EVELYN

The morning started with me frantically rushing out of the house, all set for school after hearing the unmistakable horn of Dad’s old car Dave always drove. I barely had time to grab my bag or check if my hair was still neat as I sprinted toward the door. But just as I reached the driveway, my momentum came to a screeching halt— Dave, sitting behind the wheel, revved the engine once, glanced at me with a devilish horn, and then sped off.

I froze in my tracks, disbelief washing over me. That car wasn’t his; it was Dad’s. And Dave was supposed to drive me to school every day. Yet there he was, deliberately leaving me stranded. I didn’t need to guess why, he was obviously angry, and when Dave was angry, everyone around him felt it. But this? This was low and too petty, even for him. It stung, not just because it inconvenienced me, but because it was so clearly intentional.

Standing there on the porch, I couldn’t help but let the ache of disappointment settle in. I’d seen this side of Dave before, but somehow, every time he did something like this, it hurt just as much. The empty space he left behind was always glaring, no matter how much I told myself I could handle it.

With no other option, I turned back toward the house, my resolve to go to school quickly crumbling. My steps were slow, and heavy with frustration. What was the point of even trying? I’d just get back into my pajamas, crawl into bed, and let the day slip away. Just as I reached the door, though, a flash of blue caught my eye.

There it was, a familiar blue polished Lamborghini pulling up in front of the house. Mike’s car. My jaw dropped slightly as the realization hit me. Of course, it was Mike. How he even knew to show up at that exact perfect moment was beyond me, but I couldn’t deny the relief that came with seeing him. I really don't know how he did it, but trust me, the last thing I wanted to do was care about how he knew. He truly saved my ass. I didn’t want to miss school, and apparently, I wouldn’t have to.

I stood there in stunned silence, my lips parted, as Mike rolled down the window and motioned toward the passenger seat. “Hop in quickly if you don’t want to get to school late,” he said, his voice casual but confident.

“Thank you,” I mumbled, still dazed as I climbed in.

“Anything for my lady,” he replied with a grin.

“Smoothies for you,” he said, handing me a pink Stanley cup.

Wow, he truly came prepared. “Thanks, but how did you know, like why did you come and pick me up?”

“I told you on our last date I wanted to be there for you and be close to you and obviously, it involves taking you to school, don't you think?”

“Oh, I must've missed that,” I answered shockingly as I sipped my strawberry smoothie.

“If I am doing anything wrong, please don't hesitate to correct me,” he uttered.

“Hm hm.” I nodded, I don't think he's that bad. I really think I want to sign in to this strawberry smoothie delivery every day.

The drive to school was uneventful, though I could feel his occasional glances in my direction. When we pulled into the school lot, the attention was instant. Mike’s flashy car was impossible to miss and it was obvious they were anticipating who would walk out of the luxury car. As soon as he stepped out, whispers rippled through the crowd.

All eyes were on us as I stepped out of the car. It felt like the entire school had turned to stare, their curiosity practically tangible. Even those who didn’t know me now had a reason to notice, and the ones who already did were practically seething. The looks of disgust from some of the girls who disliked me because of the harsh words Dave had said to them, made my stomach churn, but I tried to ignore them.

Just as I thought I’d finally escaped the awkwardness, a group of guys approached me. They were loud, obnoxious, and clearly had no intention of letting me walk past unscathed.

“Well, well, looks like someone’s riding in style,” one of them said with a sneer. His voice dripped with mockery, and the others laughed.

“Yeah, I see the pocket of the guy driving you is massive,” another added, his grin widening maliciously. “Though judging by him, I bet his cock is tiny.”

Their words hit me like a slap, but I forced myself to keep walking. I didn’t want to give them the satisfaction of seeing me react.

“Oh, what’s wrong? Suddenly turned dumb?” one of them taunted, stepping closer. “Or is it that you’re too busy thinking about what it’s like to ride a rich boy’s—”

“Stop it,” I snapped, my voice trembling with barely contained anger.

But they didn’t stop. Their words became more cutting, their laughter louder, and before I knew it, tears were stinging my eyes. I clenched my fists, trying to keep the frustration and humiliation at bay. This wasn’t fair. Why did they have to treat me like this? If they've issues with Dave because girls run after him and don't notice them instead, why don't they face him other than me?

When one of them raised his hand as if to slap me, I flinched instinctively. I braced myself for the blow, but it never came. Instead, I heard a sharp voice cutting through the chaos.

“Back off,” she said, her tone icy and commanding.

I opened my eyes and saw Kate standing there, her expression fierce. She wasn’t just one of the popular girls, she was the most sought-after girl in school, and seeing her come to my defense was the last thing I expected.

“Are you okay?” she asked, her voice softening as she turned to me.

“I’m fine,” I managed to say, though my voice cracked slightly. “Thanks.”

She shrugged as if it were no big deal. “Don’t mention it. Actually, I should be thanking you for putting in a good word about me to your elder brother.”

I blinked in confusion. “Oh, really?”

“Yes! He agreed to go to the party with me!” she said, practically bouncing with excitement.

My mind raced. Heaven knows I hadn’t said anything to Dave about her or anyone, for that matter but her enthusiasm was overwhelming, and I didn’t have the heart to correct her.

“I’m happy for you,” I said, though in my heart, I was far from happy.

“Nice car, by the way. Your man must be loaded,” she added, nodding toward Mike’s Lamborghini.

“It’s not what you think,” I muttered, feeling a pang of embarrassment.

She smirked, clearly unconvinced. “Sure it’s not. You should just go for him. I mean, if he’s driving that, his bag got to be fat, right?”

Before I could respond, she pulled something out of her bag, a small gift box. She handed it to me with a smile that was almost blinding.

“What’s this?” I asked, taking the box reluctantly.

“Just a little something,” she said with a shrug. “Consider it a thank you gift from me.”

I forced a smile as she hugged me and walked away. When she was out of sight, I looked down at the box in my hands.

When I said girls gave me gifts, she was the top girl on the list. Normally, I would’ve laughed about it with Trina, joking about Kate’s tendency to overdo things. But trust me, today's gift wasn't appreciated, it just felt… wrong because there was no Trina to laugh with. Without thinking, I walked to the nearest trash can and tossed the box inside.

Whatever it was, I didn’t care. Kate was getting exactly what she wanted, and she was practically glowing with happiness. Meanwhile, I was left to deal with my own tangled emotions. She was about to have the man of my heart in her bed or maybe she has. And me? I was tangled with Mike who I don't know whether was ever good in bed, whether I wanted him or not.

Maybe I should be happy for Dave. Maybe I should even thank Kate for taking him off my hands. But the truth was, I wasn’t happy. I doubted she even knew what she was getting herself into.

He had never dated anyone before, as far as I knew, and now he was setting his sights on one of the most sought-after girls in school. And you know, when you’re picking the two top finest guys in the whole school. Dave was practically everyone’s number one, with the second spot going to the new transfer student who his few friends wanted to remain loyal to.

Still, this was Dave’s final year. Soon, he’d be gone, and all of this would be just a memory. I couldn’t spend the rest of my life monitoring him, no matter how much I cared.

I tried to push the thoughts from my mind. Life was moving forward, whether I liked it or not. And maybe, it was time for me to truly let go.