Chapter 4: Unexpected Kiss

Lia was puzzled. "I don't understand..." A familiar pain surged through her. "...Was that why you encouraged me to write it?" Lia was devastated; she couldn't comprehend the situation. "Yes, I made you write the letter because that’s what you always do, Lia. You do what everyone tells you to do. It's like you don't have a mind of your own. I'm not a fan of Harper, but you’re just as pathetic," Trudy spat, the words pouring out of her like she had been holding them in for a long time. Lia couldn't understand why all of this was happening to her. She felt the tears building but bit her lower lip to hold them back. "Why me? What did I do to deserve this? I thought you were my best friend," it was taking all the strength Lia had not to break down. "Oh please, quit acting like the victim. Not everything is about you," Trudy retorted.

Before things could escalate, the vice principal, who was also Harper Uncle stepped in. "What’s going on here?" he demanded, his presence commanding attention. Harper glared at Lia

"It’s nothing," Lia muttered. "Good. Now, everyone to your classes." The vice principal dismissed them, and as they parted ways,

Lia felt a pang of disappointment, betrayal, and embarrassment. Not only had she failed to retrieve the letter, but she also lost the one person she could confide in. She left for the restroom; she couldn’t go to school feeling the way she did. With tears blurring her vision, she entered the restroom. Sliding down to the floor, she finally let the tears fall. Was there something wrong with her? Did everyone hate her? Damn! She hated herself. Trudy was right about one thing: she was pathetic, and now she was back to being the school’s laughingstock. Still in tears, she didn’t hear the door open.

“Uh, excuse me. You do know this is the men’s restroom, right?” a voice caught her attention. She looked around and realized she was in the wrong restroom.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize,” she said, standing up and trying to compose herself. Then the guy glanced at her face and immediately recognized her.

“Lia?” he called, grabbing her attention.

“Zayn?” Lia was startled; she would recognize that face anywhere—he was the guy she had turned down for Asher.

“Hi. What are you doing here? Are you okay?” he stepped closer, a look of genuine concern on his face. Why was he being so nice after he had stopped talking to her for years?

“Yeah, I’ll be fine,” Lia replied, unsure of what else to say. He was a nice guy, and she had turned him down; he should be angry with her.

“Did anyone hurt you?”

“No, I'm fine,” she replied.

“Then why were you crying?” he asked, which meant he hadn’t heard about what happened.

“Look, I'm sorry. This is all too weird for me. Sorry for the inconvenience,” she said, sliding beside him to escape his confused expression.

Though Lia didn’t want to, she was hungry, so she had to go to the cafeteria for lunch. She wasn’t going to let them get the best of her. As she entered the cafeteria, the noise of laughter and chatter swirled around her, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that all eyes were on her. Whispers trailed through the air like arrows, piercing her confidence. Eventually, she found an empty table to have her lunch. After a few minutes, her phone vibrated against the table, drawing her attention. It was a notification that sent a jolt of dread coursing through her veins. The entire school had been tagged in a post that made her stomach tighten into a knot.

“Move on, bitch. He’s mine,” it read, alongside a photo that left her breathless: Harper and Asher locked in an intimate kiss, their smiles radiant and carefree.

Lia bit her lower lip, hoping it would ease the tension of the moment, but she couldn't help feeling like a ship caught in a storm. It was far beyond anger or jealousy. If only she still had Trudy. But looking in Trudy’s direction, it was obvious she wanted nothing to do with her. The hurt Lia had buried six months ago surged back to the surface, raw and unrelenting, and she couldn’t help the vulnerability that came rushing in.

She felt the heat of embarrassment creeping up her neck, her heart pounding in her ears. She couldn’t stand it anymore. She decided to skip the rest of her classes and stood up to leave.

Unknown to her, Asher had followed closely behind. "Lia!" he called out, his voice cutting through the storm in her mind and causing her to halt mid-step. She could recognize that voice anywhere, a mixture of warmth and regret. He stood there a hint of determination in his expression. "...Can I talk to you?" he asked, standing in front of her, his gaze searching hers for something understanding? forgiveness? or perhaps another chance.

"Please no, I’m really not in the mood," she replied, attempting to sidestep him, but he blocked her path.

 

"Why didn’t you tell me about the letter or at least how you felt?" Asher's voice was laced with concern, but Lia knew better than that.

 

"Yeah, right. Tell my ex that cheated on me that i was finding it hard to move on," she spat, bitterness rising.

 

"If you had just told me, I would have understood," he said, closing the distance between them.

"Really? Asher, you broke my heart. Three years together, and you were cheating on me for two of them! Making me feel like an absolute fool," Lia let loose, her frustration spilling over.

 

"If you hadn’t walked into that classroom that day, we’d still be together. You can’t blame me for what happened," he shot back, was he even serious right now?

"Are you kidding me?" Lia said with annoyance.

"Yes! You can't put the blame on me, this whole letter thing wouldn’t be causing all this drama; now people think I might still have feelings for you," he retorted.

"Of course, Asher Wilde, the school's golden boy, can’t afford to ruin his reputation. You're repulsive," Lia couldn't believe she ever dated the likes of him.

"Believe it or not, that first year with you was amazing. But then Harper started to gain influence and he said we should....." He hesitated.

"Who said what?" Lia pressed, her heart racing.

"That doesn't matter. I loved you regardless. If not still do... But nobody can find out," Asher murmured, and for a split second, Lia felt a glimmer of hope.

"You’re a coward," Lia snapped, her heart hardening.

"I know, and I shouldn’t have hurt you," he admitted, but his words felt hollow.

"Just leave me alone, okay?" She wanted to believe things could change, but it was clear he wasn’t willing to try.

"Wait, Lia! I'm telling you the truth..." Suddenly, Tyler appeared from behind, his presence a welcome distraction.

"Lia, are you okay?" "Who the hell are you?" Asher glared, challenging Tyler.

"Tee, I’m fine," Lia answered, relieved he was there.

"Asher, I don't want to talk to you anymore," she asserted.

"Wait! We can come to an agreement," he persisted reaching forth to hold her.

"Let her go," Tyler said firmly, releasing her from Asher’s grip.

"Now back off." "Lia, remember how we always got back together after every fight? This is just like that," Tyler said, and for a moment, Lia faltered, considering the possibility. But before she could respond, Tyler pulled her close, locked eyes with her then crashed his lips against hers.

Surprise coursed through her, but the kiss was soft and electrifying. He touch was gentle and passionate. She had never felt anything like it before. When he pulled away, his hands lingering at her waist, she was breathless.

After regaining her composure, she stammered, "Wha... what was that for?" "So you could finally stop looking at him," Tyler replied, seriousness etched in his expression.