The photo wasn’t crystal clear, but it didn’t have to be.
Anyone who had ever seen Jason and me together would recognize us in an instant—the way I leaned too close, the way his arm hovered near mine, like he couldn’t help protecting me even in still frames.
My stomach dropped as I scrolled through the comments.
“Knew it!”
“They’re not even hiding it anymore.”
“Step-siblings? That’s disgusting.”
“Honestly? They look kind of perfect together.”
The last one didn’t make me feel better. If anything, it made the pit in my chest deeper. Because it confirmed what I already feared—this wasn’t going to stay whispers anymore. This was going viral.
⸻
By the time I got to school the next morning, the atmosphere had shifted. Conversations halted when I walked past. People didn’t bother whisper
