Chapter 4 : Vacations & Secrets

After exams finally ended, the whole school sighed in relief. The stress, the sleepless nights, the endless pages of revision—it all collapsed into freedom.

Scarlett tossed her books aside, telling herself she wouldn’t touch them for weeks. Vacations had arrived, and with it came a strange, empty silence.

At first, it felt nice. Sleeping late. Scrolling endlessly. Lazing around in pajamas. But soon, that silence turned heavy. No crowded corridors. No canteen noise. No accidental glimpses of him.

Scarlett lay on her bed one evening, the fan spinning slowly above her, the glow of her phone lighting her face. Her mind wandered where it always did—Andrian. She hadn’t seen him since the last day of exams, when he’d walked out of the gates surrounded by his friends, laughing, not even realizing she’d been watching.

Her fingers hovered over her phone screen. Should she? Shouldn’t she? Her stomach flipped just thinking about it. But the quiet ache in her chest pushed her forward.

And before she could stop herself—

Scarlett → Andrian: hie

The word sat there. Tiny. Too small to hold the storm in her chest.

Seconds passed. Then minutes. She regretted it instantly, tossing her phone aside, pressing her face into her pillow. Why did I send that? He won’t even reply…

Buzz.

Her heart leapt. She snatched her phone up.

Andrian → Scarlett: hey

One word. Simple. But it was enough to make her lips curve into a smile she couldn’t hide.

And just like that, their conversations began.

---

Nights stretched into chats. Jokes. Silly one-liners. Random emojis. Sometimes it felt meaningless, but Scarlett clung to every reply. He never gave away much. Whenever she asked something real, he dodged. Twisted words. Answered vaguely. She noticed it—of course she did. But she ignored it.

Because talking to him, even through little lies, felt better than not talking at all.

---

One night, the chat took a different turn.

Scarlett: sooo tell me

what’s ur type in girls? 👀

Andrian: haha

none. i don’t like anyone.

Scarlett’s eyebrows knitted together. She typed faster.

Scarlett: liar.

come on, everyone likes someone.

Andrian: not me.

i’m not into that stuff.

She stared at the screen, lips pressed tight. He’s hiding something. I know he is.

But instead of pushing, she laughed it off.

Scarlett: lol fine.

ur such a mystery.

Andrian: maybe 😉

She groaned into her pillow. Why does he always have to be like this?

---

Hours melted into easy teasing. Scarlett felt lighter with every text. And then, without even thinking, her fingers betrayed her.

Scarlett: haha shut up

i love you 🤣💀

The second she pressed send, her soul left her body.

She sat upright, clutching her phone, eyes wide. No no no no—why did I WRITE THAT?!

It was a joke. She put emojis. It was safe… right?

Dots appeared. Disappeared. Appeared again.

Her heart hammered.

Andrian: lol ur funny

That was it. Just brushing it off. No teasing reply. No serious tone. Just laughter.

Scarlett forced a laugh too, fingers shaking as she typed back something casual. Pretending it was nothing. Pretending her chest wasn’t aching with a strange mix of disappointment and relief.

---

But the truth… came from elsewhere.

A few days later, while scrolling through random stories, Scarlett stumbled across a comment. Then whispers from friends. Then confirmations.

Andrian did have a crush. A big one.

On the prettiest girl in her own class.

Scarlett’s world tilted.

So that’s why he twisted everything. That’s why he dodged her questions. While she was here, falling slowly, he was already caught on someone else. Someone prettier. Someone Scarlett had no chance against.

That night, she opened their chat again. Scrolled through the messages. Her “I love you” stared back at her in neon, mocking her.

She laughed bitterly into the empty room.

Her heart whispered, you knew he was lying…

But still—she didn’t block him. She didn’t delete him. She didn’t stop replying. Because the heart is stubborn. And hers? It still beat for Andrian.

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