Chapter 1

ZARA: The Girl He Doesn’t See

I was going to tell him tonight.

It was stupid, Yeah, I knew it.

But my best friend was laughing across the room, pouring tequila into a red solo cup for a girl who looked like she walked off a P*******t board, and my heart was doing that annoying thing where it cracked quietly inside my chest. Again.

Jace Maddox.

Leather jacket. Sloppy grin. The boy who once punched a guy in the face for calling me a fat whale in ninth grade.

My best friend.

And I was the chubby girl in the corner, holding a can of Diet Coke like it was a lifeline, waiting for the moment to feel brave.

But here’s the thing, bravery doesn’t come when you’re waiting. It comes when you jump. It was our after prom party night and Jace didn't need to have a particular date, he had thousands of girls flocking around him.. You know, the school’s most popular boy, every girl wanted him and I know I really look stupid for adding myself to the cue.

I stared at his direction once more, he had this wide grin like being around the ladies was his safe haven.. I heaved a deep sigh from where I was seated alone and took another sip from the diet coke in my hands. I have made up my mind to confess this night, you never know, I could stand a chance at least that's what I wanted to believe.

So I walked up to him. Through the haze of cheap alcohol and louder music, past girls who didn’t even glance at me. He was laughing, like always.

I tapped his arm gently from behind “Jace,” I murmured gently and he turned to me “Can I talk to you? Outside?” I whispered

He stared at me for a while “Z? You good?”

“Yeah” I nodded, even though beads of sweat were profusely forming across my forehead. I headed out and he trailed behind me. .

Outside, it was quieter. Cold. My fingers were shaking from the wind, that's what I wanted to tell myself.

“What’s up,Zee? Are you enjoying the party? Do you want to come join us?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.. I shook my head. I was better off staying alone than stay with a bunch of people who give those mocking stares.

He put his hands in his pockets, stepping closer to stare at me… “Zee??” He called out when he saw I was mute..

I’m in love with you. I'm in love with you, Jace Maddox .

It sat on the tip of my tongue. Like it had a thousand times.

“Jace,” I said, voice small. “I just wanted to tell you something. I.."

That’s when she came out.

The girl from the party. Long legs. Perfect lips. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him there in my presence..

And he didn’t pull away.

He kissed her back.

Right there. Two feet in front of me, my heart clenched twice harder..

“There you are,” the girl giggled. “You just left me.”

I didn’t move.

“Zara?” he turned back to me, and for a second, his smile dropped. Like he realized we were supposed to be talking but the little courage I gathered had disappeared.

I swallowed the words.

“Nothing,” I whispered. “It’s nothing.”

I walked away before my face could betray me.

Before the sting in my throat could spill out in tears.

The after-prom party pulsed around me, sticky floors, too much perfume, too many beautiful people pressed against each other like puzzle pieces that somehow fit. Unlike me.

i barely managed to fit into this dress..

I was back to sitting alone.

Even the music seemed to laugh at me, like it knew I had tried something stupid. Like it knew I didn’t belong here.

I held my drink tighter, stared at the bubbles fizzing in my cup, kind of lost.

What was I even doing here?

No one asked me to prom.

No one cared if I danced or not.

No one even saw me… except Jace. And now, maybe not even him.

I moved through the house while the party went on, to get my mind off few things. The more I lingered , the more I realised I didn't belong here. No one would care if I stayed or not..My head throbbed with things I didn’t say. I needed to leave.

Find Jace. Tell him I was going home. I don't want him getting pissed off that I left without telling him.

I checked a few places where I figured he might be but no trace..

Then I turned to a corner, heading down a quiet hallway, and stopped. A door was slightly ajar. Light and voices spilling out.

His voice, Jace's voice.

I took a step closer

He was in one of the rooms, door cracked open just enough. I just wanted to tell him I was heading home. That’s it.

But then I heard my name.

“Zara?”

A guy's voice.

“Yeah, but like… have you ever thought about the two of you? Maybe something real could happen?”

Another laugh. Casual like it was the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard.

“Zara and me?” Jace said, amused. “Nah, man. That’s never happening.”

My stomach twisted.

“Why not?” the guy pressed. “She’s always there for you. What if she’s in love with you and just scared to say it?”

Silence. Then Jace's voice, low but clear.

“She’s not.” He answered.

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because Zara is just... Zara,” he said, like that explained everything. “We’ve been friends since forever. She’s like a sister to me. There’s no romantic anything going on, and I doubt there ever will be.”

My throat tightened.

“But what if she confesses?”

Another beat.

“Then I would tell her to kill the feelings,” Jace said without hesitation. “It would ruin everything between us.”

Then came the part I wish I never heard.

“I mean… look at the kind of girls I date,” he added with a snort. “Tall. Slender. Confident. Zara’s… not that. She’s not my type. Not even close.”

He laughed again.

That one that laugh, split me in half.

I didn’t wait to hear more. I couldn’t.

I turned and walked no, ran—back through the house, my heels clicking against thefloor. My breath caught in my throat, and my own body was choking me from the inside out.

Not his type.

Never will be.

Those words kept ringing in my head.

Outside, the night air hit my face, but it didn’t help. My eyes stung and my chest burned. I stopped near the porch light, leaned against the wall, and looked down at myself.

The prom dress I spent weeks obsessing over now felt like a joke. I thought I would look pretty even for once.

But now… I looked fat.

I am fat.

The fabric clung too tight around my stomach. My arms looked huge. My little makeup had started to melt.

What was I even thinking? Confessing?

I let out a bitter laugh and turned away from the house, from the party, from everything. I just wanted a place I could breathe and it definitely wasn't here.

Then bam,I slammed into someone and stumbled over to the floor.

A shrill of perilous laughter erupted through the space..It was sharp and quite cruel.

“Seriously?” one of them scoffed. “Watch where you’re going, Fatty.”

Another girl stepped around me like I was dirt. “Maybe if you could see past your double chin, you would have better coordination.”

They all snickered

“Isn’t this Jace’s little best friend?” one of them spoke up, her tone thick with sarcasm. I looked up, it was her

The girl from earlier. The one who kissed Jace. She was flanked by two other girls. I know them from school..

I didn’t answer.

“You mean the one who follows him around like a puppy?” The other asked and I pressed my lips together, words escaping me.

She crouched slightly, pretending to be sympathetic. “You okay down there, sweetie? Or you need a bouncer to help you up?”She said, every syllable disguised in mockery..

They laughed again

“It must be hard trying to squeeze into that dress. Who were you trying to impress? You didn't even have any prom date”

I bit my lips and let out a sigh..they mustn't remind me that I didn't fit into their beauty standard..

“Didn't you check your body size and type?”

I swallowed hard, trying to breathe. My throat tightened.

Something inside me cracked.

My eyes burned, but I wouldn’t let the tears fall in front of them.

Not them.

I forced myself to my feet, wiping my palms on my dress. My knees were scraped. “I have to go” I said, my voice cracking. My hands trembled as I picked up my bag, eyes stinging.

“God,” another one muttered, walking past. “Prom’s for pretty people. Go home.”

“Should’ve stayed home,” one of them snickered again as I was barely holding it together. My eyes stung so much from trying to hold it together cause those tears were just at the tip.

Should’ve never worn this dress. Should’ve never come. Should’ve never thought I had a chance.

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.