CHAPTER 8- RUMORS AND REPUTATIONS.
379 Words
Jake Carter’s POV
By Monday, everyone knew.
Jake Carter—bad boy, detention regular, zero-damns-given Jake—was “getting soft” over the new girl.
He heard it in the halls.
Saw the stares.
Read the not-so-subtle texts glowing on people’s screens when he walked past.
“Lila’s changing him.”
“She’ll regret it.”
“He’s probably just playing her.”
He didn’t say a word back. Just tightened his jaw and walked away.
The old Jake would’ve snapped. Picked a fight. Started a rumor back just to keep the balance.
But this version of him—the one Lila had somehow coaxed out—thought before reacting. That made him angrier than the rumors themselves.
Because if he wasn’t careful, he might actually become the version of himself she believed in. And that terrified him.
—
Lila noticed the shift.
“You’re pulling away,” she said quietly in the library.
“I’m not.”
“You barely looked at me in chem. You disappeared after school yesterday.”
“I was busy,” he muttered, avoiding her eyes.
She waited, calm as always. “You don’t have to pretend, Jake. If this is too much—”
“It’s not you,” he said, sharper than intended. “It’s everyone else.”
She looked at him, unflinching. “So you care what they say?”
He didn’t answer.
“Because I don’t,” she added. “I know you.”
Did she?
He wasn’t even sure he knew himself anymore.
—
Later that night, Jake sat alone in his room. The window open, wind slipping through, like Lila’s words had.
He picked up his guitar—dusty, strings out of tune. His mom had taught him how to play when he was little. Music used to be his escape. Before everything turned into static.
He played a few notes. Messy, clumsy, but real.
Then, without overthinking, he pulled out his phone.
Jake to Lila: Can you come to the rooftop tomorrow? I owe you an explanation.
Three dots appeared.
Then disappeared.
Then reappeared.
Lila: I’ll be there.
He put the guitar down and leaned back.
For the first time, he wasn’t running.
He was choosing.
And this time… he was choosing her.
- Writer
