The hallway was empty. Too empty. The kind of silence that wasn't peace—it was waiting.
I had barely survived the day. Each class heavier than the last, Blake's face replaying: cold, distant, accusing. Like I'd destroyed him. But I hadn't. I just didn't know how to prove it. I turned to leave—
"Jade."
My body went still. Slowly, I turned.
Amber leaned against the lockers. Waiting. Of course she had been. My stomach twisted. "What do you want?"
She pushed off, walking toward me. Too slowly. Enjoying the space between us closing. "You've been busy," she said.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
A small smile. "Oh, I think you do."
She stopped right in front of me. Close enough to smell her perfume, sharp and deliberate. "I saw you talking to him."
My heart stuttered. "Talking to who?"
Soft laughter. "Please, Jade." She leaned in. "Blake."
The name hit like a physical blow. My hands clenched. "What about him?"
Amber studied my face. Then—satisfaction. "So it really is him."
My stomach dropped. "You knew?"
"I suspected."
The hallway narrowed. Harder to breathe. "What do you mean?"
"I recognized him yesterday."
My pulse spiked. "Then why didn't you say anything?"
Her head tilted, birdlike. Predatory. "Because I wanted to see how long it would take you."
Anger flared. "This isn't a game."
"No," she said softly. "It never was."
Something cold settled in my chest. "Then what is this?"
Amber crossed her arms. "Do you remember the night Blake disappeared?"
My throat tightened. "Of course."
She nodded. Stepped closer. "So tell me something, Jade…" Her voice dropped to whisper. "Did you ever wonder how he got that message?"
My heart slammed against bone. "What message?"
That smile again. Not nice. Sharp. "The one you supposedly sent him."
Everything went still.
"You…" My voice barely functioned. "You sent it."
"Of course I did."
The air left my lungs. "Why?"
A long moment. Then—"Because. I. Wanted him."
Silence.
My chest constricted painfully. "You were in the way." The words precise. Surgical.
"You destroyed his life because of that?"
Amber rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. You two were pathetic." Disgust dripped from every syllable. "Secret meetings. Notes. Acting like it was something special."
My stomach twisted. "You went through my phone."
"You weren't careful."
My hands shook. "So you made him think I betrayed him."
She leaned closer. "That was the point. "
Tears burned. "You ruined everything."
Not guilty. Not even slightly. "You ruined my chances first."
"What chances?"
Soft laughter. "You really think I didn't notice how he looked at you?" Jealousy naked in her eyes now. "That should've been me. "
My stomach dropped. "You hurt two people because you were jealous."
She shrugged. "I did what I had to do." Then leaned in again, voice lowering to something intimate and terrible. "And now that he's back…" A slow smile. "I'm not making the same mistake twice."
Cold dread filled my chest. "What does that mean?"
She stepped back, fixing her hair like we'd discussed weather. "Blake's single again." My heart pounded violently. "And this time…" her eyes flicked toward the exit, "I'm the one he's going to notice."
Then she walked away. Just like that.
Leaving me shaking in an empty hallway.
Because the truth was worse than imagination.
Blake hated me because of a lie.
A lie my own sister created.
And now—Amber wanted him.