school.

We walked out. The door closed behind us.

Ronan grabbed my arm. Pulled me into the empty stairwell. Same one from before.

"That was fast." His voice low.

"What was fast?"

"The recant. Someone got scared." He watched me carefully. "Someone realized they made a mistake going after you."

"Who?"

"I don't know yet." Frustration flickered across his face. "But I will."

I should have felt relieved. My scholarship was safe. The investigation was paused.

Instead, I felt watched.

"You knew this would happen."

"I hoped." He leaned against the wall. "Whoever filed that report is connected to me. They saw the photo. Saw us together. Got scared I'd find them."

"So they recanted to cover their tracks."

"Exactly." He nodded. "They'd rather you go free than me find out who they are."

"But you still don't know."

"Not yet." His eyes met mine. "But they just made a mistake. They showed fear. Fear leaves traces."

I shivered.

"You're scary when you talk like that."

"I'm scary all the time." He almost smiled. "You just don't notice anymore."

Maybe he was right.

Maybe I was getting used to him.

My phone buzzed. Maya.

Maya: We need to talk. Now.

I looked up. Through the stairwell window, I could see the main hallway. Maya stood by her locker, phone in hand, looking around.

Looking for me.

"I have to go."

"Scarlett." Ronan's voice stopped me. "Today was hard. It gets easier. I promise."

"You keep saying that."

"Because I keep meaning it."

I walked out. Found Maya in the hallway. She grabbed my arm and pulled me into an empty classroom.

"What the hell was that?"

"What was what?"

"Don't play dumb." She slammed the door. "I saw you holding his hand. I saw you walking through school like you belonged there. I saw you choose him over me."

"I didn't choose—"

"You walked past me. Didn't stop. Didn't even look at me." Tears in her eyes. "Three years, Scarlett. Three years of friendship, and you walked past me like I was nothing."

"Maya—"

"He's dangerous. I told you. I begged you. And you still chose him."

"I didn't choose him. I chose—"

Chose what? Survival? My mom? My future?

I couldn't tell her any of it.

"Chose what?" She waited. "What could possibly be worth this?"

The silence stretched.

"Nothing." Her voice broke. "That's what I thought."

She walked out.

I stood alone in the empty classroom, shaking, tears finally falling.

My phone buzzed.

Ronan: You okay?

I didn't answer.

Because I wasn't okay.

I'd just lost my best friend. Saved my scholarship. And started a lie so big I didn't know how I'd ever escape it.

And somewhere out there, the person who'd filed that report was still watching.

Still waiting.

Still dangerous.

My phone buzzed again. Unknown number.

Nice try, scholarship girl. But this isn't over.

I stared at the screen.