Chapter 11: The Truth Behind Amber's Smile

Amber didn't give up.

Of course she didn't.

For someone who constantly claimed she hated drama, she had an incredible talent for creating it.

After confronting me at my locker, she spent the rest of the morning glaring whenever I walked past.

I ignored her.

That seemed to bother her more than any argument ever could.

***

By lunch, rumors had already started spreading.

"Did you hear? Aurora is trying to steal Cole back."

"Apparently she got jealous when Cole and Amber started dating."

"Someone said she keeps hanging around Ethan just to make Cole jealous."

I almost laughed when I heard the last one.

It was amazing how quickly people could invent a story when the truth was sitting right in front of them.

I was standing outside the library when a girl from my chemistry class approached me.

She looked uncomfortable.

"Aurora... can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Did you really throw water on Amber for no reason?"

I looked at her.

"No."

She hesitated.

"That's what Amber told everyone."

Of course she did.

I could have explained everything.

I could have told her about months of insults.

About being called a Barbie, a princess, and eventually a dog.

I could have defended myself.

But suddenly, I didn't want to.

"Believe whatever you want," I said.

The girl looked surprised.

Then Ethan appeared beside me.

He had apparently heard the entire conversation.

"Actually," he said calmly, "I was in that classroom."

Both of us turned toward him.

Ethan looked directly at the girl.

"Amber insulted Aurora first. Repeatedly."

The girl blinked.

"You were there?"

"Yes."

His expression remained neutral.

"A lot of people were."

That was the interesting thing about crowds.

They saw everything.

But most people stayed silent until someone else decided to speak first.

The girl looked embarrassed.

"Oh. I didn't know."

"Now you do," Ethan replied.

She quickly walked away.

I looked at him.

"You didn't have to do that."

"I know."

He adjusted the strap of his backpack.

"But lies get louder when no one contradicts them."

I smiled slightly.

"You're surprisingly wise for someone who barely talks."

"I save my words for important things."

I laughed.

And from the other end of the hallway, someone watched.

Cole.

***

Later that afternoon, Amber cornered Cole outside the gym.

I didn't see the conversation myself.

But I heard about it.

Apparently, she had been furious.

"Why are you suddenly defending Aurora?" Amber demanded.

"I'm not defending anyone."

"Then why did you tell Jason I was being unfair to her?"

Cole had gone quiet.

Amber crossed her arms.

"You still like her, don't you?"

That question was followed by a long silence.

And sometimes, silence was an answer.

Amber's face reportedly changed immediately.

"You've got to be kidding me."

"I'm with you now, Cole."

"You chose me."

"I know," he said.

"Then stop looking at her."

That was when Cole finally lost his patience.

"You don't get to tell me what to do."

Amber stared at him.

"Excuse me?"

"And stop acting like Aurora is the problem every time something goes wrong."

Amber's expression twisted.

"Wow."

She laughed bitterly.

"So now you're finally realizing your precious princess wasn't the villain?"

Cole froze.

Amber stepped closer.

"You want to know something funny? I never would have gotten close to you if Aurora hadn't been there."

His expression darkened.

"What does that mean?"

Amber smiled.

But there was nothing playful about it.

"It means you were always paying attention to her."

"Even when you pretended you weren't."

"Every guy knew it."

"She'd walk into a room, and you'd automatically look for her."

"She'd cry, and you'd panic."

"She'd smile at you, and suddenly your whole mood changed."

Cole said nothing.

Amber's voice grew colder.

"I hated that."

"So I wanted to see what would happen if I pulled your attention somewhere else."

Cole stared at her.

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying you were easy."

For the first time, Amber didn't bother hiding behind her innocent smile.

"All I had to do was tell you Aurora was too sensitive, and you'd start believing it."

"All I had to do was laugh at something she liked, and eventually you'd laugh too."

Cole's face slowly lost all color.

"You encouraged me to distance myself from her."

Amber shrugged.

"You didn't exactly need much encouragement."

That one hurt.

Because it was true.

***

The next day, Cole came to school looking like he hadn't slept.

His relationship with Amber was apparently over.

People whispered about their argument all morning.

I didn't ask questions.

I didn't care.

At least, that's what I told myself.

During study hall, I was organizing my notes when someone stopped beside my desk.

I looked up.

Cole.

My expression immediately cooled.

"What?"

He didn't sit down.

He just stood there.

For once, he looked uncertain.

"I found something out."

"Congratulations."

"Aurora, please."

Something in his voice made me pause.

"Amber admitted she deliberately pushed us apart."

I stared at him.

Then I slowly closed my notebook.

"And?"

Cole's eyebrows pulled together.

"And I should have seen it."

"Yes, you should have."

"I let her influence how I saw you."

I stood up.

"No, Cole."

He went silent.

"Amber didn't make you slap me."

"She didn't make you laugh when I was humiliated."

"She didn't force you to call me dramatic."

"And she definitely didn't force you to choose her side without listening to mine."

His eyes dropped.

"You're right."

I picked up my bag.

"I'm glad you finally understand that."

As I walked away, Cole spoke quietly behind me.

"I loved you, Aurora."

My steps stopped.

The hallway seemed strangely quiet.

For nine years, those were the words I had dreamed of hearing.

I slowly turned around.

Cole was looking at me with tears in his eyes.

"I think I always did."

My heart hurt.

But not in the way it once would have.

Because sometimes, getting everything you ever wanted could still feel completely wrong.

"Maybe you did," I said softly.

Cole's face lifted with the smallest flicker of hope.

Then I finished.

"But love isn't supposed to make someone feel smaller."

The hope disappeared.

I turned away.

And this time, I didn't look back.