Page 71 of Ghost

In fact, I hoped that she wouldn’t.

“That’s a shame,” Jiayi mused. “Hopefully it’s a misunderstanding. You seemed to be half in-love with him, and you said that you’d been friends a long time. He’s becoming popular already, and from what I hear, he doesn’t let anyone get close. So he must have liked you in return. That’s a long friendship to just throw away.”

My heart, which had previously settled, jumped into my throat.

She didn’t understand. The reality was the exact opposite.

If he liked me at all, he’d never have done those things. He manipulated me. He had ruined my life.

“He took advantage of me for a long time,” I whispered, unable to focus on her anymore. “He betrayed me in one of the worst possible ways. Our entire relationship was based on that lie. I can’t forget that.”

She responded a short moment later. “Well, then he doesn’t deserve forgiveness. If he did something like that, then he must be an awful person. Did he tell youwhyhe lied to you?”

A sense of cold filled me, because it was the same thing I wondered myself. I shook my head.

I had no idea why he had done any of those things. But no matter what reason, his actions were inexcusable.

Yet, I still wondered…

“That’s a long time to be friends,” she serenely concluded. “I doubt that anyone could falsify a relationship for that length of time without there being a truth to it.”

She didn’t understand.

Jiayi continued speaking, “If you aren’t meeting with your ex-friend Finn, then who are you waiting for? Should I leave?”

I glanced at her, taken back at her unexpected question and sudden topic change. Her chin rested on her glove-covered hand, and she appeared to be genuinely curious.

“You haven’t touched your food.” She nodded to my book. “So I’m assuming that you were waiting for someone before you ate?”

I had no idea I was that transparent. And how long had she been watching me before she came over?

“Yes, I’m waiting for one of my new friends.” I touched my fingers nervously, hoping she wouldn’t think bad of me for finding another guy friend so soon after Finn.

“That’s nice.” A smile flickered across her red lips. “I’m glad you’re making friends. You are very quiet and shy. This is a good thing.”

She approved! I was normal!I perked at the validation.

“Yes!” I agreed. “My new friends are amazing. I’m not scared around them and they seem to care about me. I want to be the best friend ever.”

She was still smiling. “That’s excellent.”

“If you want to meet one of them…” Suddenly, I was desperate for her approval. For another girl to think I was cool. “Miles should be here any moment.”

“Miles?” she asked, her voice sharp. “Miles who?”

When her grin faded, so did my enthusiasm. “Miles Montrone…”

An expression, almost like panic, passed through her eyes. But she blinked and the emotion was gone. “Well, that explains why they were targeting you, at least.”

I was lost again, and stared at her.

She sighed. “Heather, Tammy, and Logan are members of his fan club. Miles is secretive. So it’s upped his appeal. In fact, he rarely talks to people at all. And no one, outside of the other three, could ever claim to be his friend.”

“Miles talks to me. He teases me all the time. Could there be a different Miles Montrone?” I wondered.

I couldn’t imagine this stoic Miles she described. Miles had been so excited for the slumber party, even though we never did have it. He picked on Titus. He said… really weird things.

But he did talk.