"Yeah, it was hilarious."
I waited a reply from Grey, but I heard none. The silence was strange—unlike him. I turned to find him staring off at something.. or rather, someone
Mia
My smile faded, the light in my eyes dimming. I felt my stomach twist, why couldn't he look at me like that?
But that's never gonna happen right?
"Grey!" I called out his name.
"Greyson!"
He never took his gaze off her, he was too lost in her.
Greyson liked her, I knew that. He knew that. Everyone knew.
What everyone didn't know was I had fallen in love with him.
I could see Grey's expression changed to bitterness and jealousy when he saw Mia talking to a guy. It was written all over his face, and he wasn't even trying to hide it
"Earth to Grey," I said while slightly giving him a nudge.
"Huh? What?" His attention was back at me.
"What were you looking at?" I questioned him.
He brushed it off saying it was nothing and urged me to get back to class.
The whole class period he didn't even paid attention. Grey was looking out of the window and looking a little heartbroken. I didn't bother asking him about it, knowing he would just say I'm fine and bla bla bla.
When school finally ended we walked home together. It's like a routine for us. But today, the guy walking beside me didn't seem like himself
"Hey, you okay? You seem off," I asked him. I hoped he would open up and just tell me.
His response wasn't I was expecting for, "I'm fine."
I wasn't convinced and asked again, "Is it because of Mia?"
Grey stopped in his tracks. "How'd you know?" he asked.
"It's pretty obvious, you've got a crush on her don't you?"
He slowly nodded.
And just like that, my heart sank. Even though I already knew, hearing it felt... painful.
"But she has a boyfriend," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
Then his expression darkened, jealousy turning his face into something almost unrecognizable.
"I don't care!" he snapped. "I'll make her see me. I'll do whatever it takes to make her fall for me. I'll be better than him."
His desperation frightened me, but more than that, it hurt to watch.
"Do you even hear yourself?" I yelled, my frustration boiling over. "You can't force her to love you! You're losing yourself over something impossible. Why can't you focus on what's right in front of you? Why can't you see me?"
He stared at me, his expression hardening, and then he laughed—a bitter, hollow sound. "You? Don't be ridiculous. You'll never understand. You don't get it because no one ever looks at you like that."
His words hit me like a punch in the gut, knocking the breath out of me. I felt the blood drain from my face.
"What...?" I whispered, my voice trembling.
"Face it. You're always there, always waiting for someone to notice you, but no one ever does, do they? You'll never be her. You'll never be enough."
Each word was like a slap across my face. I could barely breathe, the sting of his words cutting me deeper than anything physical could.
"I can't believe you'd say that," I said, my voice barely audible. "I thought... I thought you were different. But I don't even know who you are anymore. I never want to see you again."
I turned and walked away, tears already burning in my eyes. My heart felt like it had been ripped apart, and all because of a boy who never even noticed me.
When I finally got home, I collapsed onto my bed, burying my face in my hands. My whole world felt like it was crumbling.
"Stupid piece of shit!" I screamed, throwing my pillow against the wall as sobs wracked my body.
I hurled whatever I could get my hands on—books, bags, pens, anything within reach. It didn't matter what I was throwing; I just needed to feel the release, to let the tension out. Each thud against the wall felt like a tiny bit of the pressure easing, but it was never enough. The chaos in my room mirrored the storm inside me.
-
The next day, I didn't go to school. I couldn't face Greyson. After everything he said yesterday, I just couldn't. And I bet he didn't even noticed I was there. He probably carried on with life, just how he handles all problems
"Grey, why is Kathrin absent?" I could totally imagine Mia asking him, all clueless.
"I don't know, she didn't tell me," he probably said, like it wasn't a big deal. Of course, it wasn't to him.
Mia would've just shrugged it off, but something made him stop her. "Wait."
She would've turned, confused. "Hmm?"
And he'd start to say something important, or at least I'd hope. "I... like..."
But then, of course, he'd chicken out.
"I like your hair," he'd say instead, totally avoiding the real stuff.
Meanwhile, I was at home, locked in my room, my brain going a million miles an hour, replaying everything. The fight. The words. The hurt. I wanted to forget it all, but I couldn't. Every time I thought about it, I just got angrier.
-
In the afternoon, I was just laying in my bed. Chilling, you can say. And then I heard a knock. "Come in," I said, without knowing who was on the other side.
The door creaked open, then I heard his voice. "Kathrin?"
My heart stopped. He was the last person I wanted to see, but also the same person who's been on my mind all day.
"What are you doing here? I don't wanna see you," I snapped. "get the hell out."
I was mad. Mad at him. Mad at myself. But deep down, I was just hurt.
"Let me explain... please," he said, sounding desperate. "I know I messed up. I'm sorry. Just let me explain."
I should've kicked him out. I should've slammed the door in his face. But instead, I said, "Fine. What do you want to say?"
"I'm sorry for everything. I shouldn't have treated you like that," he started, his voice soft. "It's okay if you don't forgive me. I get it."
I looked away, not wanting to meet his eyes. "Is that all?"
Then, he said something that caught me totally off guard.
"...would I be a jerk if I told you I like you?" His voice was all shaky, and he was messing with his hands, looking so nervous.
"W-what?" I whispered, not sure if I heard him right.
"I... like you," he said again. "I know it's stupid, and I've been an idiot. I was just obsessed with Mia because I thought she was perfect, but I didn't realize... it was you all along. I was too blind to see it."
My heart felt like it was going to explode. I didn't know what to say, so I did the only thing I could think of—I kissed him.
I grabbed him and kissed him hard, not even caring anymore. It was messy and rushed, but it felt right. When I finally pulled away, I whispered, "I love you."
No matter how many times Grey hurt me, I always found my way back to him. I loved him, and I couldn't stop.
Our foreheads pressed together, and for the first time, I felt like he really meant it when he said, "I love you too, Kathrin."