The first tap hit my window while I was scrolling through TikTok, half-dressed, half-dead inside.

At first, I thought it was just the wind knocking something loose outside. Then came another—harder. Then another.

“Seriously?” I muttered, shoving my phone aside. I knew that sound too well. No one else in Falcon Falls threw pebbles at girls’ windows like it was still the 90s.

I crept to the window, hesitating. Maybe if I ignored him, he’d leave.

Then—plink.

I yanked the curtain open and unlatched the window just in time for the next one to hit me square in the cheek.

“Ouch!” I hissed, grabbing my face. “What the hell is wrong with you, dude?”

Kevin froze below, hand still mid-throw, mouth open like he didn’t expect me to actually appear.

“Yara! I swear I didn’t mean to hit you—”

“Yeah, that makes it better,” I whispered harshly, glancing toward my bedroom door. “You’re insane! Can’t you see I don’t want to talk to you? Just—just fuck off.”

I slammed the window shut, the sound echoing louder than I meant it to.

For a second, I just stood there, breathing hard. My cheek stung, but not half as much as my pride. What kind of idiot throws rocks at someone after humiliating them in front of half the town?

I sat back on the bed, crossed my arms, and tried to focus on anything else. My phone buzzed on the blanket, but I ignored it. Probably him. Or worse—some new meme of me from that café disaster.

And then—

Ding-dong.

I blinked at the door like it had just personally betrayed me.

“No. Nope. No way.”

But the doorbell rang again, followed by the sound of my mom’s slippers scraping the hallway floor.

“Yara, someone’s—”

“I got it, ma’am!” I shouted, bolting out of my room and down the stairs.

She nearly spilled her coffee. “Oh… okay, young lady. But who is that?”

“Just Kevin! And he’s just leaving!”

Her eyebrows rose, but I didn’t slow down.

I pulled open the front door, and there he was — same messy hair, same desperate eyes, pretending he hadn’t just assaulted my window.

“Hey,” he said, voice low, nervous.

I stepped outside and shut the door behind me so Mom wouldn’t hear. “You’ve got five seconds.”

“Can we talk?”

“No.”

He shoved his hands into his pockets. “Please, Yara. I just want to explain.”

“I don’t care.”

“Look, I was stupid, okay? I panicked. You ran out of that café, and I didn’t—”

“Didn’t what? Think I’d see you playing tongue wars with Cassie?”

His jaw twitched. “That’s not what happened.”

“Don’t gaslight me, Kevin. Everyone saw it.”

He winced, his voice dropping. “I didn’t mean for you to find out like that.”

“Oh, so there was a better way?” I snapped. “Maybe a PowerPoint presentation? A group email?”

He sighed, running both hands through his hair. “You’re impossible.”

“And you’re pathetic,” I shot back. “So we’re even.”

The air between us was sharp enough to cut through. For a moment, neither of us said anything. I could feel my mom moving around inside — the clink of dishes, the faint hum of her radio. The world kept spinning like my whole life wasn’t falling apart on the porch.

Kevin exhaled, softer now. “I messed up, okay? But I love you, Yara. You know that, right?”

I blinked. The word felt foreign coming from his mouth — love. Like he was trying to use it as a bandage for a bullet wound.

“No,” I said flatly. “You don’t love me. You just hate losing control.”

His expression hardened. “You really think you’re better than everyone else, huh?”

“I never said that.”

He stepped closer. “Yeah, but you act like it. Like you’re too good for me now. Because what—some rich Arab guy gives you a ride home, and suddenly you think you’re royalty?”

The words stung because they were so absurd. I almost laughed.

“You’re out of your mind,” I said quietly. “He’s my friend’s brother.”

“Right,” he muttered, smirking. “That’s what they all say.”

My stomach twisted. I could taste the bitterness rising in my throat, but before I could answer, he kept going — his voice darker now, almost cruel.

“You know what? Cassie was right about you. You act all tough, but underneath, you’re just desperate for attention. Pathetic, actually.”

“Kevin.”

He ignored me, sneering. “Maybe if you weren’t so dry between those legs of yours all the time, I wouldn’t have to—”

The slap came before I even realized I’d moved.

It cracked through the morning air like a gunshot. His head jerked sideways, eyes wide in shock.

For a second, we both just stared at each other.

“Get. Off. My. Lawn,” I said, my voice shaking but steady.

His face darkened, hand still pressed against his cheek. “You’re gonna regret that.”

“Not as much as you will if you’re still here when my mom opens that door.”

He glared, muttered something I couldn’t catch, and stormed off down the sidewalk, his sneakers scraping against the pavement.

I stood there, my pulse hammering, waiting until he turned the corner. My hand stung, my cheek throbbed, and yet—somehow—I felt lighter.

When I turned, my mom was at the door.

Arms crossed. Expression unreadable.

“Mom—”

She raised a hand. “I don’t want to hear it. Whatever that was, explain now.”

I didn’t answer. I just looked her in the eyes and said, steady as hell,

“We broke up… Scratch that. I broke up with him because he couldn’t keep his dong in one coochie.”

Her eyes widened. Then—

Smack.

“Language, young lady!”

I stared at her, hand on my cheek, stunned — then let out a small, bitter laugh.