Page 18

While I was still reeling from my previous rejection, Nick led me out of the mansion.

As soon as we reached into the porch, I stopped right in front of him. His smile was still there, but I wasn't having any of this.

"Can you explain what's going on?" I asked, not even hiding my frustration.

"Did you like the surprise?" he said, almost like he didn't get why I was upset.

I clenched my jaw.

Unbelievable.

"I don't see any surprise here. Why didn't you tell me about any of this?"

Nick laughed, but it didn't make me feel any better. "Grace, come on, I did it on purpose. I thought you'd be happy to see me."

This wasn't fun. Not in the slightest.

"So what about what you said back at the party? Was that all a lie too?" I demanded.

He shrugged, his smile not fading. He leaned in, his voice dropping a little. "I said I wasn't like those people, but I never said I wasn't rich, Grace..."

I should've seen it coming. There were a few things that didn't quite match. But lately, I'm being way too generous with my trust.

His hand moved to my arm, pressing me closer. I immediately tensed up, my eyes unconsciously shifting to the window as if I expected to see... someone.

But I couldn't catch a glimpse.

I snapped back to reality.

And everything about this felt wrong.

I pulled back.

"Nick, you really pushed too far," I said, my voice hesitant and cold. "And your explanations aren't helping at all."

"But Grace..." he started, reaching for me again, but I quickly stepped back again, putting distance between us.

"What about everything that was said tonight? What was Maya even talking about? What past things?" I asked bluntly.

Just hearing the name 'Maya' made his expression turn pissed.

Not knowing what the hell happened between them it's frustrating.

"Forget what she said, Grace. She's just provoking—that's all she does, make people feel like shit. Don't tell me you actually believe her." He scoffed.

The audacity.

"Yes, I do. I think she—"

"Maya talked shit about you," he cut me off.

My heart dropped, the words sinking in slowly, but didn't fully register.

"What—What do you mean?" I stammered.

"She called you 'Miss Perfection' in front of everyone, mocking you," he said, his voice steady. "She hates you, Grace, and she's going to make sure everyone else does too. You may think she was on your side, but she's just using you to get her kicks."

A knot formed in my stomach.

It felt like my heart just cracked.

Something inside me just... shattered.

Just when she was calling me by my name, and I was happy about it, turns out she's been using that nickname.

Behind my back.

And that's not even the worst part.

The worst part was believing that she and I might have had a chance.

I must have been crazy.

The worst part was starting to believe I could... trust her.

This stung.

I was about to cry, and Nick saw it. He pulled me into a hug, and before I knew it, I was in his arms, trying not to let tears fall.

"Come on, kid, now you see why you should never trust her. I told you from the start..." his voice softened.

I thought she cared for me—a little bit.

I thought that... NO—it was nothing.

"I was naive..." I whispered, wiping my eyes.

Nick's arms around me feel too tight, too comforting.

And I was way too weak for my own good.

I don't want this from him, but I can't help leaning into it. I have no other source of relief.

Nick lifted my chin and leaned in toward my lips—that's when reality hit me. I turned my head quickly, and he ended up kissing my jaw instead.

In that second, his parents opened the door, interrupting everything—thank God.

I turned around and through the door, I saw Maya standing there, frozen in place. Her eyes were a mix of pain and fury, her expression torn between disappointment and rage.

"Nick, we're leaving," his father said, but my attention was still elsewhere.

They leaned over me as my hand trembled when they took it to say goodbye—everything felt like it was happening in slow motion. And I was trying desperately to hold it together.

I was lost between hurt and anger—definitely that too, now.

Nick's grip on my side never loosened as he kissed my jaw again.

"Goodnight, Grace. I'll see you tomorrow, right? We'll talk about whatever you want," he said before getting on his motorcycle and revving the engine loudly.

I watched him speed off with a smug smile.

I stood there, alone in the silence, feeling everything—vulnerable and lost in my own thoughts.

Thoughts I couldn't quite make sense of.

And I wasn't even sure I was ready to confront them.

Not now that I was starting to question everything.

Finally the asshole left.

Right in time before I kicked his ass out of my house, out of my porch, out of my—property.

I saw everything—their whole back-and-forth, her pulling back, then the hug, the kisses on her jaw, twice.

I watched it all—with my stomach twisted, my eyes burning, and my heart pounding in my chest.

I wonder what the fuck that asshole told her to make her act like this.

"Happy now?" my father interrupted my thoughts.

"Pretty much," I muttered, crossing my arm. "Could have done better."

He looked at me, shaking his head, but I kept glancing back at... Grace.

"I don't know what you have in your mind, Maya, but whatever it is... it won't end well. I can't protect you forever."

After the warning, he headed downstairs, followed by Grace's mother.

I stood there.

Because I'm too stubborn for my own good.

Grace started walking slowly through the door, her gaze downcast like she was sad or lost. She passed right by me without even looking.

"Is this all?" I asked, my voice sharper than I intended.

She stopped abruptly and finally looked at me—I had never seen her blue eyes this full of pain and anger.

"What else do you want from me, Maya? Tell me," she shot back, her voice trembling.

I stood frozen, my throat tight—I wasn't expecting this kind of reaction.

"Believe me, you've done enough..." she muttered.

"What—what did I do?" I finally spoke.

Grace shook her head like she couldn't believe it. "You never think about the consequences of your actions, do you?" she snapped.

I don't know what she's talking about, but I took a careful step closer, and she stepped back.

Yeah, fuck me. Why does this hurt this much?

"Let's hear what I've done," I lowered my voice.

"Can you tell me why do you hate me, Maya? What did I do to deserve your hate?" Her voice cracked, desperate.

My heart skipped a beat as the weight of her words hit me more than I'd like to admit.

"I don't hate you, Grace," I murmured, looking down at the floor.

Stupid. I couldn't even bring myself to look at her.

"Stop with this bullshit, seriously, Maya," she shot back, frustrated. "All we do is fight, pushing each other to the edge."

"Yes, we fight, but that doesn't mean I hate you, Grace," I said, my voice soft but firm, trying to get through to her.

She shook her head, her eyes still filled with confusion and hurt, clearly not understanding what I was trying to say.

"You know... I tried with you... I really tried," she said, her voice barely above a whisper now.

"Tried to do what?" My voice wavered, and it felt strange, like it wasn't even mine.

"To make us work."

My heart started pounding loudly, a beat I'd never heard before.

"But we do work, Grace. Yesterday, we—when we went to the community center, we were good," I said, my voice steady despite the tension.

"Maya, I was talking about everything else. That was just a moment of weakness," she cut me off.

Her words felt like a knife twisting in my stomach—sharp and deep.

It left me defenseless—but I can't be this vulnerable. Fragility is my curse.

"Really?!" I snapped. "Just a moment of weakness?!"

My voice came out even colder and sharper.

This wasn't possible.

A moment of weakness.

That's what she called it. That's all it was to her. Like it was nothing.

I could see Grace's breath, fast and shaky, like she was holding something back. Her blue eyes wavering as I held her gaze.

"I don't want to talk about it anymore," she dismissed me, turning around and walking up the stairs.

"Maybe because you're a coward."

Fuck.

I didn't mean to say that.

I swear, I didn't.

I fucking don't like how my pride is starting to possess me.

I'm just very, very hurt.

Grace turned again and looked at me, a single tear slid down her cheek, and that fragile drop was enough.

This—this hit me hard.

I immediately walked toward her, trying to reach for her hand, but she pulled back, hiding it behind her back.

"Grace..." I almost pleaded.

My hand still searching hers.

"Leave me alone, Maya. I'm warning you," her voice distant and detached.

"You warn me?" I let out a nervous laugh.

"Yes, I do. From now on, we'll keep hating on each other like we always have. It's what we do best." There was something else beneath it, something unspoken.

"Grace, this isn't the solution," I said, my voice soft yet firm. "We can't keep doing this to each other. I didn't—"

"Stop acting like you care, Maya," she burst out. "And don't get to pretend you do now."

I couldn't stop myself from snapping.

That was the breaking point.

"You know what?! Thanks! It works perfectly for me!"

I hate being like this.

When someone pushes me, I always push back harder.

Grace didn't deserve any of this.

"Miss Perfection goes to bed now," she said in one breath.

I stood there in shock.

The disappointment on her face was clear as she looked at me one last time before turning around and going up to her room.

It was my fault.

She has every right to be upset with me.

I came up with that stupid nickname the FIRST day I saw her, but I never thought it through.

I said it as a joke, but I never meant it—I never really did.

Nick told her.

The asshole twisted the situation to his advantage.

But I won't get him away this easily.

Tomorrow would come, and I'd make sure of it.

I drew in a big breath, feeling like I was losing my mind.

These emotions for her are like a storm, crashing over me—pulling me under.

I never felt something this deep and intense without fully understanding it.

Part of me wanted to shut everything off, but another part refused to let go.

God, it would be so much easier to just walk away, to pretend that I hate her—but I don't, to pretend none of this meant anything—but it did.

I won't let go.

A/N

That was a lot of tension, I hope you liked it... I promise things will get even more complicated from here ????

See you soon ????