Chapter 3

3.

Hayden dragged me backstage, his grip like a vise.

He looked at me with a face full of revulsion. "Joanie, can you stop acting like a spoiled brat for once?"

I just stared at him, my voice gone.

"Annabel was willing to speak up for you earlier," he continued. "How could you be so cruel? Do you have any idea how much trouble you've caused her?"

I wrenched my hand out of his grasp.

The pain in my chest was suffocating, and the emotions I'd been suppressing finally boiled over.

"Hayden, we've known each other for over twenty years! Do you really not know who I am?"

"I didn't do it! Why are you lying for her? Why won't you believe me when I tell you I didn't steal her work?"

Hayden was silent for a long time, looking at me with a pity that was worse than his anger.

"Joanie, why are you still acting? I've seen how hard Annabel works. Why would she ever need to steal from you?"

"She wanted to let this go for my sake. You're the one who wouldn't let it rest..."

I let out a desperate, broken laugh.

Ever since Hayden and Annabel got together the first time, he had always chosen her. I understood that back then; she was his girlfriend.

But they broke up. He came to me. And yet, he was still choosing her.

I wiped the tears from my eyes and took a shaky breath. "Hayden, if you hate me this much, why are you even with me?"

It was a question I had been dying to ask for a long time.

At some point, the warmth in his eyes had been replaced by a cold, sharp disdain.

I didn't know what I had done wrong, so I just tried harder. I thought if I were better to him, he'd find his way back to me.

During the year we were together, I watched him dump the meals I spent hours cooking into the trash. I watched him go out for dinner with Annabel constantly.

He even left me when I was shivering with a high fever because Annabel called him to go on a trip.

I had endured it all, swallowing my pride and my hurt, hoping for a shred of his old tenderness.

But this was the breaking point.

Hayden looked genuinely surprised by my question.

Before he could answer, Annabel appeared backstage, walking slowly toward him.

The moment Hayden saw her, his expression softened instantly.

Seeing that look, I finally had to admit the truth: Hayden Sterling had never loved me.

I let out a self-deprecating chuckle.

Annabel stepped close to him and whispered, "The school board is here. Let's talk about this later."

She paused, her eyes downcast. "Hayden, I don't want you fighting with Joanie because of me. I'd rather take the blame than see you in this position."

Hayden's eyes actually reddened with emotion at her 'sacrifice.'

Watching their little romantic drama, I felt nothing but disgust. I turned to walk away.

"If it weren't for you, I never would have broken up with Annabel in the first place!" Hayden shouted at my back. "You used my parents to force us together!"