Chapter 6: Bad Reputation.

LEAH's POV.

A week was all it took for my whole life to completely change.

Everything happened so fast since I turned eighteen, for one Hardin West had gone from being my ex-boyfriend's older brother—the annoyingly attractive and cocky hockey captain I'd barely spoken to before—to the boy everyone at Ashwood University believed was in love with me.

This all came after I swore that my sophomore year would be anything but chaotic. It was a promise I made with Hazel and Julia, a promise to keep our heads down and just get through university as fast as we could. Our whole lives are still in front of us, we thought.

But at least we'd have each other.

It had been one week now. One week since I caught my best friend kissing my boyfriend and I hadn't spoken to Julia since then.

Occasionally, we would walk past each other in the school hallway and share a glance for a second or I'd see her and Ethan at lunch at a distance from Hardin and I. The tension was electric in the air and the gossip hadn't nearly stopped by now.

Hardin and I thought that by playing into it, the students would get over the rumor quickly but the more they saw us together on campus, the more we became the hot topic.

Everyday was a routine, by morning, Hardin was always waiting by my locker with a lazy grin and a cup of coffee in his hands. The most we did in public was a forehead kiss but people still bought it. During class, he'd occasionally stop by and even at lunch, he'd sit with me. Our legs would intertwine underneath the table knowing that eyes were on us.

I wasn't used to having this much attention but Hardin made it easy and after a week, even though the gossip hadn't died down, the rumors started to shift. People were no longer asking if Hardin and I were together, they were asking how long we'd been hiding it.

"But I haven't seen them kiss on the lips though, they could faking it." "Publicity is publicity." Occasionally, there were posts on the school blog that doubted our relationship which was more reason for Hardin and I to step up our game.

And we planned to that tonight at his hockey game. It was the quarter-finals of the tournament. Ashwood Wolves VS Redwood Titans. Everyone was going to be there which meant all eyes were going to be on us.

We sat across from each other during lunch and I lifted my face to him.

"You know we have to do more than kiss on the cheek right?" Hardin smirked. I knew this whole time where he was going and I rolled my eyes to the back of my head.

"It's not like it's going to be the first time. I don't know what you're so scared of." He said. Hot flashes from that night flooded back to me. I clenched my toes. Our first kiss was perfect, so much so I felt it in my chest and even Hardin got so carried away that he bit me.

"Do I really have to kiss you in front of hundreds of people?" I scoffed. "What's the difference? Just close your eyes." He replied.

"You know this was a non negotiable?" I reminded him. "It wasn't until we decided that we would when we absolutely have to." He said.

"It's just a kiss, Leah."

"Of course to you, it is. I'm sure you've kissed the whole cheerleading team." I muttered and he threw a look over his shoulder before looking back at me. He couldn't even pretend to be offended.

"Before that night, Ethan was the only one I'd kissed." I told him and I saw the question flash in his eyes. Like he was about to ask. "Are you a virgin?" But Hardin didn't.

He probably already knew the answer to that.

"He's still not speaking to you?" I changed the subject. From the corner of my eye, I could see Ethan and Julia across the room. Our last interaction, he was furious. Even more now that Hardin and I had gone public and he took it out on his brother, not speaking to him for days but Hardin couldn't care less.

"It's fine," He grunted. "Not like we had the best of relationships to begin with." He coldly said. "You know one upside to this arrangement for me is also getting to see how pissed off my brother gets when he sees us." Hardin smirked and I looked over just in time for the bell to ring for the end of lunch.

I had one last class while he had his hockey practice before the big night. Hardin had to leave but before he did, he slipped his jersey over the table with a wink.

"Put this on tonight." He ordered. My eyes fell to his boldened last name at the back of the shirt. WEST, alongside his lucky number 17. I nodded, putting it into my bag and we kissed on the cheek before he left. I wandered the hallway and soon found Hazel.

"Are you coming to the game tonight?" I asked her. She stopped right next to me, her locker beside me. "Duh, everyone will be there." She scoffed. That moment, she caught the slight worry in my eyes and ended up reaching for my face.

"What's wrong?" She asked. I had briefed her on the arrangement between Hardin and I. She was the only one who knew it was all fake, all for the cameras. She was the only one I could trust. But it wasn't always that way.

"Is it bad that I miss her?" I asked, looking across the hall to Julia and Ethan. My heart sank again seeing the both of them be all happy and loving with each other. Why couldn't that have been me?

Why wasn't I enough?

Hazel looked over her shoulder—I assumed they also hadn't spoken since that night too. She heaved a sigh.

"It's okay to miss her. I do too." She said.

"But I think she's changed."

"A part of me even hoped she'd apologize but she didn't. I never wanted our friendship to be over but I can't help but feel like she chose him in the end. And I lose two people who mattered to me at the same time." I continued.

An exhale left my lips as I shook my head.

It was one of the few moments I mourned my normal life before everything turned upside down.

"You're going to be okay. You have me." Hazel reassured, her hands falling to rub my arm and I sniffled. "God I'm so nervous for tonight," I said. "It's our first public appearance outside of Ashwood doors." Hazel rolled her eyes.

"I could never understand why people care so much," She said jokingly. "Why you even have to do this in the first place." I let out a chuckle and closed my locker.

"Just pray you never have to." We both had literature so we walked up the stairs to the class. "At least he's Hardin West," Hazel replied. "You're not going to pretend you're not enjoying the perks of dating the most popular guy on campus." She called me out and I rolled my eyes.

"Have you forgotten how we used to talk about him?" I asked and Hazel scoffed. "Well, he's changed now." She said. We got into class and took our seats just before the lecturer walked in.

"Isn't that the whole point of this?" She turned to me and I stuck a pen between my teeth, the thought of Hardin crossing my mind.

"I don't think Hardin West can ever change." I said.

He was so much of a fuckboy I couldn't help but wonder how long until his eyes catch the next shiny beautiful thing and what would become of us. I wanted to believe that he could change—I really did. But I guess he'd just have to prove me wrong.

After the school day, I returned home to my father passed out on the couch next to a dozen bottles of beer. I only heaved a sigh as I made my way to my room.

Night fell quickly on that Friday night and the game was in an hour. I stood, facing the mirror in Hardin's jersey and a mini skirt. It smelled a lot like him. Fresh soap, cedar, and cold air, with a hint of whatever cologne he wore that made my stomach do ridiculous little flips. It was like he was around me even without being here.

Then my phone chimed in the corner of the room. I picked it up.

HARDIN: Can't wait to see you tonight.

A smile tugged at the corner of my mouth before I could stop it and a ridiculous warmth exploded in my chest. I quickly frowned and turned off the phone, forcibly reminding myself of one thing I already knew.

Hardin West could never change.