Chapter.2:The News
1290 Words
The rumor spread across campus before the first period even started.
By breakfast, somebody had already uploaded a blurry clip of my relay run onto Blackwater’s sports page with the caption:
THE SCANDAL GIRL IS FAST.
Over twelve thousand views.
I stared at the post from my phone while sitting alone in the cafeteria, my appetite completely gone.
The comments were worse.
Pretty privilege is crazy.
Jace looked pissed
Why is she actually good though?
Donovan and Blake on the same relay team? That’s gonna end in murder.
I locked my screen before I could read more.
“Okay, so this is officially the saddest breakfast table I’ve ever seen.”
I looked up.
A girl dropped into the seat across from me without permission, balancing three juice cartons and a tray overloaded with waffles.
Curly dark hair, bright eyes. Too much confidence for eight in the morning.
“I’m Kiara,” she announced. “And before you reject my friendship, just know I already decided we’re best friends.”
I blinked once.
“That sounds unhealthy.”
“Probably.” She pushed one of the juice cartons toward me. “Drink this before your villain origin story gets worse.”
Despite myself, I almost smiled.
Kiara rested her chin on her hand dramatically. “So. You and Jace Donovan.”
I nearly choked on air. “There is no me and Jace Donovan.”
“Mm.” She sipped her drink. “That’s not what the track team group chat says.”
“Why does a track team group chat even exist?”
“To gossip and emotionally destroy people.”
Fair enough.
Kiara leaned closer. “For the record, watching you humble him yesterday healed something inside me spiritually.”
“I didn’t humble him.”
“Girl, he’s been walking around like somebody slapped his ego with a brick.”
A laugh escaped me before I could stop it.
Kiara pointed at me triumphantly. “There it is. You’re capable of joy.”
Before I could respond, the cafeteria suddenly quieted around us.
Not fully but enough.
Kiara muttered, “Oh no.”
I didn’t need to turn around to know why.
Jace Donovan walked in surrounded by half the track team, as he belonged on a magazine cover instead of in a school cafeteria.
Unfortunately, he did.
Girls looked up immediately.
Some smiled.
Others whispered.
He barely acknowledged any of it.
He was in a black hoodie, gray sweats, and headphones around his neck.
And somehow he still looked unfairly attractive.
Mason walked beside him talking animatedly, but Jace’s attention drifted across the cafeteria—
Straight to me.
That same intense stare from yesterday locked onto mine again.
Heat crawled beneath my skin instantly.
I hated that my body reacted to him at all.
Kiara watched the entire thing with horrifying excitement. “Oh my God.”
“Stop.”
“He looked at you like he wanted to either fight you or kiss you.”
“Neither is happening.”
“Sure.”
Jace’s gaze lingered one second longer before he looked away and headed toward another table.
But not before I noticed the blonde girl sliding into the seat beside him.
Elena Brooks.
Even sitting down, she looked perfect.
She had perfect hair, a perfect smile, and a perfect relationship.
Because the second Jace sat down, she leaned over and kissed his cheek naturally like she’d done it a thousand times before.
Something unpleasant twisted unexpectedly in my chest and that feeling was annoying.
Kiara noticed immediately.
“Oh, you’re cooked.”
“I’m literally not.”
“You looked jealous.”
“I looked constipated.”
“That too.”
I grabbed my tray before she could continue emotionally profiling me. “I have class.”
“You have denial,” she corrected.
The hallway outside the cafeteria was crowded with students rushing toward first period.
Whispers followed me almost instantly.
“She’s here.”
“That’s Naomi Blake.”
“Did you see the video?”
I kept walking.
One thing I’d learned about humiliation?
If you react, people enjoy it more.
So I walked with my head high even when my stomach burned.
Unfortunately, Blackwater apparently enjoyed torturing me because halfway down the hallway—
Someone grabbed my wrist my instinct kicked in immediately.
I spun sharply, ready to yank free only to find Jace standing there he was way too close to me.
“What is wrong with you?” I snapped quietly.
His hand loosened instantly, though his eyes stayed locked on mine.
“You ignored Coach’s message.”
I frowned. “What message?”
“Morning practice got moved.”
“I just transferred yesterday. I’m not psychic.”
Something flickered across his face that almost looked amused.
“Well, now you know.”
I crossed my arms. “Was violently grabbing me necessary?”
“You call that violent?”
“You’re irritating.”
“You’re dramatic.”
I stared at him and he stared back.
God, this boy was exhausting.
Up close, he was even worse for my sanity. Dark eyes, sharp cheekbones, tiny scar near his jaw.
The kind of details you shouldn’t notice about someone you supposedly disliked.
“You always look this angry?” he asked.
“You're always this arrogant?”
“Yes.”
At least he was self-aware.
My gaze dropped briefly to the silver chain around his neck before I caught myself and looked away quickly.
That was a big mistake because Jace noticed everything.
A slow smirk tugged at his mouth. “You checking me out, Blake?”
I scoffed immediately. “In your dreams.”
“Probably.”
“You’re unbelievable.”
“And you’re still staring.”
Heat rushed into my face so fast I wanted to commit violence.
Before I could respond, another voice cut through the hallway.
“Jace?”
That was Elena of course.
She approached us with polished calm, though her eyes flicked between us carefully like she was analyzing.
Jace stepped back slightly, creating space between us.
Elena smiled at me politely.
“You’re Naomi, right?”
“Depends who’s asking.”
Her smile sharpened almost invisibly.
“I’m Elena Jace, girlfriend”.
The word hung unspoken in the air.
Lucky me.
She slipped her arm through Jace’s naturally before looking back at me. “You had an impressive run yesterday.”
“Thanks.”
“We’re all hoping the relay works out.”
Something about the way she said it felt less supportive and more like a warning.
Jace noticed too, his jaw tightened slightly.
But before anybody could speak again, the warning bell rang loudly through the hallway.
Students scattered instantly.
Elena squeezed Jace’s arm lightly. “You coming?”
“In a minute.”
Her eyes flicked toward me one final time before she walked away.
The second she disappeared around the corner, silence settled between us.
Then Jace exhaled slowly.
“You should stay away from drama for a while,” he said.
I laughed once in disbelief. “You came over here.”
“That doesn’t mean I want problems.”
“Could’ve fooled me.”
His gaze dropped briefly to my mouth before snapping back to my eyes.
The movement was tiny but I caught it.
And judging by the way his expression hardened immediately after, he knew I caught it too.
Jace stepped backward first.
“Practice at four,” he said flatly.
Then he walked away before I could answer.
I watched him disappear down the hallway feeling strangely off balance.
And somewhere deep down, instinct whispered the one thing I absolutely did not want to admit.
Jace Donovan was becoming a problem.
- Writer
