How to Break Her Heart

step 5: break her

At seventeen years old, Soren Easley falls in love with Maddox Chatline... but he doesn't catch her.

-

The fateful day is a normal one.

There is no underlying tense air, no dark clouds, nothing to indicate that this day is one that is dreaded by Maddox Chatline.

It's been thirty days and having no idea of how Wilona would strike made him anxious. He stays near Soren for the first half of the day, which delights her at first, but his uneasiness soon worries her.

"What's wrong?" she asks as they make their way to the lunchroom. She carries her notebook in one hand, his hand intertwined in her other. "You're unusually antsy today."

"Nothing, nothing, just-" he looks behind his shoulder before sliding an arm protectively across Soren's small shoulder. "Have you seen Wilona today?"

She looks up at him curiously. "No, not today. Why?"

"No reason," he replies distantly.

He's not even sure what he's afraid of. Wilona herself? Of what she would do if he didn't go through with her scheme? Or maybe of how Soren will react after hearing how this all began?

And then it hits him.

He's so stupid.

He doesn't want to break her.

He wants to protect her, hold her, love her.

He doesn't want to lose her.

So what if Wilona tells the school that he's not who he really says he is? That he wasn't born into a rich family and raised as a prodigy? That instead he was orphaned from a young age and adopted after being fostered by the Michaels? That his real name was Maddox Chatline and not Oliver Michaels?

So what if they label him a liar and deceiver?

He only cares about what one person thinks.

She's never called him Oliver. Nor does she ever call him Maddox out-loud because she knows why he took on the other name. He values his reputation.

Well, not anymore he does. Only she matters now.

And if Soren and him were going to start on Forever, then their relationship shouldn't be founded on lies.

He made the resolve in his head. Even if she gets mad at first, he'll take it like the coward he is for trying to hurt her, but then will do his utmost best to win her trust again. He despises the thought of hurting her even a little now, even if it's a lot less than what was originally planned.

They reach the cafeteria doors and he takes a deep breath.

"Soren-"

She opens one of the doors and looks back at him. "Hm?" she hums questioningly.

But he's breathless, feeling like a truck slammed into his stomach. He sees a teary-eyed Wilona standing in the middle of the room, being comforted by one of her friends. Right in the center. In front of everyone.

Shrill alarms ring in his head. "What's going on, Wilona?"

"Oh, Oliver!" Wilona dramatically tackles him into hug, deliberately pushing Soren to the side. "I'm done with the lies! I can't take being away from you anymore." 

Already he sees what is happening. What is going to happen. He needs to stop it.

"Wilona, please don't do this," he harshly whispers into her ear.