He Betrayed Me, I Took My Junior

Chapter 2

I didn't say a word; tears silently streamed down my face.

After a long pause, under the disbelieving stares of the crowd, I slapped Austin across the face with everything I had.

My voice cracked, but my tone was resolute.

"You pathetic scumbag, who the hell do you think you are to cheat on me? You were lucky I even gave you the time of day! Guess I was way too nice to you before!"

I had put all my strength into that slap, leaving my fingers stinging and numb. Even with his massive build, Austin stumbled back a few steps from the force. He touched his left cheek with his knuckles, wincing in pain. The shock in his eyes was genuine.

Veins bulged on his temples as he spat through gritted teeth, "Sarah, I don't hit women. But as punishment, don't even think about seeing me for the next month!"

Furious and impatient, he couldn't hide the obvious bulge in his pants. He probably didn't want to cause more of a scene in public, so he didn't press the matter. Instead, he wrapped his arm tightly around Cindy's waist and walked away.

Rumors spread like wildfire that I must've been desperately in love with Austin. They claimed that if I didn't love him to death, someone as poised and composed as me would never have lost control in public. But they only got half of it right. 'If a dog you lovingly raised suddenly bit you, anyone would lose their temper.'

I wouldn't deny that I once loved Austin. But I had zero tolerance for betrayal. 'The very second he betrayed me, everything we had became history.'

I sat on the steps, crying as these thoughts swirled in my mind. My tears flowed faster, completely out of control. I just felt incredibly pathetic.

Everyone from the party had left, leaving my sobs echoing loudly in the quiet night. At some point, the sound of soft breathing appeared beside me.

Harvey Brooks asked with genuine curiosity, "Are you crying because you didn't get to hit him enough, Sarah?" Pausing, he sighed, "I should've held him down for you."

It was obvious who he meant. Harvey was a sophomore, a year below me, whom I had practically dragged into the roller skating club. Although he had long, model-like legs, he was incredibly uncoordinated. Once he put on skates, he became a total coward, terrified to take even a single step. It had taken me holding his hand and putting in a massive amount of effort just to teach him the basics. Yet, even after a whole semester, he still insisted on holding my hand before he dared to skate.

Hearing his words, I stopped crying and couldn't help but chuckle. A subtle, faint smile danced in Harvey's eyes. He pulled a pack of tissues from his pocket, bypassing my outstretched hand, and gently wiped the tears from my face himself.

Swallowing back the words on my tongue, I looked up into his eyes. "Thank you," I said sincerely. I knew, of course, that his comment earlier was just his way of trying to cheer me up.

The night wind rustled around us under a sky as clear as a mirror. Harvey sat with me for a very long time. But he was incredibly respectful of my boundaries and didn't ask a single question. Finally, he took my hand and pulled me up. "Let me walk you home."

Soon, word of what happened at the party spread across the campus. Everywhere I went, I heard whispers of ridicule. Everyone seemed to believe I deserved Austin's betrayal. After all, in their eyes, aside from my looks, I wasn't in his league in any other way.

But I had never been someone to let others walk all over me. I was the victim here—why should I be the one taking the blame? After a fierce exchange of words, the girl who had rolled her eyes at me fled in terror.

Before I could even savor my victory, I noticed Harvey watching me from a short distance away. I had no idea how long he'd been standing there.