After what Treize said that day, my mind was a mess of questions and quiet confusion. His words echoed inside me, repeating in circles I couldn't escape. At first, I didn't know what to make of them—but as the days passed, clarity came like a slow, unwelcome tide.
It was just a normal day at school. I walked in like I always did, with a book in one hand and a "come-what-may" attitude. I talked to my seatmates, shared laughs, listened to lectures. Everything seemed typical… except it wasn't.
I began to notice that people looked at me differently.
Some gazes were soft, pitying. Others… smug. It was like walking into a silent storm—one I hadn't seen forming but was now right in the middle of.
On my way to the restroom, I overheard a conversation that would unravel everything.
"Was it true what I heard?" a girl asked.
"Yes," another voice replied. "I confirmed it with someone from their group."
I was about to step out of the stall when I heard my name.
"Oh really?! Then Carmela is really pitiful."
"That's what she gets for stealing all the boys' attention. Karma got her good."
I froze. Their voices twisted around my chest like a noose.
"But still," the other girl sighed, "being cheated on like that? Even I feel bad for her. Men really can't be trusted."
"You can't even blame him. Samantha's beautiful."
"Exactly. No matter how close to perfect a girl is, a guy will always find someone else to chase. Tragic, really."
They left. And only then did I allow myself to breathe.
At first, I told myself they were just gossiping—making drama out of nothing. But the pit in my stomach grew heavier. It wasn't until I returned to class that the truth struck harder, this time not from strangers, but from someone close.
Cristina, my seatmate and longtime friend, turned to me with concern in her eyes.
"Are you okay, Carmela?" she asked softly.
"What? Why wouldn't I be?" I forced a laugh.
She hesitated. "Didn't you know? Treize and Samantha… they're together now. Like, really together. As in *lovers*."
I didn't reply immediately. My hands went cold.
"I didn't know," I finally whispered.
I sat there, stunned. Then I spoke to myself in my head, steady and firm, like a coach calming a player before a game.
*Keep it together, Carmela. You're at school. There are eyes on you. They're waiting to see you break—don't give them the satisfaction. You've been here before. This pain? It's not new. And you? You're stronger now. Remember, he is not a loss.*
I turned to Cristina and smiled.
"Oh really? Good for him."
Some classmates overheard and couldn't hide their curiosity. One, sitting near Treize, turned toward me with a sneer.
"You're not mad? He cheated on you."
I met her gaze without blinking.
"Why would I be mad? We were never together," I said coolly. "What he does—and who he does it with—is none of my business. He's just another face in the crowd to me."
Treize was sitting nearby. He looked at me when I said it… and then quickly looked away.
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**Chapter: The Confrontation**
Rumors swirled like leaves in a gust of wind. Students whispered about a love triangle—Treize, Samantha, and me. But before things could spiral, I took control. I clarified the facts and kept our history hidden. Thank goodness I had insisted on secrecy from the start. If anyone had known the truth, the fallout would've been far worse.
Later that day, just as the final bell rang, my phone buzzed with a message from Treize.
**"Meet me. Unused classroom. I need to talk."**
I almost ignored it. But part of me needed closure. I deserved that much.
When I entered the dim, empty classroom, I kept my emotions buried behind a calm exterior.
"I'm here," I said.
Treize looked up. "So I see."
There was a long pause. The kind that stretches between two people who once shared something… and now share silence.
He broke it.
"What did you mean… what you said earlier in class?"
"I meant every word, Treize."
"What about us, Carmela? Doesn't that mean anything?"
"There was no *us*, Treize. You made that very clear the moment you chose Samantha."
"But we had something, didn't we? You felt it—I *know* you did."
"Yes, I did. But you ended it before it even began."
"That's not fair! You didn't give me what I needed, Carmela."
I narrowed my eyes. "You mean that 'reward' you kept bringing up?"
He sighed. "It was just a kiss. A *simple* kiss, Carmela. I waited for you. I wanted to feel like we were really something."
"You waited because *you* chose to. I never forced you to do that," I replied, voice rising. "And that kiss? It may have been 'simple' for you, but for me—it meant something. It was something I wanted to save for someone who truly loved me. Someone I could trust. Someone who wouldn't shatter my heart the second things didn't go their way."
"I *do* love you! What more do you want?"
"I want time, Treize. I want trust. I want a relationship built on more than just hormones and pressure. Love isn't enough to keep something alive. Loyalty, respect, patience—those are the things I need. And the moment you didn't get what you wanted, you went to someone else."
He was quiet. And then he said something that made my blood run cold.
"Can't you just wait for me too? I waited for you, so now it's your turn. I'll be with Samantha for now… but once we graduate, I'll leave her and we can finally be together."
It took me a second to process what he'd just said.
"You… you *what*?" I said, shaking.
"You said it yourself. Wait four years. So I'll wait—but be with her in the meantime. And when the time comes… we'll be together."
I couldn't believe it. The audacity. The entitlement.
My hand moved before I even thought about it.
**Slap.**
The sound echoed across the room.
"You think I'm your backup plan? A spare tire for when you're done with your current ride? Am I a *joke* to you?!"
I stepped back, breathing hard.
"Don't answer. In fact, don't speak to me ever again. We are done, Treize. And not just *us*—whatever twisted fantasy you had. You lost me. Forever."
And with that, I walked out of the room, out of the lies, and out of the story he tried to write for me.
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