Rejected by One, Wanted by Another

Taking a Risk

Lucy lay in bed for a few extra minutes, staring at the ceiling. Her head throbbed and her stomach felt like it was tied in knots. She felt ill, not with a flu, just exhausted from everything that had been happening.

"Lucy? Stand up! We’re going to be late!" Zoe’s voice called out from the kitchen, followed by the cheerful clinking of a spoon against a ceramic mug.

Lucy groaned softly and forced herself to sit up. She didn't want to go to class. She didn't want to see the whispers or the cameras. She just wanted to crawl back under the covers and stay there until the thirty days were over. But she knew that wasn't an option. Adrian had told her to behave, and "behaving" included being the perfect and present student.

She dressed simply in a high-necked sweater and a pair of dark jeans, hoping to blend in, though she knew it was impossible. She skipped breakfast, her stomach was too unsettled to eat, and grabbed her bag.

As she stepped out of the dorm with Zoe, the atmosphere on campus had changed. Usually, people were in their own worlds, rushing to labs or laughing in groups. Today, it felt like the entire university had been waiting for her.

As they walked down the main brick path, the air was thick with hushed voices.

"That's her," a girl whispered to her friend, pointing openly. "The one from the news. Can you believe she’s marrying into the Matthews family in four weeks?"

"I heard it’s because her dad’s company is failing," her friend whispered back, not even trying to hide her voice. "She’s basically a human paycheck."

Lucy kept her eyes fixed on the ground, her face flushing a deep red. She felt exposed, Zoe, on the other hand, seemed to thrive on the attention. She walked with her head held high, occasionally waving or smiling at people she barely knew.

"Just ignore them, Lucy," Zoe said, though she sounded more excited than sympathetic. "They’re just jealous. You’re the most famous girl on campus right now. You should be proud!"

"I don't want to be famous, Zoe," Lucy murmured, pulling her cardigan tighter around her. "I just want to go to my lecture."

The lecture hall was even worse. As they entered the large room, the chatter died down for a split second before erupting into a fresh wave of murmurs. Lucy sat in her usual middle row, trying to make herself as small as possible. Zoe sat right next to her, immediately pulling out her phone to check the latest social media updates.

The professor began talking but Lucy couldn't focus. Her head was spinning, and the side-eye glances from the students around her were making her skin crawl.

About halfway through the lecture, Lucy felt a slight movement to her left. Jonathan was sitting a few seats down, looking as calm and steady as he always did. He didn't join in the whispering or stare at her.

Zoe was leaning back in her chair, her eyes glued to her phone as she scrolled through a shopping site, looking for bridesmaid dresses she hadn't been asked to wear yet. She was completely distracted, humming a low tune under her breath.

Suddenly, Lucy noticed a small, folded square of paper slide across the edge of her desk. It had been passed down the row quickly. She glanced toward Jonathan. He didn't look at her, but his hand was back on his own desk, his posture relaxed.

Lucy’s heart was racing, she looked at Zoe. Her friend was still busy comparing shades of satin on her screen. Lucy quickly moved her hand, covering the note and pulling it into her lap.

She opened it carefully under the table. The handwriting was neat and firm.

>We need to finish the project. Can you meet me at the old cafe? Love and latte. Please

Lucy’s breath hitched. It was a place where nobody from Adrian’s circle ever went. She looked at the back of Jonathan’s head. If Adrian found out she was meeting him, especially after the public proposal, the fallout would be catastrophic. But if she didn't go, she would fail the project, and she would lose the only person who treated her like a person instead of a Matthews asset.

She looked at Zoe again. Her friend was now texting someone, laughing silently at her phone.

She reached into her bag, pulled out a pen, and scribbled a single word on the bottom of the note: Yes.

She waited until the professor turned his back to draw a diagram on the board. Quickly, she slid the note back toward the student next to her, who passed it along until it reached Jonathan’s desk.

She watched him out of the corner of her eye. He took the paper, glanced at it for a fraction of a second, and then tucked it into his pocket. He didn't smile, and he didn't look back at her, but the tension in Lucy’s shoulders eased just a little bit.

The rest of the lecture felt like it lasted a lifetime. When the bell finally rang, Lucy stood up so fast she felt a wave of dizziness.

"You okay, babe?" Zoe asked, finally putting her phone away and standing up. "You look really pale. Maybe we should go back to the dorm and nap?"

"I’m fine," Lucy said, forcing a smile. "Actually, I think I’m going to head to the library for a bit. I have some research to catch up on. You go ahead, I know you wanted to meet your mom for lunch."

Zoe hesitated, her eyes scanning Lucy’s face. For a second, Lucy was sure she had been caught.

"Okay," Zoe said slowly. "But don't stay out too late. Adrian said he’d be calling you around five to check in. I’ll see you later!"

Zoe waved and headed toward the exit, merging with the crowd of students. Lucy stood in the hallway for a moment, her heart thumping against her ribs. She was lying to her best friend. She was sneaking around her fiancé.

She had to be careful. She had to be fast. But she had to see him.