Chapter 9
Kelsey stand frozen at the window.
Before she could process what was happening, her roommates had already pushed her toward the stairs, insisting she go down to meet him. Their excited voices faded to a distant bare as a numbness spread through her limbs. She felt oddly detached, as though watching herself from a distance.
A crowd had gathered around the spectacle Students were recording with their phones, some even livestreaming the drama to their TTok accounts, adding trending hashtags like #CulverRomance and BoardingSchoollama. The marmurs of the crowd grew louder as she emerged from the building, her heart pounding so hard she thought it might break through her chest.
When Kelsey emerged from the building, the crowd erupted in cheers and whistles. Each sound felt like a nerdie against her raw nerves. How could they all be so blind? How could they not see through this performance?
Jason’s face lit up when he saw her. The practiced sincerity in his expression made her stomach twist painfully. She’d once believed that look–had once treasured it as something special meant only for her. Now she could see the calculation behind his eyes, the performance for their audience.
He walked straight to her, opening a small vehirt box.
Inside was a diamond necklace that caught the light from the surrounding candles, sparkling bliantly. Girls in the crowd gasped and squealed with emy. Kelsey stared at it, remembering all the other gifts that had once seemed like tokens of affection but had only been props in his elaborate scheme. Each crystal facet reflected her own foolishness hack at her.
Jason dropped to one knee.
“Kols.” he said, his eyes shining like stars in the darkness. “I was wrong yesterday. Im so sorry, Can you forgive me?”
The crowd began to chant.
“Torgive him! Forgive him
“Come on! People don’t go this all–out even for marriage propmals! Kelsey, just forgive him already!”
The pressure of dozens of eyes on her made Kelsey’s skin crawl. This wasn’t about her. It had never been about her. She was just a character in Jason’s
try–stepping stone for Hannah’s future. The knowledge settled in her chest like a weight, making it difficult to breathe.
Kelsey’s face remained pale, her emotions locked behind a mask of calm. Inside, a stormraged–fury at his manipulation, shame at her gullibility, and beneath it all, a persistent ache for what she’d once believed they had.
“How is Hannah?” she asked quietly, the words hitter on her tongur.
Jason sexpression faltered for a moment, but he quickly recovered with a charming smile. Always the performer, always ready with the perfect line. How had she never noticed before? How many other performances had she accepted as truth”
The doctor says it won’t leave a scar. I know you’ve been jealous because of how I’ve been acting lately. That’s why you lashed out at her.”
Kelsey’s eyes darkened, a cold anger solidifying in her chest. Even now, after everything, he still wouldn’t believe her. She had never been realto him–just a problem to be managed, a variable in bis equation.
So he still didn’t believe her.
Seeing her silence, Jason assumed she was still angry and quickly continued
“And those gays. I never thought they would do that to you. Eve cut them off completely. They won’t bother you again, I promise.”
The memory of those moments–the terror, the helplessness, the betrayal–flooded back, bringing a rush of nausea How easily he did his role in
all. How neatly he rewrote the story to rast himself as the here instead of the villain.
“So please, don’t be angry anymore, okay?,
Kelsey looked at the buy in front of her,
His expression seemed so sincere so p
Love with You: Before That Cruel Summer Took Everything
Chapter S
The worst part was that she could still feel li -the pall, the desire to believe, to forgive, in go back to the comfort of the lie. Tot a fraction of a second. she wavered, her traitor lmart longing to believe that
But she couldn’t trust it anymore.
Someone as clever as jason–did he really not anticipate what might happen when he left her with his drunken teammates and the instruction to “teach her abessin“?
Perhaps he had a last minute attack of conscience, or maybe he was just afraid of getting i
But that didn’t erase what he’d done. The betrayal. The lies,
She just didn’t tardeistand one thing
rim trouble. That’s why he’de
had already told Man she wasn’t pursuing pullard. Why was he still keeping up this charade?
At this point, she didn’t care to understand anymore. What did it matter? In two days, she would be on a plate to London, leaving this all behind. The knowledge gave her strength a thread of her future to cling to when the present threatened to drown her.
“Jason [=”
Before she could finish, Jason stood up and fastened the necklace around her neck. The weight of it felt like a collar, the cold metal against her skis render of everything that had chained her to him. Every lie, every manipulation, every moment she had surrendered her power to someone who never deserved.
w he said with a confident smile, “Tomorrow, I’ll be waiting for you at the lake.”
“You don’t need to give me an answer right now,” he
“If you forgive me, just come find me there, okay?”
Kelvey frowned at him, but the crowd was already cheering louder. Of course he would extend the performance, drag it out for maximum effect. It was never about her forgiveness–it was about his reputation, his image, his story
Jason’s grand apology was the talk of the school, even trending on social media. The handsome hockey star and the beautiful dancer made for perfect drama that everyone eagerly consumed.
Everyone except Kelsey herself
Her dorm was already parked up, so she was staying at the school’s guest quarters for her final night. That evening, she sat alone on the edge of the unfamiliar bed, the emptiness of the room matching the hollow feeling in her chest. Her fingers absently traced the diamond necklace, as weight comlant reminder of everything she was leaving behind.
Then she received a voice message from Hannah
When she played it, she beard the voices of Jason’s teammates:
“Hannah, don’t believe what you’re seeing online about Stan apologizing to Harbour. It’s all part of his plant
“Exactly. After what she did to your face, he’s not letting her off that easy. at the lake tomorrow!”
Stan said the whole apology was just an act. He’s not even going to show
“Right! Harbour will go there alone, waiting for barn like an idiot. She’ll be completely humiliated!”
“Haha, since she’s not even trying for Juilliard anymore. Stan doesn’t need to waste time on her. Might as well play one last joke on her before dumping her!”
“Hannah, don’t worry. Stan only cares about you!
Kelsey’s face paled as the pieces fell into place, A litter laugh caught in her throat–almost hysterical of course. It made perfe humiliation, one last power play. The necklace around her neck suddenly felt like it was choking her. She tore it off, the clasp ht away from her skin
Now it made sense. She had explicitly told him she wasn’t paying further education, yet he was still puting on this show
It was all to hamhate her one last time.
Hannah then sent a text message
as the yanked #i
with. Yr adore That Cruel Summer Took Everything
Chapter 9
I’m sorry for the trouble. Bat I don’t want you to be humiliated either, to don’t poto the lake tomorrow
The unexpected kindness from ber supposed rival brought a fresh sting of tears to Kelsey’s eyes. Even Hannah, who had every reason is hate her, could show more compassion than as ever had
Kely responded simply: I wasn’t planning to
She turned off her phone and went to bed, but sleep wouldn’t come. Instead, she stared at the ceiling, remembering every moment with Jasan–the frst time he’d made her laugh, the first time bed kissed her, every promie and every lie. By morning, the pain had expitallized intri something. harder, something that would protect her from ever being so vulnerable again.
The next morning. Kelsey finished packing her remaining arms and ordered an Uber in Indianapolis International Airport
Her mother would meet her directly at the terminal.
While waiting for her her, she received several messages from Jason
Kels. Im at the lake now. Are you on your way?)
I’m going to stay here all day until you come 1
Kelsey’s
curled into a butter smile. Apparently, his teammates had been wrong, Jason was committed enough to his performance to actually show up at the Lake. She wondered how long he would wait before realizing she wasn’t coming. The thought brought a grim satisfaction–let bim wat in the sun, feeling a fraction of the emotional pain she’d endured.
She calmly replied:
After sending these messages, she turned off her phone, removed the SIM card, and threw it in the trash along with the necklace and the promise ring he’d given her months ago.
Each item made a satisfying clunk as it hit the bottom of the bin–the sound of chris breaking of a past being discarded.
Then she climbed into the Uber that had just arrived, her heart lighter than it had been in months.
Ahead lay London, dance, and a future entirely her own.
Indianapolis International, please”
Chapter 10
