The next morning felt different.
Not easier.
Not better.
Just… different.
I stood in front of my mirror longer than usual, staring at my reflection like I didn't recognize the girl looking back at me.
Was this really my life now?
Rumors. Betrayal. Silence.
And now…
Lies.
I grabbed my bag slowly, my mind replaying everything Jack had said the day before.
"Fight back."
At the time, it sounded impossible.
But now…
It felt like the only choice I had left.
School was already loud when I arrived.
Whispers still followed me the moment I stepped through the gates, but something about today felt… controlled.
Planned.
Before I could overthink it, I felt a hand gently take mine.
I froze.
Jack.
"Relax," he whispered, his voice low enough that only I could hear. "Just go along with it."
My heart started pounding—not from fear this time, but from the reality of what we were about to do.
This was it.
The plan.
Slowly, I nodded.
And together…
We walked in.
Hand in hand.
The reaction was instant.
Gasps.
Whispers turning into loud murmurs.
"Wait… are they dating?"
"Since when?!"
"Wasn't she with Dylan?"
I kept my face neutral, even though my heart was racing. Jack's grip tightened slightly, like he was silently telling me he was right there.
And for the first time in days…
I didn't feel alone.
By the time we reached the hallway, the entire school seemed to know.
People stared openly now.
But this time…
It wasn't just mockery.
It was shock.
Confusion.
Curiosity.
Jack leaned closer to me slightly, playing his part perfectly. "You okay?" he murmured.
I nodded faintly. "Yeah… I think so."
And strangely…
I meant it.
Because now, the attention wasn't just about rumors.
It was about us.
Across the hallway…
Dylan saw.
Our eyes met for a split second.
And even though his expression didn't change much…
I saw it.
The flicker of something.
Jealousy.
Pain.
Or maybe both.
But just as quickly, it was gone.
Because this…
Was part of the plan.
The truth was something no one else knew.
Not the whispers.
Not the girls.
Not even Ivy.
Dylan and I…
Had never broken up.
Not officially.
Not privately.
Not at all.
We were still together.
Just… hidden.
After everything that had happened, after the rumors and the pressure, Emily—my namesake—had come up with the idea.
"Let them think you've moved on," she had said. "Let them focus on something else."
And somehow…
That "something else" became Jack.
He hadn't hesitated.
"I'll do it," he said. "If it helps you… I'm in."
So now…
We were pretending.
Pretending to date.
Pretending to be something we weren't.
All to protect something that was already falling apart.
By lunchtime, things had fully exploded.
Jack sat beside me like it was the most natural thing in the world, his arm casually resting on the back of my chair.
"People are staring," I muttered.
"Let them," he replied calmly.
And for once…
I didn't argue.
But not everyone was convinced.
From across the cafeteria, Daniella watched us closely.
Too closely.
Her eyes moved between me and Jack, then briefly toward Dylan.
Like she was trying to connect something.
Figure something out.
And that made my stomach twist.
Because Daniella wasn't stupid.
She noticed things.
Things other people missed.
"She's watching," I whispered under my breath.
Jack didn't turn. "I know."
"She suspects something."
"Then we make it more believable."
Before I could ask what he meant, he leaned in slightly closer, his voice soft.
"Trust me."
Then, without warning, he smiled at me.
Not a fake smile.
Not entirely.
And that confused me.
Across the room…
Ivy was watching too.
But her focus wasn't just on me.
It was on Dylan.
The way she laughed a little too loudly around him.
The way she leaned closer than necessary.
The way she touched his arm like she had a right to.
My chest tightened.
"She's getting closer to him," I said quietly.
Jack followed my gaze briefly before looking back at me.
"She's been trying," he said.
"I know," I replied, my voice barely steady.
Because I could see it clearly now.
Ivy wasn't just spreading rumors anymore.
She had a goal.
And that goal…
Was Dylan.
The rumors hadn't stopped either.
If anything…
They had changed.
"Didn't she just move on quickly?"
"She's so desperate."
"From Dylan to Jack… wow."
I clenched my fists under the table.
No matter what I did…
They would always find something.
Later that day, everything got worse.
I was walking down the hallway when I heard Ivy's voice again.
Loud.
Deliberate.
"So you're just going to ignore what she did in the bathroom?" she said to a group of girls.
My steps slowed.
"She's disgusting," another girl added.
"I heard she was recording herself."
"Trying to trap Dylan."
Laughter followed.
My chest tightened again.
She wasn't stopping.
She wasn't even trying to hide it anymore.
Before I could walk away, Ivy's eyes landed on me.
And she smiled.
That same smile.
Sharp. Cold. Dangerous.
"Well, look who it is," she said.
The girls turned.
All eyes on me.
I forced myself to stay calm.
"You're really enjoying this, aren't you?" I said quietly.
Ivy shrugged. "I'm just telling the truth."
"It's not the truth."
"Then prove it," she snapped.
I stayed silent.
Because I couldn't.
Because everything now…
Was built on lies.
Just then, Jack appeared beside me again.
Perfect timing.
"Is there a problem?" he asked coolly.
Ivy rolled her eyes. "Why are you always around her?"
Jack didn't hesitate.
"Because she's my girlfriend."
The words hung in the air.
Heavy.
Final.
And for a moment…
Even I believed them.
Ivy's expression darkened slightly.
But her gaze shifted again.
To Dylan.
Who was standing not too far away.
Watching.
Still silent.
Still doing nothing.
But this time…
Something felt different.
Because Ivy stepped closer to him.
Smiling.
Talking.
And Dylan…
Didn't move away.
My heart sank.
That night, I couldn't stop thinking.
About everything.
About Jack.
About Dylan.
About Ivy.
About the lies.
And the truth hidden beneath all of it.
I picked up my phone, staring at Dylan's name.
For a moment, I hesitated.
Then I typed:
"We need to talk."
The reply came almost instantly.
"I know."
The next day would change everything.
Because secrets…
Don't stay hidden forever.
And the more lies we told…
The more dangerous everything became.