Dumped!

The words came out in a choked whisper as I stared blankly at the screen.

“Jason broke up with me?”

From the corner of my eye, I saw Rosalie peer over my shoulder and freeze.

“No, he did not!” she exclaimed, reaching for my phone gently. “What a coward! Who breaks up via text?”

I was frozen, re-reading the message over and over while letting humiliation wash over me in cold, relentless waves. My steady boyfriend of two years had just ended things, and in his exact words, the reason was: ‘This whole thing between us has gotten boring, Rory. I need some excitement in my life.’

My eyes burned, blinking back the tears threatening to fall as my older sister put an arm around my shoulders and sat beside me at the kitchen table, setting the phone down.

“I’m so sorry about this, bun,” she said, her voice soft. “Please don’t believe anything he says! I always told you that you were too good for him anyway.”

I looked down at my fingers, twisting them in my lap. “I don’t think he’s lying, Rosa,” I said, my voice hoarse. “I am boring.”

“No, Rory. You are not, and I don’t want you thinking that about yourself.” She began, and I knew a pep talk was imminent.

I stood up from my seat, cutting it off. “I’m getting late for school. I should go out and wait for Todd.”

Rosalie stood too, her worried eyes scanning my face. “Do you want to go out tonight?” she asked, throwing a hopeful smile my way. I gave her a weak, fake one in return.

“No, thank you.”

She pulled me into her arms, making sure to look directly into my eyes. “As Mum used to say, ‘If only you could see how beautiful you are.’” She tapped my nose, earning a faint, genuine smile from me. “I am sorry this happened, but please, you are not a boring woman. You are beautiful, with an amazing I.Q., a breathtaking appearance, and the most beautiful heart. Jason never deserved you. You just liked him. Not love.”

I shrugged, looking down at my feet. She wasn't entirely wrong. I’d only agreed to date Jason because he’d pleaded so desperately for a chance.

Noticing my silent agreement, Rosalie continued, her tone turning sly. “And now, I think this is a good opportunity for you to finish high school with the one your heart actually desires. Besides, you’re both single at the same time—what are the odds?” Her eyebrows wiggled playfully.

I groaned. “Can you not bring that up?”

She ignored me. “You and Todd are so perfect for each other.”

“That’s a lie. Todd and I are complete opposites, and we are just best friends. He doesn’t see me that way.”

As if sensing he was being talked about, my phone beeped with a text.

BESTIE: Good morning, Candy. I’m out front.

“I’ll see you later, Rosa,” I murmured, taking a step toward the door.

“Come here.” She pulled me back, placing a soft kiss on my forehead. “Have a great day, my beautiful girl. Don’t think too much about this, okay? You’re incredible, and he doesn’t deserve you.”

I gave her one last weak smile and headed out to where Todd was waiting.

One glance at him, and the world felt slightly less shattered.

Todd O’Connor, my best friend, is the perfect definition of a teenage heartthrob. Silky jet-black hair, dreamy blue eyes, and a tall, well-formed muscular frame. He was leaning against his red Cadillac, and when he saw me, he flashed his perfect smile—the one that never failed to make my heart do a foolish little flutter.

However, his expression shifted the moment I got closer. His smile vanished, replaced by a fierce intensity. He reached out, held my wrists, and pulled me gently toward him. His familiar, comforting cologne wrapped around me.

“What’s wrong?” he demanded, his voice low.

I sighed, the shame bubbling back up. “Jason broke up with me.”

“He did?”

“Just this morning. Apparently, I’m boring.” My voice cracked, betraying the raw hurt.

Todd’s fingers clenched into a fist at his side. “That bastard,” he hissed through gritted teeth. “I’ll show him.”

“No,” I said sternly, taking his big fist in my small hands. “Please, don’t do anything… you can’t do anything.” I begged.

“Fine,” he said too quickly, with a grunt.

“Promise me.”

He let out a long sigh, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. “I promise.” I could hear the reluctance in his voice, but the promise was enough for now.

“Are you okay?” he asked, his thumb brushing my cheek gently, sending refreshing waves through my body.

“No. I feel embarrassed!” I admitted honestly.

“Don’t be,” Todd said, his tone softening. “I’ve been dumped a thousand times!”

I scoffed and rolled my eyes. Trust him to try and make it a competition. It wasn’t the same.

“In fact, are we in sync or what?” A teasing smile tugged at his lips. “Since Leslie broke up with me two days ago.”

Leslie Williams—the hottest girl in school, captain of the cheerleading squad, and Todd’s on-and-off girlfriend. They had broken up at least a thousand times in two years.

“And this time, I am certain we are done for good,” he declared.

I groaned internally. He always said that.

“Look, Candy,” Todd said, cupping my face in his hands as he bent to meet my eyes. “Jason is an idiot. A total idiot. If he broke up with you, then he doesn’t deserve you.”

His eyes held mine, blue and earnest, and my heart fluttered traitorously in response.

“Now, come on in, Princess.” He opened the car door and ushered me inside before getting into the driver’s seat.

As he drove us to school, his right hand reached over and found mine, his fingers lacing through mine. He held my hand the entire way, his thumb tracing soothing circles on my skin. For those fifteen minutes, with the world passing by outside, I began to feel the tight knot in my chest slowly loosen.

That fragile peace shattered the moment we pulled into the school parking lot.

There, leaning against a sleek black car, was Jason. And he wasn’t alone. A girl from the year below—a new transfer student known for her bold style—was draped over him, laughing at something he’d said. They looked cozy. Intimate. As if their connection had been building for a while.

My chest tightened, making it hard to breathe. I was blinking back fresh, hot tears when I saw a familiar, furious figure stalking across the asphalt toward the happy couple.

Todd!

With a gasp, I flew out of the car and rushed after him, but I was too late. By the time I got there, three sharp, brutal punches had already landed. Jason was on the ground, groaning, his nose bleeding, while the girl shrieked and scrambled back.

“Todd!” I screamed, grabbing him from behind and wrapping my arms around his torso. He was a coiled spring of rage.

“You’re a piece of shit!” he yelled down at Jason, who was clutching his face. I pulled Todd backward with all my strength.

“Todd! You promised me you wouldn’t do anything to him!” I cried, my voice trembling with anger and despair.

Todd finally turned to look at me, his chest heaving. He didn’t look a tiny bit remorseful. His blue eyes were like chips of ice, but when they met mine, they softened just a fraction.

“Yes,” he said, his voice low and deadly serious. “But eleven years ago, on your first day of school here, I made you my first promise. I swore I’d never let anyone get away with hurting you. That one comes first. Always.”