Chapter 8: One Of The Million Stars Part 1

"Wake up! You're no VIP to be taking this long. We're going to be late for school!"

I was jolted awake by the furious voice and loud knocking of—oh, wait—it’s Nathan. He stood at my door, arms crossed, looking at me like I was some kind of inconvenience.

"What’s the point of knocking if you already opened the door?" I mumbled, my voice thick with sleep as I yawned.

"Good, you're up. Get ready. My mom told me to tell you that breakfast is ready. And next time, wake yourself up—I’m not your slave," he snapped before walking out of my room.

‘Seriously, does he have a mood disorder or something? Should I refer him to my doctor?’ I thought we were past this constant bickering.

With a sigh, I got up, fixed my bed, and took a quick shower. I changed into dark blue jeans, paired with a lime-green sweatshirt and sneakers, before heading downstairs. Nathan and his parents were already at the table, eating breakfast. The sight of strawberry pancakes made my stomach growl in anticipation—my absolute favourite.

Excited, I practically flew to my seat, quickly piling pancakes onto my plate. The sweet aroma of strawberries filled my senses, and before I knew it, I had already devoured two pieces. That’s when I noticed them staring at me. Feeling self-conscious, I slowed down.

Aunt Clarisse giggled. "Slow down, sweetheart. No one’s going to take them from you."

Uncle Arthur gave me a warm smile. "Looks like you love breakfast."

I let out an embarrassed laugh. "Oops, sorry. It’s just that this is my favourite. And yes, I really love it."

I felt surprisingly at ease around them. It was nice.

"Hurry up, Princess, before we’re late," Nathan muttered, already standing up. Way to ruin the moment, buddy.

We drove to school in complete silence. While I wasn’t the chattiest person, the tension in the car was suffocating. A block before school, Nathan pulled over to the curb and turned to me.

"Get out. And don’t even think about telling anyone about this engagement. It’s embarrassing."

I blinked. "Why? I mean, I get wanting to keep it private, but everyone knows we’re friends. It wouldn’t be weird if you drove me to school."

Last night, I had decided not to stay mad at him. Maybe it was guilt, or maybe I just couldn't bring myself to hate him.

"I still need to pick up my girlfriend, and I don’t want her to be bothered by you. So get out," he said flatly, unlocking my door.

Ouch. That stung.

But I refused to let him see that. Instead, I forced a smile. "Okay. Have a sweet time with her."

I stepped out of the car, and as I walked toward school, I heard him make a U-turn—probably to pick her up. I felt something warm slide down my cheek. A tear.

Taking a deep breath, I quickly wiped it away.

Nightmares didn’t defeat me before. They might knock me down, but I always stood back up. This? This stupid engagement? These confusing feelings I was developing for him? They wouldn't break me. I wouldn’t let them.

"Hey, guys! What's up? I missed you so much!" I greeted Athan and Danny before pulling Athan into a hug. He returned it, planting a quick kiss on my forehead before I moved to Danny, who hugged me even tighter.

"We’re fine, Rosie. Other than being lonely without you, everything’s good," Danny joked.

I chuckled. "Oh, come on. It hasn’t been that long."

Athan looked at me seriously. "How are the Stevens? Are they treating you well?"

"Tan-tan, lighten up! They treat me well. The Stevens are a lovely family." It was true—aside from the way Nathan treated me like I was disposable.

Athan’s eyes held a warning. "Just know, Rosie, if anything happens, we’re only one call away."

I smiled. "Of course. I know."

Danny grinned. "One call away… I’ll be there to save the day..." he sang dramatically, earning a shove from Athan.

I laughed as we walked into school together, the warmth of their friendship melting away the lingering hurt.

The cafeteria was lively—until it wasn’t. Suddenly, everything went quiet.

Like it was on cue, I turned my head and saw Nathan entering with a beautiful girl. His girlfriend. They sat at his usual table with Xavier and William.

A sharp pang hit my chest.

So, she’s his girlfriend. Olivia Ramirez.

She was gorgeous and intelligent, admired by many. Though she didn’t attend our school, I’d heard she visited occasionally. Now I knew why.

"Who’s she?" Athan asked, nodding toward her.

"His girlfriend," I said, keeping my voice indifferent, though my heart clenched at the words.

Danny’s expression darkened. "Girlfriend?! Is he insane? He has a fiancée!"

I looked up to see both of them practically fuming. Their jaws clenched, hands tightening into fists.

Oh boy. This is bad.

I quickly stepped in front of them, blocking their view. "Guys, let it go. It doesn’t matter, all right? This is just an arrangement. We have our own lives."

Neither looked convinced, but after several minutes of convincing, I finally managed to drag them out of the cafeteria before a fight could break out.

"Class dismissed! Don’t forget your homework!" Mrs. Anderson called as the bell rang.

I walked into the hallway, feeling my phone vibrate in my pocket. Nathan.

“Hello?” I replied, putting the phone on my ear.

“Go wait where I dropped you off. I still need to take Olivia home,” he answered nonchalantly… actually, it’s more like he was irritated.

Hearing his reason still gave me a light sting, but I do understand him. Furrowing my brows, I scrunched my nose and suggested, “Uh… How about I just take a cab? Or maybe Danny or Athan could take me home? I’m sure they wouldn’t mind.”

“And make me look bad? No! Wait there. No questions.” With that, he hung up the phone.

With a sigh, I said goodbye to the boys and slipped out of the school unnoticed, not wanting them to know I was walking home alone. I knew they’d be furious.

An hour passed.

My legs ached, and the stares from a group of men across the street made my skin crawl. I shifted uncomfortably.

‘Where is he?’

I debated whether to just go home on my own, but I knew Nathan would be angry if I did. So I waited.

And waited.

And waited.

Alone.