"WHAT?!"
The shout echoed off the empty hallway, sharp enough to make Nelson flinch.
Robin stood rigid, fists clenched so tight his knuckles turned white. His chest heaved as he tried—really tried—not to lose it.
Nelson closed his eyes, jaw tight with guilt. "I'm sorry. I swear, I didn't mean for this to happen."
Robin didn't speak. His silence was louder than anything he could've said.
"If I'd thought it through—God, you know how I talk when I panic, I didn't mean to just—"
"That's exactly it!" Robin snapped, voice like a whip.
Silence fell again. Heavy. Stifling.
Nelson looked down, shame pressing into his shoulders.
Robin's eyes burned with something between rage and betrayal. If this were anyone else—not his best friend—he might've thrown a punch already.
Nelson swallowed. "I'm not gonna make excuses. I messed up. Big time. And I'll do whatever it takes to fix it. But I need your help."
Robin folded his arms across his chest, scoffing. "Help?"
"I don't know Suzie that well," Nelson started, cautiously. "But she's Lyra's friend. If anyone can—"
"No," Robin cut in, flat and final. "Lyra stays out of this."
Nelson blinked. "What? Why? She's her friend. Don't you think Lyra deserves to know?"
"No." Robin's voice was low, firm. "I said no."
"Why are you so protective of her?" Nelson asked, stepping closer. "You're acting like she's gonna break if she finds out anything. What are you really afraid of? That she'll get hurt again?"
Robin didn't answer.
Nelson frowned, not backing down. "What is it, man? You act like you hate everyone she's ever cared about. Her friends. Her past. Why? You wanna make her happy, I get that. But what if she's the one who wants to make peace?"
"It's not about that…" Robin muttered, almost too quiet.
"Then what is it?" Nelson snapped. "You're hiding something. Just say it!"
Robin went still.
He hadn't planned to say it out loud. Not today. Maybe not ever.
But the truth was there now—scratching at his throat, demanding to be released.
He ran a hand down his face, then through his hair, exhaling hard.
"…Suzie," he said, voice hoarse, "was my ex."
Nelson froze. "What?!"
Robin's lips barely moved. "Back in middle school. She was my girlfriend. For, like, a second. And then she crushed me."
The hallway went quiet again. Everything felt… different.
Nelson blinked, processing. "Are you serious?"
Robin laughed, bitter and hollow. "Yeah. Fun plot twist, right?"
--------
In the middle of a hallway crowded with shouting kids and scuffed sneakers, a boy moved at his own pace—calm, silent, and almost invisible.
He didn't stand out. No flashy style, no animated face like the others. His hair was always neat, his bangs perfectly in place. His white shirt always buttoned to the top. His trousers pressed, spotless.
His name was David Robinson Hadley. But to the rest of the school, he was just Dave. Not out of fondness, but because "David Robinson Hadley" sounded too grand for someone like him.
"Hey look, it's Dave. Young master Bookworm's finally here."
"Wait—your middle name is Robinson? Sounds like an artist, not... whatever this is."
"Even Dave sounds too cool for him."
Their laughter wasn't cruel. No one shoved him into lockers or tripped him in the cafeteria.But that didn't mean they liked him. Or cared. Or even saw him.
There was always a line. A quiet, invisible line that kept him on the other side of everyone else.
Dave wasn't the bullied kid from teen movies.He was the forgotten one.The outsider.
Too quiet.Too rigid.Too smart in all the wrong ways.
While the other boys messed around after class, Dave sat tucked away in the library, flipping through philosophy books no one else could pronounce. While they ran on the field, he finished his homework early—just in case.
Not because he was trying to impress anyone.But because he simply didn't know any other way to live.
He had been raised to be polite, to behave, to excel.To keep the family name clean.Because his family—while not loud about their wealth—still carried weight in the right circles.
That was the unspoken shield around him. No one touched Dave too harshly. No one dared.They joked.They whispered.But no one was dumb enough to cross the line.
"Reading again, huh?"
"Let me guess, packed lunch from Mommy today? Rich kids gotta eat safe, right?"
"What, she still feeds you with a spoon?"
He'd offer them a quiet smile, never answering.He knew they weren't really asking.
So he did what he always did: stayed silent.Invisible.
But then… there was her.
Among the hundreds who treated him like wallpaper, there was one girl who didn't just see him.She talked to him.
--------
Adolescence can be a strange, reckless time—especially for a girl like Suzie.
She was in that phase where everything was about testing the waters—style, social power, even love. And more than anything, she wanted to know how far she could push someone.
That's where the dare began.
"You seriously gonna flirt with the bookworm?"
Suzie had laughed when she first heard it. "What, him?"
"C'mon, it'll be fun. If you can get him to fall for you, you win."
"What's the point?"
"For the thrill. Look at him—he's probably never even touched a girl's hand. It'll be hilarious."
"Or maybe he'll fall so hard, he'll start stalking you like a sad little puppy."
They laughed, and Suzie said yes.
Was it peer pressure? Was it how she was raised? Or did she just want to feel in control?
Whatever the reason, she accepted the dare. And she approached Dave.
It was easy at first. He was always alone. Always reading in the courtyard during lunch.
"You always read here?"
Dave looked up, startled. "Who are you?"
"Suzie. Ninth grade. I like quiet places," she smiled, easing into conversation.
"What are you reading?"
"Philosophy."
"Ugh, why? Why not something fun?"
"I like books that make me think."
She smiled again, but inside, she rolled her eyes. Weird. But she didn't give up.
The more time she spent around him, the more she learned.
He played guitar.That surprised her. The awkward, silent kid could strum? It didn't match the image.
And one day, when he nervously plucked out a tune between classes, she caught herself… a little impressed.
'Maybe this won't be so bad,' she thought.
But the novelty wore off.
Dave was sweet, sure. But too sweet. Too polite. Too... boring. Even when they became "official"—if you could call it that—there was no spark. Their chats were dry. His messages? Ugh.
"Don't forget to study for the quiz."
"Make sure you eat something healthy."
"Get enough sleep tonight."
Seriously?! Was she dating a school counselor?
One day, she cracked.
"Let's go out this weekend."
"I'm sorry. I'm not allowed."
"What?"
"My parents don't let me go out on weekends."
"You're joking."
"No. I also have to be in bed by eleven."
"I'm your girlfriend, Dave! Can't you make one exception?"
"I care about you. But I can't disobey my parents."
That was it. The final straw.
"Oh my God, Dave. Are you even human?!"
He flinched. Suzie had never raised her voice at him before.
"Do you even feel things? Everything about you is rules and routines. I'm your girlfriend, but I feel like I'm talking to a damn textbook!"
"Suzie, I—"
"What? Gonna quote your parents again? God, you're such a mommy's boy."
Dave stood still, fists clenched at his sides.
But Suzie wasn't done.
"Look at you. Ever wonder why they make fun of you? You're pathetic. You have no spine. If I broke up with you right now, you'd probably just nod and say 'Okay.'"
His lips parted, eyes wide. That hit deeper than anything.
"You're not boyfriend material. You're a walking checklist. No girl wants to date someone she has to babysit!"
And then came the kill shot.
"I only got close to you for a stupid bet, Dave. God. I don't even know why I wasted my time. Not even the money made it worth it."
He blinked. Hard.
Something cracked inside his chest. She knew it. She felt it.
Suzie rolled her eyes. "We're done."
She walked away without looking back.
And Dave? He just stood there.
Long after the sun dipped behind the rooftops. Long after the wind turned sharp against his skin.
But no cold would ever sting as much as her words.
That day, something inside him shifted. Not rage or hate. Just a quiet, devastating truth that settled deep in his chest and never truly left.
--------
"Wait—what?!"Nelson blinked hard. "I didn't know Suzie was your ex?"
Robin didn't answer—just gave him that look. The one that was an answer.
"Seriously?" Nelson stared. "You're telling me this now?"
He thought he knew everything about Robin. But his love life? That had always been off-limits.
All he ever said was: someone from the past ruined him. Shattered his confidence. Made him feel... small.
But never a name. Never a hint.
"And you just—what, kept that to yourself?" Nelson asked, baffled. "Why?"
Robin exhaled slowly. "Because I didn't care to talk about her. I still don't."
Nelson ran a hand through his hair. "Right. But now you're dating her best friend, dude."
He stared at him harder. "So tell me—are you actually into Lyra? Or is this just some twisted way to get back at Suzie?"
Robin's head snapped up. "Don't insult me."
"Hey, I had to ask."
"I didn't date Lyra for Suzie. I dated Lyra because I love her. End of story."
Nelson went quiet. Then nodded, almost reluctantly. "Okay. Fine. I believe you."
"You should." Robin leaned back against the wall. "Because if I ever hurt Lyra, I won't forgive myself either."
"You talk a good game," Nelson muttered, his expression twisting. "But if you two had a whole thing... why didn't Suzie recognize you?"
Robin stilled.
"I mean, seriously," Nelson went on. "Is she pretending? Has she reached out in secret? What's going on?"
Robin shook his head. "No. Nothing. Not a word."
"Then what?" Nelson's brow furrowed. "You're telling me she actually doesn't remember you? What, did she hit her head or something?"
Robin gave a tired sigh, eyes drifting. "Maybe I've changed. Maybe too much." He straightened up, jaw tight. "But if she really doesn't remember me? Honestly… that might be the best-case scenario."
Nelson frowned. He knew that look. "Okay, no. You're holding something back. Again."
Robin didn't answer.
"Dude, come on," Nelson pressed. "This could blow up. Especially after I accidentally dropped your old name."
"Tch. That's on you," Robin muttered, arms folding. Then softer, almost to himself: "But yeah... I've been thinking. Maybe her memory isn't gone. Maybe it's repressed."
--------
Nelson was still staring at him, frowning. "So this book made you think her memory's repressed? What even is this?"
He glanced down at the thick, black-covered book in Robin's hand—title printed in bold white: The Ego and the Id.
Robin let out a slow breath. His eyes drifted, lost for a moment in something distant. "At first... I just needed something to help with the insecurity. I was a mess after... well, after everything."
Nelson nodded slowly, giving him space.
"So I started reading about confidence, self-worth—whatever I could grab onto. But the deeper I got into it... the darker it got."
Nelson raised an eyebrow. "Darker? How?"
Robin's voice was quiet. "The book goes into how the ego tries to protect us. It keeps us balanced, emotionally. And sometimes, when something hurts too much, it just... shuts it away. Buries it. Without us even knowing."
He paused, jaw tensing like he was remembering something he'd rather not.
"Turns out, some memories—especially the painful, emotional ones—can get pushed down so deep, they just disappear. Repressed. Like your brain's trying to protect you from yourself."
Nelson was listening now, fully locked in. "Okay... and Suzie?"
Robin looked him dead in the eye. "There's a section about narcissistic traits. People who need constant validation. Who think they're above criticism. Who rewrite the story if it doesn't fit their image."
He exhaled sharply, then continued. "They can erase anything that bruises the ego. Bury it so it never existed. I've been thinking... maybe that's what Suzie did. Maybe I'm one of those things she had to wipe clean."
Nelson didn't speak for a moment. Just blinked, slowly processing. "You actually think she has narcissistic personality disorder?"
Robin shrugged. "I'm not diagnosing her, okay? But the way she manipulated things... how she always had to be right... it lines up with everything I've read. And maybe forgetting me? Maybe that wasn't some accident. Maybe it was just too damn inconvenient."
--------
That girl stared, stunned, as the pieces started clicking into place.
David. Or... Dave. That pathetic little nerd, that clingy loser who used to make her blood boil just by breathing the same air. Now... he was Robin. Sharp suit, clean cut, annoyingly handsome. Quiet, still—but with this weird confidence, like he actually belonged somewhere now. Like he wasn't a joke anymore.
No way.
And worse—he was dating Lyra. Her best friend.
The same boy who used to trail behind her like a lost puppy… was now part of someone else's happiness? Someone who should've never outgrown her. Someone who wasn't supposed to be better.
Suzie's heartbeat kicked up. Her thoughts felt scrambled.No. No, this wasn't real. This was insane.
But the longer she sat with it, the angrier she got.Why? Why hadn't Robin said anything? Why hadn't he told her who he was? Why hadn't he recognized her?
She stared at her reflection on her phone screen. Same confident eyes. Same perfect hair. Same effortless charm that made people orbit her. She hadn't changed. She still had power.
But Robin? He was a whole different person.
So what, was he pretending? Hiding? Was this some twisted way of getting back at her? Letting her stay in the dark while he enjoyed the upper hand?
Her jaw clenched. Nails dug into her palm. She could feel something hot burning under her skin.
She wouldn't let him get away with this.
He was the one who changed. He was the one who lied. He took Lyra. He took her peace. He turned the world upside down and acted like it was his now.
She wouldn't allow it.
"The bastard needs to go," she muttered, voice shaking with fury.
Somewhere, beneath the anger—something else had taken root. Something that had been growing for years.
Maybe it had a name, NPD. And maybe—without realizing it—whatever had been festering inside her had already taken over.
This wasn't just about stealing Lyra back anymore. That was just a bonus.
Now, the goal was simpler. Crueler. She needed to break him. The same way he once broke her, and she wouldn't stop until he did.
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*** TO BE CONTINUE ***