Chapter5
“Sierra Hayes, what’s your problem?” Chase’s tone held clear frustration.
I didn’t respond. Just turned away, calm and collected, and headed back to my dorm to keep packing.
He called me–multiple times. I didn’t pick up a single one.
Do Not Disturb mode: on.
When I finished gathering everything, I stepped out of the girls‘ dorm and found Chase waiting right at the front entrance.
He held out his palm–filled with tiny shredded bits of a photo.
“Explain this.”
Under the sweltering sun, he’d stood there picking up every torn piece. Sweat rolled down his neck,
that familiar scent of summer clinging to his skin.
I looked him dead in the eye and said coolly, “I was packing when one of my roommates saw it. You told me not to go public with our relationship, right? So I had no choice but to tear it up. Didn’t want
to cause a scene.”
Chase faltered, clearly caught off guard. Some of his anger drained away.
“I’m not trying to hide you,” he said eventually. “It’s just… not the right time yet.”
“It’s fine. I understand,” I said, keeping my voice steady.
Deep down, I knew.
He was never really mine to begin with.
It was always Maddie.
Chase clearly didn’t want to argue. He shoved the photo scraps into his pocket and quickly pulled out a few SAT practice sheets. “Here, I got copies of this year’s test. Let’s go over it–I’ll help
estimate your score.”
“No need,” I replied. “Mr. Carter already helped me with that.”
I brushed off his sudden kindness, slung my backpack over my shoulder, and walked toward the
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front gate.
He stood there watching me, not moving.
But I was done looking back.
As I walked down the gingko–lined avenue, the sound of cicadas mixed with the buzz of teachers giving lectures to the underclassmen.
I caught my last sunset at Westhaven High.
That was it.
My high school chapter had officially ended.
With the sky lit up in golden red, I turned toward the bus stop to head home.
Just as I stepped into the crosswalk, I heard the shrill ring of a bike bell.
Maddie.
She barreled straight toward me on her bike.
I barely had time to dodge, but-
BAM.
The collision knocked me flat. It felt like being punched full–force in the gut.
Maddie slammed straight into a steel ad board. The crash echoed loud, and she tumbled off her bike
with a shriek.
“Mad!” Chase’s voice rang out from across the street.
He sprinted over, chest heaving, and went straight to her.
He helped Maddie up first.
“Sierra, what were you thinking?! Running in front of her like that–do you know how dangerous
that was?!”
Blood trickled from the scrape on my knee, but I still managed to shout, “She swerved across the
road and hit me!”
Maddie clung weakly to his arms, tears rolling down her cheeks.
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“I just wanted to say hi to my sister… I didn’t mean to. The brakes stopped working, I couldn’t steer… I didn’t mean it.“.
Chase’s voice instantly softened. “It’s okay, it’s okay. Let’s get you to the hospital.”
He was about to pick her up when several security guards ran over.
One pointed angrily at the toppled ad sign. “This board cost our company five thousand bucks to install! Someone better pay for this, and I mean full price.”
His eyes flicked between the three of us like a predator picking his prey.
Maddie stiffened in Chase’s arms–then pointed at me.
“It was her. She was riding the bike. She hit me, then crashed into your sign. If you’re looking for someone to pay, ask her.‘
I stared at Maddie in disbelief.
She lied.
Right to their faces.
I turned to the guards. “It wasn’t me. She hit me. If you don’t believe me, ask this guy–he saw the whole thing!”
The guards looked to Chase. I looked to him too, praying he’d finally tell the truth.
After a long pause, he raised his hand and pointed.
“It was her,” he said.
He was pointing… at me.
Chapter5
