HE LOVED ME LAST

Chapter 40

Alice’s POV

The day dragged.

Even though I tried to focus on classes, my thoughts kept wandering back to earlier—to Lucas calling me in the hallway. To his tone. His eyes. The way he tried to make the dinner conversation seem casual.

It wasn’t casual.

It was strange. Unexpected. And… dangerous.

Because there was something changing between us. And I didn’t like it.

After the final bell rang, I packed up quickly and left before Noah could catch up. I needed fresh air, space, and silence.

I was halfway down the street when I heard footsteps behind me.At first, I didn’t turn. I figured it was just another student.

But then I heard his voice.“Alice.”

I stopped walking.

Of course.

“Lucas,” I said without turning around. “Are you following me now?”

He jogged a few steps to catch up, a little out of breath. “Can we talk?”

“No.”

“Just for a second.”

I finally turned to face him. “You had all day.”

His expression was unreadable. “I didn’t want to say it at school.”

“Say what?”

He hesitated, then looked me straight in the eye.

“Will you be my girlfriend?”

I froze.

For a full second, I didn’t even process it.

Then I blinked slowly. “Are you… out of your mind?”

His lips parted, maybe to explain or joke it off, but I wasn’t having it.

“What are you even *talking* about?” I demanded. “You humiliate me in class. You mock me in front of your friends. And now you—what? Follow me home and ask me out like it’s a game?”

He looked stunned—like he hadn’t expected me to be angry.

“I wasn’t joking,” he said quietly.

I scoffed. “You *always* joke, Lucas. You treat people like entertainment. And I’m not playing.”

Without waiting for a response, I turned and walked away.

Furious.

Not just at him.

But at myself—for the tiny, foolish part of me that had almost believed he meant it.

My steps were fast. Angry.

But inside, I wasn’t just mad—I was shaking.

How *dare* he?

He thought he could just show up, ask something like that, and expect me to fall for it? After everything he’d said, all the ways he humiliated me in front of the class, after treating me like a joke for months?

This wasn’t a romance novel.

And I wasn’t some silly girl who’d melt because the rich, popular guy suddenly decided I was interesting.

I turned a corner, breathing hard, forcing back the sting in my chest.

The worst part wasn’t the question.

It was the fact that—for a split second—my heart had paused.

Not out of fear.

But out of *hope.*

Some stupid, buried part of me wanted to believe him.

That he was sincere.

That there was a version of Lucas Stone who didn’t just tease and mock—but cared.

But no.

That wasn’t real.

That version of him only existed in glances and half-moments. In quiet dinners where we pretended to be strangers. In the way he watched me like he was trying to figure me out.

He didn’t want *me.*

He wanted attention.

And I wasn’t going to be another game he could win.

So I kept walking, holding my head high.

Even if my chest ached just a little more than I wanted to admit.