Chapter 11
But Jason, lean and scholarly, was no match for Lucas. He got pinned to the ground and beaten up hard.
Lucas didn’t go too far–just enough to make a point. A few moments later, he let go.
I rushed to grab the first aid kit, and just when Jason thought I’d help him disinfect his wounds, I reached for Lucas’s hand instead.
“Does it hurt? Don’t go around fighting like that again.”
Lucas blinked, surprised. Then he broke into a bright, boyish grin. “Okay. I’ll do whatever you say.”
His smile made my heart flutter for no reason. I nudged his shoulder with mine, teasing. “You idiot, why are you grinning like that?”
Jason finally cracked. “Scarlett… what about me? What about me?!”
My hand froze midair. I slowly looked up, my voice calm and cold.
“That day at the hospital–when every single person stood against me–I told you already.”
“Jason, I’m done with you.”
That line hit like a lightning strike. Jason shook his head in disbelief. “No… No, I don’t accept that. I don’t accept that…”
“But you did accept it back then. And now, please leave my house.”
Jason crawled over to me, desperation written all over his face. I had never seen him this wrecked.
“Baby, please… forgive me. I swear there was nothing between me and her…”
“It doesn’t matter anymore.”
I closed the first aid kit and reached out to take Lucas’s hand. “If he won’t leave, then we will.”
Lucas’s eyes lit up like stars in the night sky. He didn’t say a word–just grabbed my hand and took me with him.
He revved up his motorcycle and we sped into the sunset, the wind howling past us like our youth roaring back to life.
My hands around his waist tightened unconsciously. When I leaned against his back, I could hear the thudding of his heartbeat.
“You liked me for a long time, didn’t you?”
My voice was barely a whisper, but Lucas heard it loud and clear.
“Yeah. Ever since that first day of freshman orientation. But you already had Jason.”
He’d held it in for three whole years. Even though he’d had my contact info all along, he never dared use it. Until graduation day, when he finally worked up the nerve to send that one bold message–an invitation to a street race.
He never expected I’d actually show up.
He rode aimlessly through the city, and I never told him to stop.
Maybe it was the speed, or the wind—but my heart kept beating faster and faster.
In the days that followed, Lucas took me on a tour of the city–his city. And slowly, I got to know him, plece by piece.
But Grandpa told me Jason waited outside our house every day. He passed out from heatstroke more than once.
As soon as he was discharged from the hospital, he came right back.
On college registration day, he still refused to leave.
Eventually, Mrs. Westwood came to beg me to talk to him. And when I saw him–I barely recognized him.
“Baby… you finally agreed to see me.”
Chapter 11
DeRomance R
100.00%
He hugged me tight, tears soaking into my shoulder.
This time, I didn’t push him away. Instead, I gently patted his back, just like he used to comfort me all those years.
“It’s okay, Jason. No more drama.”
“You know this is over. Go home.”
He shook his head furiously, arms tightening like he wanted to crush me into his chest.
But I just smiled, at peace for the first time.
Jason… thank you. For taking care of me all these eighteen years.”
I took a step back. Then another. Until a familiar warmth caught me from behind.
But this time, it wasn’t Jason.
It was Lucas.
Jason reached out a hand, clutching his chest in pain.
But deep down, I knew… He finally understood.
A plane flew past, its contrail streaking across the sky.
When I looked up again, I was standing on the campus of Seacrest College–ready to start a brand new chapter.
And Lucas was holding my hand.
This time, he wasn’t letting go.
