THE BETRAYAL

VIOLET

“My two hundred bucks!” Ashley twirled dramatically in front of me, her hand outstretched like a loan shark demanding her payment. “I knew it! You’re such a badass, though!”

I buried my face in my hands, groaning as embarrassment flooded every inch of my body. “Ashley, oh my God. Can you not shout this in public?”

She flopped onto the bench beside me, her laughter echoing through the quiet courtyard. “Okay, maybe not, but I deserve the details for being psychic. Come on, spill. What exactly happened at that waterfall?”

You’re insufferable, you know that?”

“And you’re stalling,” she shot back, nudging me with her elbow. “Out with it, V. Tell me everything.”

I hesitated, the memories of the past few days flashing vividly in my mind—the intensity of Ryan’s gaze, the way his touch set my skin on fire, the feeling of his lips claiming mine at the waterfall. It was almost too much to put into words, but Ashley wasn’t about to let me off the hook.

“Well,” I started hesitantly, fiddling with my hand. “We went for a date, like I told you we planned. And…”

“And?” she prompted, leaning forward, her eyes glinting with anticipation.

“And things kind of… escalated,” I admitted, my cheeks heating at the memory.

And just like that, the words started spilling out. I told her everything—how I had kissed him first by the waterfall, how things had escalated so quickly, how it had been my first time and how he’d been… different afterward. Gentle. Attentive.

Her expression softened, her teasing replaced with genuine curiosity. “Was it good? I mean, your first time?”

I nodded slowly, a small smile creeping onto my lips. “It was… more than good. It was perfect. He was so… careful with me afterward. Like, he carried me, made sure I ate, everything. It wasn’t just about the sex. It felt like more”

Ashley tilted her head, a sly grin forming. “Exclusive non-relationship, huh?”

“Exactly,” I said, laughing despite myself. “We agreed to keep it private “
She snorted. “Yeah, sure. Let’s see how long that lasts. Mark my words, Violet, Ryan Jenkins isn’t the type to keep things private for too long.”

Before I could respond, my phone buzzed in my lap. I glanced down, and an involuntary smile spread across my lips.

Ryan: Lunch after school. Not a request.

I bit my lip, already typing back a reply. Pushy, much? Maybe I have plans.

His response was immediate. Cancel them. I’ll be waiting.

Ashley peeked over my shoulder, her eyes widening with glee. “Oh my God. He’s so bossy. It’s kind of hot.”

I rolled my eyes, trying not to let her see how much I agreed. But before I could say anything, another ping interrupted us. This time, it was a text from Luke.

Luke: Meet me by the old amphitheater after class? Need to talk.

I frowned, showing the text to Ashley.

She sighed dramatically. “I don’t know what’s up with him lately. He’s been acting so freaking weird… I think it’s about you.”

“Me?” I asked, startled

Ashley gave me a pointed look. “Yes, you. I have a knack for figuring out when people like someone, and Luke likes you. I think he’s just been… thrown off because of Ryan.”

I blinked at her, caught off guard. “What? No, Luke doesn’t—”

“V,” she cut me off, giving me a knowing look. “Think about it. He’s been acting strange ever since the prom thingy. Remember how weird he got after Ryan showed up?”

I bit my lip, replaying the memories in my head. Could she be right? Maybe Luke did like me. It would explain his attempt to kiss me that night and his cryptic comment about wanting to feel more.

“You think he wants to talk about this now?” I asked, my voice low.

Ashley nodded. “Yeah, probably. Maybe he’s finally going to come clean about how he feels.”

I sighed, standing up and brushing off my skirt. “I should go, then. Be right back.”

Ashley waved me off with a smirk. “Yeah, sure. But don’t take too long. I want a full debrief after your little heart-to-heart with Luke. And don’t forget—lunch with Ryan.”

I shot her a half-hearted glare before heading toward the amphitheater, my mind swirling with thoughts of Luke, Ryan, and how I’d managed to get tangled up in this mess.

I approached the amphitheater, my steps hesitant as the secluded spot came into view. Luke stood near the edge of the steps, his back partially turned to me. The way his shoulders were hunched and his jaw clenched told me something was wrong.

“Luke?” I called softly as I approached, my voice tentative. He didn’t turn immediately, but his head dipped slightly at the sound of my voice.

When I reached him, I stopped just short of touching his arm. “I saw your text. What’s going on?”

He finally turned to face me, and the sight of him made my chest tighten. His face was pale, his jaw tight, and his hands were trembling faintly. He was holding something back, and it was eating at him.

“Luke, are you okay?” I asked, my concern growing. I instinctively reached out, my hand resting on his cold, clammy one.

For a moment, he just stared at our hands, his breathing uneven. Then, he glanced up at me, his eyes filled with a mixture of guilt and something deeper—pain.

“Violet,” he began, his voice strained, barely above a whisper. “I’m so sorry. The thing is…” He hesitated, swallowing hard as if the words physically hurt to say.

“What is it?” I prompted gently.

“I like you,” he finally admitted, the words tumbling out in a rush. “I like you so much more than I should. I wanted to be… more. More than friends.”

I froze, my heart skipping a beat.

His hand twitched in mine, and he dropped it, running a shaky hand through his hair. “I wanted to be more… more than just friends,” he continued, his voice low, almost defeated. “I’ve felt this way for so long, but I—” He stopped himself, his eyes darting to the ground.

I swallowed hard, unsure of what to say.

“I’m so sorry,” he said again, his tone filled with anguish. “I don’t know what I’m doing. I just… I had to do it..”

“What?” I asked, my voice barely audible. “What did you have to do?”

His gaze drifted over my shoulder, his entire body stiffening. His face was a mask of regret and dread, and his hands trembled even more.

“Luke?” I questioned, my tone sharper now, tinged with unease.

He didn’t answer. His eyes remained fixed on something—or someone—behind me.

And then I felt it. A sharp sting on the side of my neck, like a bee sting but deeper, more invasive. My hand flew to the spot instinctively, and a burning sensation spread from the puncture, radiating through my veins.

I gasped, my vision blurring as the world tilted. My legs wobbled beneath me, and I swayed, my body suddenly too heavy to hold upright.

“Luke…?” I murmured, my voice slurring as I turned my head to him.

His face was pale, his lips moving soundlessly at first before the words came out. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, his voice shaky, his hands half-reaching for me but stopping midair. “I’m so sorry, Violet.”

“What… did you… do?” I mumbled, my body beginning to fold under the weight of whatever was coursing through me.

Luke’s eyes remained locked on me, but his focus kept flickering to something behind me. I turned my head weakly, my movements sluggish.

And then I saw her. Evelyn.

She stepped forward, the faint glint of a syringe in her hand catching the light. Her expression was calm, almost amused, her lips curling into a cold, satisfied smile.

“Luke,” I tried to say, but my words were barely coherent. My knees buckled, and I felt myself sinking, the world spinning wildly around me.

“I’m sorry,” Luke said again, the words falling from his lips in a desperate chant.

Evelyn’s face was the last thing I saw before the darkness claimed me, her smirk etched into my mind like a haunting final image. Luke’s voice echoed faintly in the background, his apologies relentless and filled with a pain I couldn’t understand.