I still hadn't gotten over what happened with Sergie.
Correction. I hated him. I hated the way he could flash that stupid half-smile, hold the door open, and make you feel like you were the only girl on the planet—while simultaneously making out with another girl behind your back.
But what could I do? He was just another boy. Boys don't exactly turn down temptation when it's gift-wrapped and standing in front of them.
Some days, I'd catch myself zoning out in class, staring blankly at the whiteboard like some moody indie film character. My friends would nudge me, whispering, "Earth to Ash," while I tried to pretend I wasn't spiraling over someone who wasn't even technically mine.
And that's the embarrassing part. Sergie and I weren't even together. No label. No "official" anything. Just endless texts, stolen moments, forehead flicks, and one impulsive kiss on the cheek before I bolted into my house like a lunatic.
So why did it feel like I was mourning a breakup?
A breakup that didn't even exist.
Pathetic. Absolutely pathetic.
By the time Christmas party season rolled around, I was running on iced coffee and denial. Our school went all out for the holidays—twinkling lights strung along the hallways, themed spirit days, a photo booth that smelled like hairspray, and a class party that could only be described as chaos.
Music blasting, people screaming like we'd just won the lottery, a Secret Santa exchange full of inside jokes, and—because apparently, our class had no concept of "low budget"—a whole roasted pig someone's uncle brought. The smell alone could've fed the entire school.
Our class even snagged "Best Christmas Tree" in the school contest. To be fair, our tree looked like it belonged at Rockefeller Center, while everyone else's looked like sad dollar-store experiments.
Amid all the noise, though, someone else was steadily working his way under my skin.
Caelum.
Yes, that Caelum. Sergie's teammate. Sergie's classmate. Sergie's… friend, I guess. Just saying his name made me twitch because it felt like I was committing some sort of unwritten girl code crime.
He was tall, lean, and unfairly good-looking—the type of guy who could open a TikTok account and hit a million followers by the weekend. The kind of guy who smiled at you once and suddenly you forgot basic mathematics.
He'd been talking to me more lately. Compliments, inside jokes, casual texts. And he was… nice. Like, genuinely nice. But "nice" didn't mean much anymore. Sergie was nice, too, before I found out he was a walking red flag wrapped in a basketball jersey.
My friends, Sely and Marie, who'd known Caelum since elementary school, kept nudging me. "Just give him a chance. He's not like Sergie," they said.
And maybe they were right. I was sixteen. I had time to make mistakes, right? My love life was mine to figure out. And, truthfully, Caelum hadn't done anything to make me doubt him. Yet.
"Ash! Let's go flirt a little!" Sely yelled across the table, grinning like the devil on my shoulder.
I raised a brow. "You? Flirt? Please. You can't even make eye contact with your crush without combusting."
She stuck her tongue out. "Fine, then you flirt. Go make poor decisions. It's character development."
I smirked. "Speaking of poor decisions, you sure you don't want to grab Zale for a quick Christmas photo? Before someone else does?"
Her eye roll could've powered a wind turbine.
Then, mid-eye roll, her attention shifted like a hawk spotting prey. "Ash… look at Eve. Is that a hickey?"
I turned my head. Sure enough, a faint purple bruise peeked out just above Eve's collarbone. Oh, boy.
Of course, Sely noticed first. She had a radar for scandal.
"Eve, is that a hickey?" I whispered, tugging at her shirt collar. Her wide-eyed look screamed please don't say anything.
"When did you learn to do that?" I arched a brow, my tone somewhere between teasing and protective. I wasn't angry—just… cautious. Guys our age? Half of them had the emotional depth of a puddle and the self-control of a toddler in a candy store.
Eve groaned. "Relax. I'll tell you later. I didn't plan for it to happen, okay? It just… happened."
"Nothing… extreme yet, right?" I asked quietly. "You're young. Just… don't do something you can't take back."
She laughed softly. "Please. What do you think I am, a full-time professional? Chill, mom."
I sighed but let it go. This was our last Christmas party with the whole class. Next year, half of us would be in different schools, maybe different states.
Me? I was staying put. Culinary track. Planning to major in Hospitality. I had a plan. My love life? Not so much.
"Ash, your boyfriend's here," Sely sing-songed, nodding toward Caelum, who was casually leaning against the snack table, scrolling through his phone.
I rolled my eyes so hard I practically saw my brain. Which, of course, only made her cackle louder—and soon, the entire table was teasing me.
Fast forward to January. The holidays were over, the candy canes were gone, and reality was back in full swing.
My… "thing" with Caelum? It was fine. He was funny, attentive, the kind of guy who'd save you the last cookie even though he wanted it. He never went a day without texting me, checking in, or making me laugh.
But the truth?
I still hadn't moved on from Sergie.
Every time Caelum held my hand, I'd picture Sergie flicking my forehead and telling me to wear sneakers. Every time Caelum sent a sweet text, I'd remember Sergie's sarcastic little emojis that somehow still made me smile.
And it felt wrong. Like I was cheating, even though Sergie and I had been nothing but a failed almost.
One Tuesday afternoon, my phone buzzed during study hall.
Caelum
Street food later? My treat.
I replied. Sure. Better be your treat—you invited me.
Hey, if he asks, he pays. That's the rule.
We met at a row of food trucks parked near the park. The smell of grilled skewers and fried everything hit me instantly. Caelum was already there, hands shoved in his hoodie pocket, flashing me that easy smile.
He reached for my hand as we walked up to the truck. I thought about pulling away but didn't. Maybe because I knew this might be the last time.
We joked while waiting for our food, laughing about how Eve had almost set her hair on fire lighting sparklers at the party. For a moment, it felt light. Easy. Like I could actually move on.
Then, mid-bite of my skewer, he dropped it.
"I like you," he said simply, his eyes locked on mine.
I nearly choked on my chicken. "Uh… excuse me?"
"I've liked you since eighth grade," he continued, voice steady. "It sounds ridiculous, I know. But every little thing you do just… makes me like you more. I don't care about Sergie. I'll wait for you. And I'm not taking no for an answer."
Cue internal alarm bells. This was not how I planned today. I was supposed to flirt, laugh, and then slowly fade things out—not get a full-on love confession while eating street food.
I laughed nervously. "Uh… what am I supposed to say? This is… awkward." (Yes, I said that out loud. My brain-to-mouth filter was broken.)
He smiled softly and patted my head. "No pressure. Decide when you're ready."
But I wasn't ready. So I took a deep breath and ripped the Band-Aid off.
"I like you, Caelum. I do. But I still like Sergie more. I can't force myself to feel something I don't—not fully. Staying with you now feels like I'm carving little wounds into you every time we're together. You're a good guy. You deserve someone whole, not… whatever mess I am."
His eyes shimmered—not quite tears, but close. He nodded slowly. "You've already hurt me, Ash. Before and now. But I'll wait. The moment Sergie hurts you again, I'll make you mine."
For a second, it felt like some dramatic movie scene. Then—
I burst out laughing. Full-on, doubled-over, tears-in-my-eyes laughing.
"It's a prank!" I gasped between laughs. "Oh my God, Caelum, your face! I was this close to saying yes, but I thought—nah, let's prank him first!"
He flicked my forehead. "You're insane."
He turned to walk away, grinning like he wanted to strangle me and kiss me at the same time.
"Hey! Wait! Babe, we're official now, right?!" I yelled, realizing a second too late that half the students walking by were now staring at me like I'd escaped from a romcom asylum.
He smirked but didn't look back. Tables officially turned.
By the time we split paths at the intersection, the sky was painted orange with the last bits of sunset.
And that's when I saw him.
Sergie.
Leaning against a lamppost, arms crossed, glaring at me like I'd just kicked his dog. My heart betrayed me, pounding like it had zero pride left.
"Tsk," he muttered as I passed.
I ignored him. Not my problem. Not my circus, not my clowns.
"Some friend you are!" he shouted after me.
I shoved in my earbuds, cranked the volume, and walked faster. No time for unnecessary drama.
Of course, that's when Jayzam popped out of nowhere, smacking my shoulder so hard I nearly dropped my phone.
"Jesus, Jay! Are you trying to kill me?!"
He snorted. "Relax. Sergie's tailing us. Stick with me so you don't end up looking like a lost puppy."
I sighed dramatically. "You're all I need," I said in my best fake-romantic voice, making him gag audibly.
I laughed, but deep down… I couldn't shake the thought.
What if I never saw those photos?
Would I still be hopelessly, pathetically head over heels for Sergie?
Probably.
And that's the worst part.