Playing Heart Games

Level 17: Get Betrayed All Over Again

VIOLET

You're not supposed to be here, Violet. You're not supposed to be here.

Axel had said I should keep ignoring Mark for the rest of the week. But as I navigated the halls towards the boys' locker room, I realised that was totally impossible.

I couldn't ignore him. Not anymore.

I also realised that I was rationalizing my choice as I hurried down the hall.

I hadn't been honest with Mark. I hadn't given him a chance to explain. That might be the only time he'd ever cheated. And I wouldn't know because I hadn't asked.

He loved me, not her. He wouldn't do that to me, not again.

My next realization was that the reason I was walking so fast was so that I could see him before intelligence could overwhelm my impulsiveness.

The halls were empty. I'd memorised the school map—the boys' locker room was just around the corner. I could wait outside for Mark. We'd talk. I'd tell him the truth. Everything would be fine. My heartbeat sped up. I walked faster.

Everything would go back to normal once we'd talked.

I turned the corner.

And froze.

At the end of the hall was Mark, still in his football uniform, sat on the ground, his head in his hands.

My heart pounded faster. I  started to move towards him—

Until I spotted a head of blonde-brown hair.

Alissa, standing a metre away from him.

I scrambled backwards, hiding behind the corner.

Why was she here?

Were they... My heart constricted.

It took me a moment to realise they were talking.

"I don't know what to do Ally, she's never been like this before." Mark. His voice was full of enough pain to make my heart ache. "She hates me. She has to."

I don't hate you.

"She doesn't hate you." I peeked around the corner to see Alissa crouching in front of him. "She's in love with you. This is probably some ploy to get your attention."

Mark shook his head. "That makes no sense. She's the one who broke up with me. And if she wanted me back,  if she wanted more attention, if she wanted anything, all she would have to do was tell me. She knows I love her." His voice cracked.

He loves me.

I inhaled, then took a step forward. It was time to end this. To end the games, the lies, the pretence.

It was Alissa's movements that made me freeze. Her hand brushed Mark's, tugging it away from his face. Her voice was soft, her face crinkled into concern. "Mark."

Don't—

She kissed him.

Push her away. Push her away. Push her away.

Mark's hands fell to his sides.

Push her away. Push her away.

Her fingers slid into his hair, her lips moving over his.

He lifted his hands.

Push her away.

His hands slid into her hair, drawing her closer. And then he was kissing her back with the same amount of passion. The same amount of intensity.

And I felt my heart break all over again.

I was walking. Walking as far away from them as I could get. By the time I reached the parking lot, the world was blurred by my tears. I scrambled to my car, peeling out of the lot.

Again.

He'd kissed her again.

And he hadn't even been surprised when she'd kissed him.

How many times had they done that? Kissed eachother? Was the classroom really the first time?

How many times had he been with my stepsister while we dated?

By the time I reached the gates of the Dawson compound, I was sobbing. I pulled over on the side of the road, pain rippling through my chest.

He'd done it all over again. Broken my heart.

I hadn't thought anything could hurt more than when I'd first seen him with Alissa. And yet, this was so much worse.

My gaze lifted to the gates ahead. Beyond was the Dawson mansion. Alissa's house.

I couldn't go in there.

I reached for my phone. My fingers were dialling a number before I could change my mind.

"Curls."

Axel's voice was off, but I barely registered it.

"Can I come over?" I blurted out.