He Chose His Old Crush and Lost Me Chapter 10

He Chose His Old Crush and Lost Me Chapter 10

Back in my room, I cried until I had nothing left.

When I was too drained to keep crying, I sat up and started clearing things out.

Hundreds of photos with Jake. Deleted.

Every hidden couple’s item. Every gift he’d ever given me.

Boxed up. Carried downstairs. Dumped.

I watched the trash bin fill up, load after load.

My chest felt hollow and heavy at the same time.

I closed my eyes, breathed deep, dug my nails into my palms.

Don’t look back. Don’t go soft.

My phone buzzed-a video call from Alex.

He was fishing for gossip.

“Okay, so. I always knew you were smiling at your phone like an idiot. I asked and you denied it. But

Ethan? Come on. Even rabbits don’t graze that close to home.”

He shook his head.

“I thought you hated him. You always said you wanted someone like Jake.”

Hearing Jake’s name still hit me like a punch.

“Alex. Don’t say that anymore. He has a girlfriend. It’s weird.”

Alex paused, then nodded.

“Fair enough.”

His face softened.

“Why are your eyes so red? Have you been crying?”

I didn’t answer.

His voice went gentler.

“Is this about Jake having a girlfriend?”

i shook my head fast.

“No. It’s nothing to do with him.”

“Okay. Good.”

A beat of silence.

Then: “There are tons of guys better than Jake. Our Lily deserves the best. And as much as I rag on Ethan-objectively? He’s not terrible.”

I turned my face away from the screen.

The tears slid down before I could stop them.

Alex had known all along. My big brother, the one I thought I’d been fooling.