The next morning, I try to convince myself that I don't care. Jaxon's plans are none of my business. Madison's drama is none of my business. I'm going to get through the day and not think about any of it.
That plan lasts until five minutes after I step into school.
I barely make it to my locker before the whispers startâsharp, insistent, impossible to ignore.
"Did you hear? Jaxon cancelled on Madison last minute."
"I know! Madison was pissed. Can you blame her?"
"Apparently, he told her something about 'other plans.' I bet it was another girl."
grip my textbook tighter, locking my jaw. It's none of my business. It shouldn't matter. And yet...
"Maybe it was Lena Carter."
That one makes my stomach drop.
"Come on, did you see them at lunch yesterday? It was weird. Jaxon never acts like that."
"Ugh, poor Madison. He totally ditched her for someone else."
I shove my locker shut harder than necessary and storm down the hallway. This is ridiculous. People are acting like Jaxon skipping a stupid date is the scandal of the year.
I don't care.
I don't.
But the whispers follow me all the way to first period.
---
By lunch, the tension in the air is thick enough to cut with a knife.
I walk into the cafeteria, hoping to just grab my food and leave before I have to hear any more of it. But, of course, Madison Sinclair has other plans.
I barely get two steps inside before she appears in front of me, arms crossed, looking absolutely furious.
"Lena."
I blink. "Uh... hi?"
"You're going to stand there and pretend you don't know why I'm pissed?" Madison scoffs, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "You really have no shame, do you?"
I frown. "What are you talking about?"
Madison lets out a dramatic laugh. "Oh, please. You think I don't know? Everyone saw how he was with you at lunch yesterday. And now, conveniently, he bails on our date?"
The cafeteria goes silent.
All around us, people stop talking, eyes locked on me.
Heat rushes to my face. "Madison, I had nothing to do with that."
She tilts her head, pretending to think. "Really? Because if you weren't part of it, then why was he looking at you like that?"
My stomach twists. "Like what?"
Madison steps closer, lowering her voice. "Like nothing else existed when he looked at you."
I freeze.
No. No, that's not true. Jaxon flirts with everyone. Madison is just being dramatic. She's just trying to make meâ
"What's going on here?"
The familiar voice sends a chill down my spine.
Jaxon.
I turn just as he strolls up, looking completely unbothered. Like he hasn't just been dragged into a public cafeteria showdown.
Madison spins toward him, eyes blazing. "You're really going to act like this is normal? You were supposed to take me out last night."
Jaxon shrugs. "Plans changed."
Madison gapes at him. "That's all you have to say? Plans changed?"
"Yep."
She huffs in frustration before turning back to me. "Are you going to admit it now, or are you still pretending?"
I clench my jaw. "Madison, I. Had. Nothing. To. Do. With. This."
Jaxon tilts his head slightly, watching me. I can't read his expression, but there's something about the way his gaze lingers on mine that makes my heart pound for all the wrong reasons.
Madison rolls her eyes. "Whatever. You can keep playing dumb. But trust me, Lenaâthis isn't over."
She spins on her heel and storms off, leaving me standing there in the middle of the cafeteria, still processing everything.
Before I can think too hard about it, Jaxon steps closer.
"Carter," he says, his voice low enough that no one else can hear. "You okay?"
I snap out of my thoughts, shaking my head. "Why are you asking me that? I'm not the one who bailed on a date and caused a school-wide scandal."
Jaxon smirks. "Ah, so you have been thinking about it."
I groan, rubbing my temples. "That is not what I said."
"Mmm." He leans in slightly, his voice infuriatingly amused. "You sure about that?"
I grit my teeth. "Why did you do it, Jaxon?"
His smirk doesn't fade. If anything, it grows. "You're thinking about it a lot, Carter. Almost like you wanted me to skip."
My stomach flips.
"Oh my god, you are impossible." I shove past him before I can let my thoughts spiral any further.
I don't even know what I'm running from anymore.
But I do know one thing.
I want to know why Jaxon skipped that date.
And worst of all? Some reckless, hopeless, stupid part of me wants the answer to be me.