Page 14 of Broken Hearts

Ethan sighs, resigned. “Fine, man, she is yours.”

I roll my eyes. As if there was ever any doubt. “Okay, good talk. See you guys later.”

I head back upstairs, my mind already racing through plans for the perfect evening. Mission Getting Eva Back is now in full force, and I’m not one to back down.

Chapter 7

Eva

Not all men are bad. That’s what I keep telling myself for lying to Poppy. I’m doing this for her, not to cause pain. It’s evident she’s confused, in complete denial, yet the signs are unmistakable—she wants Ethan but is held back by fear. And fear, I know it well; a bit of it is healthy, but in excess? It blinds you, making you miss out on the best life has to offer.

So, here I am, the reluctant fairy godmother, pushing her toward what could be happiness.

Ethan seems nice and genuine, though. At least, that’s what it seemed like to me yesterday at the mall. I see the way he looks at Poppy; he cares for her, and this is why I’m willing to deceive my friend. Pretending I’ll go to a party I know damn well I will not attend. It has “trap” written all over it. I’m not sure Ethan is aware, and I hope he isn’t, but I will not tempt fate.

Not when there’s a shadow looming over me…Cole. He was in my room, somehow. The sight of my violin, conspicuously placed to taunt me, sends chills down my spine. How proud he is to have stolen my talent and gotten away with it. Part of me is angry for not listening to Max when he had pushed me to press charges or to give him a name. I was a stubborn mute on the subject. He’s a Westbrook, and his lackeys Derek and Jenny will be under his protection. It would have been his words against mine, and frankly, who would believe me? Even I sometimes struggle to believe that we were ever a couple despite having lived through it.

Sighing, I shake my head, rubbing the scar on my hand. He thinks he can break me, toy with my emotions. He’s wrong. There’s a certain freedom in having nothing left to lose, a strength in being perceived as weak. “Let him think I’m the prey,” I whisper to myself. “In his underestimation lies my power.”

Walking back into the living room, I find Poppy lost in thought, fiddling with the fringe of the blanket on her lap.

“Hey, are you okay?”

“Yeah,” she says while shaking her head.

Smiling, I sit by her feet. “What’s wrong?”

“I-It’s…I’m not…” She sighs, sitting a little straighter. “The thing is, we keep saying we’re going as friends, but I don’t think we are.”

“No, I don’t think you are either, but it’s not the end of the world.”

She shrugs. “I warned him that nothing would happen.”

“Exactly,” I encourage her gently. “It’s one evening, not a life commitment. Just see how it goes, how you feel in the moment. You might find your answers, and if you don’t, well, you’d have had a nice evening out. We both know you need it.”

Poppy nods, her eyes reflecting her hope and uncertainty. “But what if—”

“Don’t ‘what if’ yourself out of a potentially good thing,” I cut in, my tone soft but firm. “Overthinking before it happens can turn any hope into fear. Give it a chance, give yourself a chance.”

She looks at me, and there’s a warmth in her gaze. “You always know what to say, Eva. You’d make an amazing mother one day, you know?”

Her words, though meant as a compliment, strike a deep chord within me. A smile manages to appear on my face, but inside, my heart twinges. The thought often crosses my mind—how different could my life have been if my mom had been there when I fell for Cole? Would she have seen through his charm? Warned me? Supported me when everything fell apart? Of course she would have. My mother was perfect.

“Thanks, ” I reply, keeping my voice steady. “Right now, I’m trying to be a good friend.”

“You are. More than you know,” she says, squeezing my hand.

I stand up, feeling a need to move, to do something, anything to shake off the sudden melancholy. “Let’s not worry about the future, okay? Let’s focus on having fun for tonight. What do you think?”

Poppy’s smile returns, brighter this time. “Yeah, you’re right. Let’s do that.”

As she stands up, I feel a sense of resolve solidifying within me. Despite my own struggles, my own jaded view of love and trust, I can still offer hope to someone else. Maybe that’s enough for now. Maybe, in helping Poppy find her happiness, I can find a bit of peace for myself.

On the evening of the varsity ball, I find myself in bed, a quiet sanctuary from the chaos outside. I’m relieved that Poppy isn’t mad about my lie. She understands my trauma, at least to some extent. Lying there, I realize the deep impact of the prom prank on me.

The mere thought of attending the ball with Cole around stirs a nauseating fear in me, a ghost from the past I can’t seem to shake off.

I distract myself with my favorite shows, laughter filling the room, pushing away thoughts of Cole and everything he represents. For a while, it works. I forget the hurt, the betrayal, and the shadows that lurk around my heart.

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