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“For hurting you. I swear this happened so quickly...”

I knew I sounded like I was trying to make excuses for something you couldn’t excuse. My mouth was dry, but my cheeks were flooded with tears.

Luke fell back into the chair, exhaling slowly. “I need to ask you something and I want the truth,” his eyes were full of hurt, and I knew what he was going to ask me. “Did you sleep with him?”

I met his eyes then, shaking my head. “No, I didn’t.”

I didn’t add that the only reason I didn’t was because Cal has amazing self-control and I had none.

A look of relief passed over his face as he bowed his head. Sex was always the most important thing to Luke, and if he found out I had slept with Cal, I knew he would kill us both out of sheer jealousy.

“Luke—“ I began as he raised his eyes to meet mine.

“I’m fucking gutted,” he whispered, his eyes wide. “I can’t talk to you right now.”

He left my room, the door slamming shut behind him as he did. The tears blurred my vision then, a mixture of relief and sadness. I heard a soft knock at my door as my Mom walked in, her silk robe trailing behind her.

“Baby, was that Luke? It’s early...is everything okay? What’s happened?” She sat beside me, wrapping her arms around me comfortingly.

“Oh, Mom, I don’t even know where to start,” I sobbed, letting out the emotion I had been holding in. She soothed me, stroking my hair as we sat in silence. I pulled away, looking into her lovely face, so full of concern. “I don’t think I love Luke anymore.”

She blinked a few times before speaking. “It’s normal to fall out of love, baby. You are eighteen. Did he hurt you?”

Her eyes met mine, and I shook my head.

“No, no, he didn’t. It’s not him...it’s me,” I cried.

She kissed the top of my head, rubbing my back before she held me.

“Look, get yourself a shower and put your makeup on. Everything seems better when you look the part, even if inside you are crumbling. Why don’t you call Rosie or Sienna? Surround yourself with your friends, baby,” she smiled as she stood up.

She was right. I needed to take charge of the situation I had created.

I took a shower, before putting my makeup on, my war paint as I remember my Mom once telling me. My phone rang, and I tensed until I saw it was Rosie.

“Rose!”

“Hey, lady. Are you okay? Bit of an early call from you this morning...” she yawned down the phone as I apologized, pleading with her to meet me at The Lounge.

I dressed, checking my reflection in the mirror. I’d gone for an aqua green jumper over ripped jeans; considering the weather, it should suffice. I took a deep breath and made my way out of the house, heading for the bus stop at the end of my street that would take me into town.

Chapter Twelve

GRETCHEN

“You spent the night withCalFallon?” Rosie gasped, as a few heads turned in our direction.

The Lounge was busy with mostly students from our school, seeing as it was a Sunday. We usually crashed here all day, getting high on caffeine.

“Please keep your voice down...” I hissed through gritted teeth, my eyes wide as my cheeks flushed.

Not only would it be catastrophic if someone heard her; they would spread it around school in less than an hour that I’d slept with him.

I didn’t want that for Luke, not when it wasn’t true. I thought back to his eyes, the way he had looked at me with disappointment.

“Does Luke know?” Rosie asked, her eyes shining with curiosity and scandal.

“Yeah,” I grimaced. “I told him this morning—it wasn’t great.”