Episode 9: Everything Falls Apart
1820 Words
There was something different about Cedric.
Bailey noticed it on Monday morning.
Actually...
She noticed it before Cedric did.
Usually, he'd arrive at their Mathematics lecture with some sarcastic comment prepared.
"Did you bring enough highlighters to supply the whole university?"
"You colour-coded your notes again? That's concerning."
"If organisation were a sport, you'd win gold."
But today...
Nothing.
He simply smiled awkwardly.
"Morning."
Bailey frowned.
"...Morning?"
He sat down beside her.
No teasing.
No jokes.
Just...
Silence.
She looked at him suspiciously.
"Who are you?"
Cedric blinked.
"What?"
"What have you done with Cedric?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"You've been sitting here for thirty seconds."
"And?"
"You haven't insulted my stationery."
He looked down at her notebook.
"I like your notes."
Bailey's eyebrows shot up.
"...Excuse me?"
"They're..."
He cleared his throat.
"...very organised."
She stared at him.
Then reached over and placed the back of her hand against his forehead.
"Cedric."
"What are you doing?"
"Checking if you've got a fever."
He laughed nervously.
"I'm fine."
"No."
She shook her head dramatically.
"Something's wrong."
He looked away to hide the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
If only she knew.
---
Ever since talking to Blake and Maverick...
Everything had changed.
Not Bailey.
Him.
Now that he knew he liked her...
He couldn't stop noticing everything.
The way she tucked her hair behind her ear while concentrating.
The tiny crease between her eyebrows whenever she solved a difficult problem.
The way she laughed with her whole heart.
The way she always carried snacks in her backpack because someone else might be hungry.
He'd noticed those things before.
Now...
They mattered.
And it terrified him.
---
Halfway through the lecture, Bailey leaned over.
"Can I ask you something?"
Cedric looked up.
"Depends."
"Are you sick?"
"No."
"Did someone threaten you?"
"No."
"Then why are you being..."
She searched for the right word.
"...nice?"
Cedric looked horrified.
"I've always been nice."
Bailey burst into laughter.
"No, you haven't."
"I have."
"You called my notes 'aggressively organised' three days ago."
"They are."
"And now you like them."
"I've matured."
"In seventy-two hours?"
"I'm a fast learner."
She laughed again.
"There you are."
"What?"
"The Cedric I know."
He smiled despite himself.
"Don't get used to it."
---
Unfortunately for Cedric...
Bailey was far too observant.
She noticed every tiny moment.
Every time he accidentally stared at her before quickly looking away.
Every time he became flustered after complimenting her.
Every awkward silence that had never existed before.
One afternoon, while they walked towards the student centre, she decided to test her theory.
"Cedric."
"Hm?"
"I've been thinking."
"Oh no."
"What?"
"That's usually dangerous."
She smiled sweetly.
"I think Ethan should ask me out."
Cedric nearly tripped over absolutely nothing.
"What?"
"You remember Ethan?"
"The guy from Maths?"
"Yeah."
"He seemed nice."
Cedric forced a smile.
"I suppose."
"You didn't sound convinced."
"I'm sure he's..."
He searched desperately for something positive.
"...a person."
Bailey laughed so hard she had to stop walking.
"A person?"
"Yes."
"That's your best compliment?"
"I don't know him very well."
She folded her arms.
"So you'd approve?"
Cedric looked at her.
His heart argued with his brain.
"...No."
The answer escaped before he could stop it.
Bailey raised an eyebrow.
"Oh?"
"I mean..."
He rubbed the back of his neck.
"...I think you deserve better."
Silence.
Bailey smiled to herself.
"So..."
She teased.
"...are you gatekeeping my love life now?"
Cedric sighed dramatically.
"You are impossible."
"And yet..."
She leaned closer.
"...you still walk me to class."
He looked away, smiling to himself.
"I make questionable decisions."
"You really do."
Neither of them admitted that Bailey already knew exactly why he had changed.
She wasn't waiting for him to like her.
She already knew he did.
She was simply waiting for him to realise she felt the same.
---
Across campus...
Maverick waited outside the Psychology building.
Chloe walked out carrying two thick textbooks.
"You look tired."
"I am."
"You've been studying too much."
"I've been worrying too much."
He nodded knowingly.
"Fair point."
They started walking together.
After a few minutes, Maverick spoke.
"I've got an idea."
Chloe looked sideways.
"Should I be worried?"
"Not this time."
She smiled.
"I'm listening."
"Lunch."
"...Lunch?"
"We both finish after our tutorials tomorrow."
"We leave campus."
"We eat actual food."
"And for one hour..."
He smiled gently.
"...you stop thinking about everyone else."
She looked at him for a long moment.
It sounded...
Nice.
Simple.
Peaceful.
"I'd like that."
He smiled.
"I'll take that as a yes."
"You should."
For the first time in weeks...
Chloe had something to look forward to.
---
The next afternoon...
They found a quiet café just outside campus.
Unlike Bailey and Cedric's playful conversations...
Chloe and Maverick's felt calm.
Easy.
Comfortable.
"So..."
Maverick smiled.
"Tell me something happy."
She thought carefully.
"I used to think university would be terrifying."
"And now?"
"It still is."
He laughed.
"But..."
"I've met people who make it easier."
He looked at her.
"I'm glad."
She looked back.
"So am I."
They spoke about childhood dreams.
Favourite holidays.
Books they'd loved.
Music they'd never admit to listening to.
By the time lunch ended...
Neither of them wanted to leave.
Not because anything romantic had happened.
Because they'd genuinely enjoyed each other's company.
As they walked back towards campus, Maverick smiled.
"Same time next week?"
Chloe smiled.
"I'd like that."
---
Back at Willow House...
Bianca was changing.
Not dramatically.
Quietly.
She laughed more often.
She joined Bailey and Stella for late-night snacks again.
She had even started joking about her heartbreak.
"I survived."
She smiled.
"I deserve a medal."
"You deserve pizza," Stella corrected.
"I'll accept pizza."
Bailey grinned.
"I'll never say no to pizza."
For the first time in what felt like forever...
The room felt whole again.
Chloe watched them from across the room.
Her chest tightened.
"I'm running out of time."
---
Friday arrived.
The entire campus buzzed with excitement.
Another student social.
Another excuse to forget assignments for one evening.
Bailey adjusted her earrings.
"I'm ready."
Stella looked up.
"You've been ready for twenty minutes."
"I like being early."
"You like taking selfies."
"...Also true."
Bianca appeared wearing a simple black dress.
She looked beautiful.
And for the first time...
Happy.
"You look amazing," Bailey smiled.
"So do you."
Chloe forced a smile.
She wished she felt as light as everyone else.
---
The party was already crowded when they arrived.
Music thundered through the venue.
Students filled every corner of the room.
Cedric spotted Bailey almost immediately.
"There you are."
"There I am."
He smiled.
"You look..."
He stopped.
Bailey waited.
"...Different."
She folded her arms.
"Different?"
"In a good way."
He looked horrified.
"That sounded terrible."
She laughed.
"I know what you meant."
"You do?"
"I do."
"You look nice too."
Cedric smiled so widely Blake noticed immediately.
"Oh..."
Blake muttered quietly.
"He's gone."
Maverick chuckled.
"He never stood a chance."
---
The evening passed peacefully.
Cedric and Bailey argued over a game of pool.
Stella challenged strangers to dance-offs.
Bianca laughed louder than she had in weeks.
For a little while...
Everything felt normal.
Then...
The atmosphere changed.
Skylar stumbled through the entrance.
His steps were uneven.
His eyes unfocused.
He was drunk.
Very drunk.
Chloe saw him first.
Her stomach dropped.
"No..."
Maverick followed her gaze.
"Oh no."
Skylar spotted them.
Especially Chloe.
"There she is!"
His voice echoed across the room.
Several nearby students turned.
Bianca frowned.
"Skylar?"
He laughed bitterly.
"So..."
He pointed clumsily towards Chloe.
"Have you finally told her?"
Every sound around Chloe disappeared.
Her heartbeat thundered in her ears.
"Skylar..."
She whispered.
"Stop."
He ignored her.
"You've been pretending for weeks."
Bianca looked between them.
"What is he talking about?"
"Nothing," Chloe said quickly.
"He doesn't know what he's saying."
Skylar laughed.
"Oh..."
"I know exactly what I'm saying."
Bailey stepped forward.
"Skylar, you've had too much to drink."
"I have?"
He laughed again.
"Maybe."
"But I remember kissing Chloe."
Silence.
Complete silence.
Bianca's face drained of colour.
"What?"
Chloe immediately shook her head.
"Bianca, please—"
"He kissed me," Skylar interrupted loudly.
"She wanted me too."
Chloe's eyes widened.
"No!"
"That's not true!"
Skylar continued talking over her.
"We couldn't stay away from each other."
"We kept meeting."
"We couldn't stop thinking about each other."
Every sentence was more exaggerated than the last.
Every lie twisted the truth further.
Chloe felt physically sick.
"Stop lying!"
She shouted.
Students around them had stopped dancing.
Stopped talking.
Stopped everything.
Everyone was watching.
Bianca looked at Chloe.
Slowly.
Painfully.
"Is any of it true?"
Tears filled Chloe's eyes.
"The kiss..."
She whispered.
"...happened."
Bianca's face crumpled.
"But nothing else."
"I swear."
"It was one mistake."
"I pushed him away."
"I've ignored every message since."
"I was trying to tell you."
Skylar laughed bitterly.
"Trying?"
"You never did."
"You kept lying."
"I wasn't lying!"
"You were hiding it."
Bianca took a shaky step backwards.
"You..."
She looked at Chloe.
"My best friend."
"I know."
"You looked me in the eyes."
"I know."
"You hugged me."
"I know."
"You told me everything would be okay."
"I know!"
Chloe cried.
"I'm so sorry."
Bianca shook her head violently.
"No."
"No."
"I told you everything."
"I trusted you."
"I loved you."
"And all this time..."
"...you were hiding this?"
"I was scared."
"You should've been honest!"
"I know!"
"You don't know!"
Bianca shouted.
"You don't know what it feels like to lose someone..."
"...and then find out your best friend was part of the reason why."
Stella stood frozen.
She couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"Chloe..."
Her voice was barely audible.
"You knew?"
Chloe couldn't even look at her.
"I'm sorry."
Bailey stepped between them.
"Bianca, please."
"No."
Bianca's voice broke.
"Don't."
She looked at Bailey.
"You knew too?"
Bailey closed her eyes.
"...Yes."
Another silence.
Another betrayal.
Bianca stared at both of them.
"You both lied to me."
"We were trying to protect you," Bailey said softly.
"I didn't ask you to!"
Tears streamed freely down Bianca's face.
"You let me cry over him."
"You watched me blame myself."
"And every single day..."
"...you knew."
The words shattered something inside Chloe.
She reached out.
"Bianca..."
Bianca stepped away.
"Don't touch me."
The sentence was quiet.
But it hurt more than shouting ever could.
Without another word...
She turned and walked out of the party.
Stella hesitated only briefly before following her.
Bailey looked back at Chloe.
Chloe stood completely frozen.
Unable to move.
Unable to breathe.
Maverick quietly stepped beside her.
Skylar was being pulled away by other students, still shouting incoherently.
The music had stopped.
The party was over.
And with it...
The friendship that had survived everything since high school had finally broken apart.
Chloe closed her eyes.
The secret she had been so desperate to protect...
Had destroyed everything anyway.
- Writer
