Chapter 6
“Scar, did they bully you? I’m so sorry–I should’ve come sooner.”
Harper was crying as she fumbled to wipe my tears away.
In the twelve years I’d known her, I could count on one hand the number of times I cried in front of other people-
And never like this. Never so humiliated.
Lucas was rubbing my back over and over, comforting me gently.
“It’s okay. We’re here. You’re not alone.‘
>>
They sat beside me in the hallway, keeping me company. I didn’t know how long we waited. But eventually, the ER doors opened.
I rushed to Grandpa’s bedside and didn’t breathe until he opened his eyes and looked at me. Only then did the weight on my chest finally lift.
Meanwhile, just outside the hospital, Jason had already started regretting everything.
The moment Scarlett’s eyes lost their light–that dead, hollow look–he felt an inexplicable panic.
Like walking away now meant losing her forever.
Someone nearby whispered, “That’s the first time Scarlett’s ever been left behind by everyone… Honestly, it’s kinda heartbreaking. And it’s her only family. I guess it makes sense she freaked out.
>>
Jason froze. His body moved before his brain could stop it–he was ready to turn around.
But Lily quickly grabbed his hand.
“Go be with her if you want. It’s all my fault anyway. I’ll pay for everything. I promise.
Her words set off another round of righteous fury.
“Just because of some rich–girl money, you had to kneel and beg? That’s disgusting.”
“She even threatened to break up with Jason just to humiliate you and you’re still defending her?”
Jason’s eyes flickered. It felt like he had two voices were shouting over each other inside his head, tearing him in opposite directions. In the end, he clenched his jaw and kept walking.
But deep down, something ugly started to burn. Scarlett said she didn’t want him
Did she really mean it? No matter what, she shouldn’t have thrown the breakup card like that.
They’d made a pact before–no matter how bad things got, they’d never use “break up” as a threat.
“She’s not some poor little victim. She’s just spoiled. I made her that way. It’s about time she got a reality check.”
So he forced himself to keep partying with the others. But the whole time, he kept checking his phone. Over and over.
Everyone else’s names lit up, sending him messages. But not the one he was waiting for–Scarlett never texted back.
His frustration reached a boiling point. And just when the party wrapped up and they were all heading home, Lily got into trouble- again.
customer harassed her at work and she called the cops. The whole mess took three days to sort out.
Three days later, Scarlett’s grandfather was discharged from the hospital.
Back home, he held my hand, looked me in the eye, and asked seriously, “Scarlett, do you still want to go through with the engagement to Jason?”
Chapter 6
I shook my head without hesitation.
“I don’t want it anymore.”
“Okay. If that’s what you want, Grandpa will handle the breakup.”
What I didn’t expect was that on the day we were meeting the Westwoods to dissolve the engagement, Jason actually showed up at my house to pick me up.
He looked shocked when he saw me–I’d clearly lost weight. His eyes filled with guilt and concern, but he couldn’t even look me in the
eye.
“I’m sorry. I just found out Grandpa was in the hospital for three days… Is he okay?”
I walked past him without a word. Down the driveway, Lucas was already waiting for me.
He was wearing a biker jacket, helmet on, face completely hidden.
But when Jason looked at him, he got a weird feeling–that guy was watching him.
Cold. Judging. Disdainful. It made Jason’s skin crawl.
Especially when I reached out and took the helmet. That feeling only grew worse.
“Scarlett, don’t go with him. You don’t know what kind of people ride motorcycles like that–he could be nobody.”
I turned and looked at him sharply, my voice razor–sharp.
“Wow. Since when did the great Jason start judging people by their looks?”
some
of sketchy
Chapter 6
