Page 97 of Loving the Liar

“We know, Els,” Peach says calmly. “Don’t listen to the fucking idiots around you.”

Is this place always this full? There are less than nine thousand students at this university. Are they all in this damn room?

My body seizes, and I don’t control the way my hand goes to my chest. I loosen my tie, undoing the first two buttons of my uniform shirt before I press my nails to my skin, scratching three red lines.

Alex’s eyes widen. “Ella,” she pleads. “Don’t do that. It’s going to be okay.”

With my vision narrowing, I pretend it’s easy to take a new breath. There’s only one person who has the power to make me stop. The same person who I keep telling to leave me alone.

“I’m fine,” I lie. And I think I scratch some more, but I’m too numb to feel it. “Honestly. Who cares what this stupid app says?”

Where is he? I want to see him. I want to look into his eyes and for him to tell me that he’ll protect me from everything. I want to hear his beautifully gracious voice telling me that we don’t care what people think of me as long as I know I’m perfect.

I am. I’m perfect in his eyes. My beauty becomes radiant, my personality addictive, and my flaws cute. That’s how Chris sees me.

“I just…I…” Taking a breath through my nose, I exhale through my mouth. I make my voice even when I try again. “I just remembered I left my charger in the rehearsal room. I’m going to go get it before my next class.”

I take a step back, bumping into someone. “Sorry,” I mumble.

“Promise you won’t get me killed, Ella,” the guy snorts before continuing to his seat.

“Els,” Peach says. “We’ll come with you. Don’t be alone.”

“Hermes is unleashing on you,” Alex admits. “We’re barely past the first month of the year, and they’ve already posted three times about you. It’s not fair and you’re allowed to be upset.”

“Hermes can suck my dick,” Peach adds. “Let’s skip classes and go to Stoneview Lake. We can spend the day there with the guys.”

I shake my head. “Girls, I’m fine.”

I sound like I’m gaslighting my best friends into thinking they’re worrying for no reason. But in this room full of people who hate me, surrounded by everyone but the person I want, I feel lonelier than ever.

“I’ll get my charger and go to class. I’ll see you tonight.”

I don’t dare run through the hallways despite my feet trying to push me forward. Having any sort of reaction would prove them right. I have to stay passive, pretend this doesn’t affect me. And I’m doing a great job until I see a couple walking my way.

She looks beautiful by his side. She’s this tall, skinny, perfect-in-every-way woman. Her makeup is delicate and blends with her features. Megan’s eyes don’t even scan the area. She’s looking right ahead. The tinted light filtering through the stained-glass windows makes her look like a queen walking through her court. Or an enemy walking through mine.

Chris holds her hand, not a sign of reluctance in sight, and when she says something in his ear, he even laughs a little. But as he gets closer, something catches my attention. His lower lip is split and swollen.

My face falls as I freeze on the spot. They keep walking my way, and Megan throws me a glance, pride shining in her dark blue eyes.

“Chris,” I call the second they’re close enough. “Are you okay?”

He doesn’t stop. He doesn’t flinch. He doesn’t even look at me. But since Megan does, I talk to her instead, walking with them even though I struggle to keep up with their long strides.

“What happened to him?” I ask, blurting out my questions with a worry I can’t control. “Did he get in a fight? Did someone hit him?”

Megan stops, and that’s the only reason Chris does too. She looks at me from top to bottom, back up, and laughs at me with condescension.

“Should we be worried, Ella?” she asks with an arrogance I’m dying to slap off her face. “I heard you’re dangerous to date.” She leans forward, hovering closer. “And I have a feeling if you’re going to go black widow on your exes, Chris might be in trouble.”

My mouth drops open for the two seconds it takes me to collect myself. I want to scream that he isn’t my ex. That he is mine. He’s always been mine. And I might hate him. I might not want to cede to his madness, but he is still mine. In a way she could never understand or have with him.

“I’m allowed to ask my friend if he’s okay,” I tell Megan, my voice betraying how much I hate her.

I’ll never forget how she threw me to the wolves in that maze.

A disgustingly smug smile spreads on her lips as she tilts her head to the side. “Your friend? Isn’t he your brother’s friend? Ella, sweetie, you’re just the little girl who thought her childish fantasies would come true because he gave you a speck of attention. Don’t be so silly.”

---