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Chris parks his car a few meters away and struts over. His aura exudes arrogance, a smirk playing on his lips as he adjusts his collar.
My fists clench at the "I'm better than all of you" vibes he emits. But it seems I am the only one who senses it. Our former classmates leave the cars, flock around him, slapping his back and hugging him, their laughter filling the air.
Finally, when the crowd disperses, he saunters over to me.
"Missed me, Chloe?" he drawls, a cocky grin plastered on his face.
I reel back, my eyes wide with disbelief.
"Are you insane or just an idiot?" I spit out.
He just laughs as if he's enjoying this.
"Well, I am famous now, rich too. Why wouldn't you miss me?" He flashes me a smug smile, "If you put in some effort, Chloe, I might give you another chance."
My mouth falls open at his audacity. He changed, that's for sure, but not for the better. His smirk doesn't falter, fueling the inferno within me. How could I ever have fallen for someone so pretentious, so conceited?
A man who cares for no one but himself. He shattered my heart once, but I'll be damned if I let him do it again. Summoning all my courage, I take a step towards him. My fists clench tightly at my sides, and I lock my icy stare with his.
"You must really be delusional to think I would ever go back to you," I seethe, "I don't give a damn who you are now or how much money you have."
His laughter only fuels my anger.
"You might not care, Chloe," he says, his tone smug, "but plenty of prettier, hotter women do. You're wasting your life in Willow Creek. You could be one of my girlfriends in the city."
My blood boils. One of his girlfriends? I bite my lower lip, trying to keep my cool, but his words pierce me like barbs. I am inches away from losing my temper, from lashing out. But I have never been that person. So, instead, I grit my teeth and warn him,
"If you don't stop talking, you'll regret it."
The silence stretches between us until Naomi intervenes, oblivious to the storm brewing between Chris and me.
"I hope you two are getting along," she says cheerily, "It's been a while, hasn't it? Now, let's get going, or we’ll be late."
I shoot Naomi a death stare, but she just laughs it off.
Chris's eyes, once filled with self-assured arrogance, now bore into mine with an unsettling intensity. He leans in closer, perhaps thinking he can sway me with proximity. I stiffen as his hand brazenly lands on my thigh. The audacity!
My mind races, thoughts of standing up to him colliding with memories of the girl I once was — the girl who trusted him. But that girl has grown, become stronger, and she's not taking it anymore.
With a surge of adrenaline, I use the technique my military-trained brother showed me, twisting slightly to give my punch more power. My fist connects with Chris's nose. The sound is both sickening and satisfying.
He stumbles back, hands clutching his face, blood dripping. His smug expression transforms into one of shock and pain. The people around us are equally stunned. Some gasp, others look between us, trying to process what just happened.
Naomi rushes forward, her usual commanding demeanor overtaken by concern.
"Chloe, what on earth...?"
"He touched me," I say through gritted teeth, pointing to my thigh for emphasis.
Chris, quick to put on a show, shakes his head vigorously, blood still oozing. "She's lying! She's just mad I rejected her."
My heart pounds harder, anger mingling with the sharp sting of his betrayal.
“I should have hit you harder!" I snap, trying to maintain composure.
I want to appear strong, assertive. But inside, I'm crushed. I want to run, to cry, to hide. Why did I even consider, even for a fleeting moment, that Chris might have changed? I feel so foolish.
Chris dismisses me with a wave of his hand, "Go to hell, Chloe." He sneers, "You're lucky I'm not going to sue you."
