It had been two years since Jared and I ended things—two years of silence, two years of pretending we never existed in each other's lives. He was my first love, the only guy who ever made my heart race and then shattered it into pieces. And now, out of nowhere, he was trying to contact me again.
*What does he want from me now? Why is he reaching out after all this time?* I clenched my fists. *If he thinks his old sweet-talking, charming tactics will work on me again, he's dead wrong.*
"Serena won't go anywhere," Aphrodite declared, crossing her arms.
Maria opened her mouth to argue, but one sharp look from Aphrodite shut her up.
"Guys," I said firmly, "I need to hear what that jerk has to say after two whole years. I'm going to meet him."
Everyone gasped. Aphrodite immediately started protesting, but I stood my ground. After a heated back-and-forth, I finally convinced her.
**The Football Game**
The match was about to begin. My eyes scanned the field, landing on Alan—his dark hair tousled by the wind as he gave instructions to a teammate. Nearby, Anne and the cheerleading squad were chanting loudly, hyping up the crowd.
And then there was **Jared**, the captain of the team, the star player, and the guy who had once whispered promises he never kept. Born into a wealthy family, perfect grades, a heartbreaker with a charming smile—he had it all.
The game was intense, but our school won. The crowd erupted in cheers, students hugging and celebrating. Jared, sweaty and triumphant, was swarmed by his teammates.
By 5:15 PM, the field was emptying. I spotted Jared walking away, acting casual—probably so no one would suspect he was waiting for someone.
My friends gathered around me.
"Should I come with you to meet that jerk?" Aphrodite asked, protective as always.
**"No."**
"But—"
**"No buts.** Everything's going to be fine, Aphrodite. I'll call you later and tell you everything, okay?"
She sighed and hugged me tightly before letting me go.
---
**The Meeting**
I waited behind the stage, checking my phone—**5:45 PM**. No sign of Jared.
*Typical. He hasn't changed at all. Is this some kind of game to him?*
Just as I turned to leave, I crashed into someone. Strong hands steadied me, and I looked up into **Alan's emerald-green eyes**.
"Serena," he said softly, his voice polite but urgent.
I jumped back. "Alan? Hi—uh, what are you doing here?"
My heart pounded inexplicably—why was I so nervous around *him*?
"Serena, I need to talk to you about something important," he said.
"Wait… were *you* the one who wrote the letter?" I frowned. "But it was Jared's handwriting."
Alan nodded. "Yeah."
He stepped closer, lowering his voice. "Listen, don't freak out, but—"
Before he could finish, he leaned in too close, his breath near my ear. Panic shot through me.
**I bolted.**
I didn't look back. I just ran, my mind spinning.
*What kind of twisted game is Jared playing? Why is Alan involved?*
I pressed a hand to my forehead, trying to make sense of it all.
When I finally caught my breath, Tom found me.
"Serena, where were you? And why are you sweating?"