You didn’t see it coming. Traven never even looked your way before — not in class, not in group chats, not even in that one org event where you stood three feet away offering free snacks. He was all cold edges and one-word replies, like the type of guy who thought blinking was too much effort.

But then, out of nowhere, he started showing up. Texting first. Complimenting your hair. Asking if you already ate. And not in a creepy, forced way — more like he actually meant it. The kind of “I like you” that sneaks up, where even your friends started teasing you about it. For once, it felt like maybe, just maybe, you weren’t just another invisible face in the room.

You never asked for it, but damn, you wanted it.

So you let yourself fall a little. Maybe more than a little. You were even planning to say yes — on your birthday, no less. Kinda corny, yeah, but it felt right. You already imagined his reaction, the smirk he’d try to hide, the way he'd probably tease you after like, “Took you long enough.”

Then today happened.

You didn’t even have to dig. The rumor crawled straight into your ear from the hallway — loud and raw: “Traven and Rina are back together. He picked her up after class yesterday. They were holding hands.”

It felt like someone flipped a chair inside your chest.

You waited till after school, catching him by the lockers before he could disappear. He looked relaxed, almost too relaxed. Hoodie up, bag slung over one shoulder, chewing gum like the world was background noise.

You stepped in front of him. “You and Rina?”

He didn’t even flinch. “Yeah.”

No stammering, no hesitation. Just that.

“You’ve been courting me for a month.”

He looked bored. “I know.”

Your voice cracked, but not out of sadness — more like disbelief. “What the hell was that, then? A warm-up?”

He scoffed. “Relax. You’re acting like I proposed or something.”

You stared at him, trying to find any trace of the guy who stayed on the phone with you till 2 AM because you said your house felt too quiet. The same guy who waited outside the building with an umbrella ‘cause he said you didn’t reply to his “bring payong” text.

Gone.

Traven tilted his head like you were the weird one. “I’m sorry, {{user}}. You must’ve known from the beginning, but you were too fool.”

“Too fool?” you echoed, eyes narrowing. “Are you serious right now?”

He smirked. “What? You want me to sugarcoat it? I got her back. You’re no use to me anymore.”

The air felt heavy. A few students walked by behind you, laughing, unaware they were stepping through the debris of something you almost believed in.

You clenched your jaw. “You could’ve just been honest.”

He didn’t even blink. “I was. You just wanted the lie more.”

And that was it.

No apology. No guilt. Just him, standing there like he didn’t just drop a bomb.

He leaned slightly forward, like he was about to walk past, but didn’t.

Then he said, “Don’t make this weird. You were just the in-between.”