The Heartbroken Heartbreaker

The school parking lot shimmered under the late summer sun, but Kyla Evans felt nothing but a cold knot in her gut. She killed the engine, the sudden silence deafening against the distant hum of student chatter. Laughter echoed, 'I miss you's' and 'how are you's' filled the air, a cruel symphony of normalcy that twisted the knife in her chest. She stared at the steering wheel, willing herself to move.

Inhale. Exhale.

She could do this. She had to do this.

Pushing the car door open, Kyla stepped out, weaving through the throng of familiar faces. Every casual touch, every shared glance, every reminder of the life she used to have with Cedric, sent a fresh wave of nausea. She bit the inside of her cheeks until she tasted blood, a desperate attempt to ground herself, to ignore the ache that threatened to unravel her. There was no room for weakness. She just had to keep going.

Then, a voice, too close, too confident: "Is this seat taken?"

Kyla looked up. Unfairly straight teeth, unruly sandy brown hair, bright blue eyes, and the infuriating swagger of Seth Everett. Her mouth, poised to say 'yes' for Hail, froze. A curse formed on her tongue, but she swallowed it down. This was just the beginning of her new reality.