It All Started with a Lie

Chapter 26

My brow shoots up. I do not have the patience for this today.

While my other teammates and I have been cordial to each other, I have refused Emma's advances to win me back. I have no interest in what she wants to say. I always knew the others hated me, but her, I really thought we were friends.

"I need you to smile and pretend I'm telling you great news about Beta Sigma Xi."

When I don't, and I only give her an icy glare, she adds, "Please. I need to tell you something, but if the others find out I've told you they will have my head."

"And why should I care?"

Her smile is still obnoxiously grand but her eyes grow wary. "It's about Klaus."

I suck in a sharp breath, glancing around and sure enough my teammates are staring the two of us down like hawks watching a rabbit in an open field. I stretch my lips into the best smile I can muster. "This better be good." I need to know.

She laughs, playing with her hair. "I know why he is mad at you."

It takes everything in me not to let my smile fall. "How?" Did she have something to do with it?

"The president knew you wouldn't break up with him so she asked all of us at dinner to taunt you into saying bad things about him."

My skin blanches, and I hope Regina hasn't noticed my sickly appearance. I fell right into their trap. "They told him about it?" I should have told him. I should have groveled for him to forgive me, so he wouldn't have to find out from them.

"Worse. They send him a video. Cut it off right before you cussed us out for saying all those things about him."

I should have known. They were willing to pay a stranger thousands to kick me out of their little group, how could I not guess they would do this too? "Why would they do that?" Why would they do all of this? Why him? They have ruined everything else in my life, why did they have to take him?

"Because he made you happy and Regina doesn't want you to be happy. She's hoping you'll be so distraught you'll mess up at the showcase, or even no show and she'll get the lead."

Jokes on her. I am still as great as ever. Keeping my career and home life separate is what I'm best at. She can take away everything I love and I will still be on that stage the night of the showcase. "And you're telling me because?"

Her fake smile falters for the briefest of seconds. "It's cruel. I don't want to be a monster just to fit in."

I nod. I know what you mean. I have changed so much about myself to fit in, and now I've lost the two parts of my life that truly mattered. "Thank you."

Her smile turns genuine as she reaches for something in her pocket. "Your ring. That's what they sent me over for."

I stare at the ruby ring engraved with ΒΣΞ. It doesn't sparkle the way I thought it would. I take it from her hesitantly and slip it onto my right ring finger. It is a loose fit, and I will have to make sure it doesn't fall off when I walk. Emma squeezes my shoulder to signal her goodbye as she joins the girls. They drill her for a line by line report of what we've discussed. Emma's has gotten better at lying because they do not suspect a thing from the looks on their faces. Once they are satisfied with her response, they exit the building, giggling over my misfortunes, no doubt.

Meanwhile, I stand in my spot trying to hold myself together. It is my fault he left. I betrayed him. I told them about the eyeliner when I knew how much it would hurt him, I told them even though I promised him I would pretend I didn't see, even after I told him how good he looked in it. I lied to him.

I told them everything I knew would mortify him, all the things his father said made him weak and I sat there and let them call him such terrible names. I ruined this, me and him. It's all my fault.

He did love me, and I didn't have to beg for it. He loved me by his own free will, and I broke his heart. For what? So some girls could pretend to like me, talk bad about me behind my back instead of my face? I ruined my life so they would like me.

I put my hand to my chest as I breath, trying to keep it all together now that I am in a crowd but my body breaks into a tremor betraying me. "Wendy?" I soft voice calls from behind me.

I don't turn to see Peter but when he asks what's wrong, silent tears stream from my eyes. He stills at the sight before glancing around at our surroundings. A few people have turned to stare at the mess that is me.

Peter strips off his jacket and puts it around me to cover the tremble of my ribs and gently guides me over to the wall before stepping in front of me, back facing, and blocks me from sight of anyone else. Thankful for the cover, I let myself finally feel everything. I hurt the two people who truly made me happy.

A/N
Hi lovies!!
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Rachelle <3