I’m Done Being My Genius Boyfriend’s Secret Chapter 07

I’m Done Being My Genius Boyfriend’s Secret Chapter 07

I took the phone and scrolled through the post.

It didn’t name anyone, but the details were unmistakable-

childhood friends, a guy who missed the start of the semester, a trip to Wyoming.

Anyone who knew us would know exactly who it was talking about.

The post claimed I’d used our history to wedge myself between two academic stars.

Said the guy almost got expelled because I made him skip school.

Tristan’s absence from the first week was already public.

People connected the dots fast.

Then my old classmates chimed in.

“Isn’t that Kira?”

“Tristan and Briar were always together in high school. They stood together at graduation.”

“They watched movies, shared coffee. The hair tie Tristan wore-it’s probably Briar’s.”

“Kira was always trailing behind them. Kind of awkward, honestly!”

One comment after another.

Like they’d finally found someone to blame.

Soon, people on campus recognized me too.

Eyes followed me in the dining hall. Heads turned in class.

My roommate rolled up her sleeves. “Wait here. I’ll go fight them.”

Before I could stop her, my phone buzzed.

Tristan had posted.

Briar and I were never a couple.

The only person I’ve ever been with-the only one I’ve ever loved-is Kira.

She’s not the other woman. She didn’t insert herself into anything.

Me missing the start of the semester was my own choice.

Then a message came through.

Kira. Don’t be afraid.

I stared at the screen for a long time.

I thought he’d tell me to wait it out.

Let it blow over.

That was what I was used to-swallowing my pride for the sake of keeping things clean for them

But this time-he actually stood up for me.

Other high school friends started speaking up too.

“Kira isn’t the one who got in the way. She and Tristan were already together.”

“Tristan was the one who pushed her aside for Briar on graduation day.”

“If anything, Briar was the one overstepping.”

The tide turned.

Names became headlines.

The “perfect pair” started to look like evidence of something else.

A few days later, Tristan showed up again.

He looked worse than before, but his eyes still lit up when he saw me.

“Kira.”

His voice was rough. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize how much I was hurting you.”

I stayed silent.

He kept going. “I should’ve drawn better lines.”

“I failed you-and I hurt Briar too. But please don’t blame her.”

“She always wanted to be your friend.”

“Remember when she offered to tutor you? You stopped coming to study group.”

“She was really upset.”

I almost laughed.

Even now-he was still defending her.

Just then, my roommate stormed over.

“Kira, I found it!”

She saw Tristan and didn’t flinch.

She shoved her phone in front of him.

“You’re here too. Good.”

“Take a look at the kind of person your ‘kind and brilliant’ friend really is.”

The screen showed the account that posted the rumor.

She’d pulled up the profile photo history-and one of them was a photo of a white cat.

Briar’s cat. A photo she’d never posted publicly.

Tristan’s face shifted. “Maybe it’s a coincidence.”

She pulled up more screenshots.

Old location tags, likes, and a deleted post that still showed the corner of Briar’s notebook.

He had nothing to say.

I spoke quietly. “You probably don’t know this, Tristan.”

“That day you went to buy the train ticket, Briar told me some gaps can’t be closed by effort.”

“She said you needed someone who could keep up-not someone who’d drag you down.”

“She told me to walk away.”

His face crumpled.

“The letter that day. She told you I took it. And you believed her.”

He was silent.

“You never believed me. Not once.”

“But you believed everything she said.”

He reached for me-his eyes red-rimmed.

I stepped back.

“Tristan. Go.”