ARIA’S POV
Miles follows me up to my room after my parents leave us alone. I’m still crying, still trying to process everything that’s happened today.
“You should sit down,” he says gently, closing the door behind us.
I sit on the edge of my bed, and he sits beside me. For a moment, we just sit there in silence.
“I meant what I said downstairs,” he says finally. “I’m sorry for everything. For cheating, for the things I said about your body, for making you feel worthless.”
“I know.”
“I want to make it up to you.”
“You already did. You took the blame for something you didn’t do.”
“That’s not enough. I want to make us work again.”
I look at him, confused. “Us?”
“Yeah. Us. We can get through this together.”
“Miles, there is no us anymore.”
“There could be. We could start over.”
Before I can answer, he leans in and kisses me.
For a second, I let him. It’s familiar, comfortable, safe. This is what my parents want. This is what makes sense.
But as his lips move against mine, all I can think about is Xander.
Xander’s hands on my skin. Xander’s mouth on my neck. The way he made me feel like I was beautiful, like I was wanted, like I was something precious.
With Miles, I just feel… nothing. No fire, no passion, no dangerous thrill that makes my heart race.
With Xander, I felt alive. Even if it was all a lie, even if it was just a bet, for those few hours, I felt like the most important person in the world.
I push Miles away suddenly, irritated by his presence.
“What’s wrong?” he asks.
“You need to leave.”
“What? Why?”
“Because this isn’t right.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean just because you took responsibility for my problem doesn’t mean we can be together again.”
He looks shocked. “But I thought… I thought you’d want to work things out.”
“I don’t.”
“Why not? I’m trying to make things right.”
“You can’t make things right by lying to my parents.”
“I’m protecting you.”
“I don’t need protection. I need honesty.”
“I’m being honest now. I’m telling you I want you back.”
“And I’m telling you I don’t want you back.”
His expression starts to change, the gentle concern replaced by something harder.
“This is about him, isn’t it?” he asks.
“What?”
“The guy you slept with. The one who shared your picture.”
“That’s none of your business.”
“It is my business. You wouldn’t sleep with me for six months, but you’ll sleep with some random guy after we break up?”
“We didn’t break up, Miles. You cheated on me.”
“So you decided to get revenge by sleeping with someone else?”
“It wasn’t revenge.”
“Then what was it?”
“Just leave, Miles.”
“I’m not leaving until we work this out.”
“There’s nothing to work out.”
“Yes, there is. We can get past this.”
“No, we can’t. I don’t love you anymore.”
“You don’t mean that.”
“Yes, I do.”
“You’re just confused because of everything that’s happened.”
“I’m not confused. I’m clear about what I want, and it’s not you.”
“So you’d rather be with someone who humiliated you?”
“I’d rather be alone than be with someone who cheated on me.”
“That was one mistake.”
“One mistake that showed me who you really are.”
“And who am I?”
“Someone who blames other people for his choices. Someone who calls his girlfriend fat when he’s caught cheating.”
“I was angry.”
“You were honest. You said what you really think about me.”
“That’s not true.”
“It is true. And now you’re here trying to play the hero, but it’s too late.”
We stare at each other for a long moment, and I can see the anger building in his eyes.
“Fine,” he says, standing up. “But don’t come crying to me when you realize that guy doesn’t actually care about you.”
“I won’t.”
“And don’t expect me to keep covering for you with your parents.”
“I didn’t ask you to.”
He’s about to respond when my phone beeps with a text message. I grab it from my nightstand and glance at the screen. It’s from Xander.
Before I can read it, Miles asks, “Who did you sleep with that shared that picture?”
I freeze. The way he’s looking at me makes me uncomfortable. “It doesn’t matter.”
“It does matter because you suddenly give yourself away willingly just because I cheated?”
The question hits me like a slap. “What?”
“Did you sleep with him to get back at me? Did you let him take pictures of you to make me jealous?”
“Get out.”
“Answer the question.”
“Get out of my room!”
“And now look where that got you.”
“GET OUT!”
I push him toward the door, my anger boiling over.
I slam the door in his face and lock it, my heart pounding. I can hear him standing there for a moment, then his footsteps going down the stairs.
I sit back down on my bed and look at my phone. Xander’s message is still there, unread.
I tap on it, and my breath catches.
“I know who shared the picture. It wasn’t me. I can prove it. Please let me explain.”
I stare at the message, my mind racing.
Could he be telling the truth? Could someone else have shared it?
But how? He was the only one who had it.
Unless…
I think about that night at his apartment when his friends showed up. Could one of them have gotten the picture somehow?
Without thinking, I grab my jacket and head for the door.
30
