All Chapters of My Accidental Boyfriend: Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

If there was one thing I hated about myself, it was how easily I let my feelings trip me up.I mean, really—how does one sarcastic TikTok turn into this?A fake relationship, the entire school convinced I’m dating Jason Cole, and my heart acting like it’s on a rollercoaster every time he so much as smirks in my direction.It was supposed to be simple. A deal. A joke. A way to get people off my back.But now?Now I was drowning.I sat in the cafeteria, pretending to scroll on my phone while my mind spun in circles. Alex was across the table, smiling that gentle smile of his as he unpacked his lunch. He was perfect—kind, reliable, easy to talk to. The kind of guy you were supposed to like.And then there was Jason.Jason, who crashed into my life like a storm I never saw coming. Jason, who drove me insane, who teased me relentlessly, who made me want to scream and laugh in the same breath. Jason, who—when no one else was watching—looked at me like I was more than just some sarcastic gir

The next morning, walking into school felt like stepping into the middle of a circus I didn’t sign up for. Whispers followed me from the parking lot to the front doors, laughter trailed behind my back, and more than one person gave me that side-eye that screamed she thinks she’s somebody now.I kept my head down, clutching my books like a shield.But no matter how hard I tried to focus on the squeak of my sneakers or the weight of my bag on my shoulder, Jason’s words from yesterday looped in my head like a broken song.Maybe I’m done pretending.The way he said it—his voice lower, rougher, like he hadn’t even meant to say it out loud—burned in my chest. I told myself not to replay it. Not to imagine what it meant. But of course, I did. Over and over.By second period, the whispers were impossible to ignore.“Did you hear she’s actually into him now?” a girl near the lockers said, not even bothering to whisper.“No way. It’s all a setup for views. Why would Jason Cole ever date her?” h

High school had always been loud. But that morning, it was unbearable. The kind of loud that doesn’t come from lockers slamming or sneakers squeaking against linoleum but from whispers—sharp, sticky, poisonous whispers that clung to me no matter how fast I walked. “Did you hear? Jason and Lila.” “As if. He’d never actually like her.” “She’s a rebound at best.” I hugged my books to my chest, chin tucked low, like they could shield me from the stares. Ava walked beside me, muttering things like, Ignore them, Li. They’ll get bored in a week. Easy for her to say. It wasn’t her name burning holes into the air. And still, beneath the humiliation, there was something else. Something worse. A tiny, terrifying part of me that wasn’t just embarrassed— It was nervous. Fluttery. Aware. Because for all the talk, Jason didn’t seem bothered at all. I caught sight of him across the hall, earbuds in, grin plastered across his face, like the whole thing was just another joke. Maybe it was. Ma

High school noise never used to bother me. I was good at tuning it out—locker slams, gossip, the steady hum of voices that filled the hallways like static.But that day, every whisper felt like it was aimed at me.Not because my name was in it.Because hers was.Lila.And his.Jason.I kept my head down, jaw tight, as I made my way through the halls. But no matter how fast I walked, I couldn’t escape it.“Jason and Lila? No way.”“Bet he’s just messing with her.”“She doesn’t stand a chance.”My stomach knotted, hot and sharp. Because they were wrong. She wasn’t some joke. She wasn’t some pawn in one of Jason’s games. She was—I cut the thought off before it finished. Didn’t matter. None of it mattered.Except it did.By the time lunch rolled around, I was already on edge. I grabbed my tray, barely noticing what food landed on it, and found my usual spot. From here, I could see everything.And then I saw it.Jason. Sitting at her table.Not across the room with his crew. Not ignoring

High school runs on drama.Some people feed off it. Some people drown in it.And then there’s me.I watch it. Catalog it. Keep score.Not because I enjoy it, but because when the whispers get ugly, I need to know how close they are to hurting the people I care about.Which is why this week, I’d been listening harder than usual.Because the rumor du jour?Lila and Jason.It was everywhere. At the lockers, in classrooms, between bites of cereal in the cafeteria. Everyone had an opinion, and none of them were kind.“She’s just a stand-in until he gets bored.”“Not even his type.”“She’ll never keep up.”I wanted to scream at all of them. I wanted to yell that Lila wasn’t some temporary placeholder in anyone’s story. She was Lila — smart, funny, stubborn as hell, braver than she gave herself credit for.But I kept my mouth shut. Because high school doesn’t care about truth. It only cares about spectacle.And Jason was feeding it like gasoline on a bonfire.I was there, of course, when it