Jayden’s pov: The truth

As soon as I stepped into the house, my mom’s voice greeted me. “You’re back!” she exclaimed, her voice carrying a hint of relief.

“Yes, I’m back,” I replied, shutting the door behind me.

“Did you escort your friend? Did he get home safely?” she asked, her eyes narrowing with concern.

“No, I didn’t escort him home,” I explained, forcing a small smile. “I just walked him outside. I’m sure he’ll get there on his own.”

Her expression softened, and a warm smile spread across her face. “I’m so happy you have a friend. It makes me feel good to see you living like a normal human, Jayden. You deserve that.”

Her words hit something deep within me, and I felt a sudden wave of gratitude. “Thank you, Mom,” I said, stepping closer to give her a hug. “You’re the one who’s always encouraged me to live like a human. To not give up on myself.”

She held me tightly, then pulled back slightly, looking serious. “But, Jayden, you know the dangers out there. Vampires are everywhere. You can’t let your guard down.” Her voice dropped lower, filled with urgency. “You need to keep training. You need to be strong, just in case we’re ever attacked again.”

I nodded, the memories of the last time flashing through my mind—of her standing over the lifeless body of the vampire who had tried to kill her. “I understand, Mom. I’ll do it. I’ll train hard. I don’t want to leave here. I finally have something I care about—a friend I want to keep in my life.”

Her eyes softened, and she kissed my forehead. “Good. Then get some rest. Tomorrow, we start.”

I smiled and headed to my room. Lying on my bed, I stared at the ceiling, my mind a tangled mess. Images of Liam flooded my thoughts—his smile, the way his eyes lit up when he laughed, the sound of his voice. My heart raced, and I felt a strange warmth spreading through me.

“What’s wrong with me?” I whispered to the empty room. “Why am I feeling like this?”

I tried to push the thoughts away, but they wouldn’t leave. My mind kept circling back to him, and no matter how much I tried to rationalize it, one thing was clear: I was falling for him.

The next morning, I woke up with a strange mix of excitement and nervousness. I dressed quickly, barely eating breakfast as I called out to my mom, “I’m leaving now!”

“Wait! You haven’t eaten!” she called after me, but I was already out the door, my heart pounding with anticipation.

When I arrived at school, I spotted Liam almost immediately. He was walking ahead, his shoulders slightly hunched, as though he was carrying the weight of the world on his back.

“Liam!” I called out, jogging to catch up with him.

He turned briefly, his eyes cold and distant, then looked away, pretending not to hear me.

“Liam, I’m talking to you!” I said, stepping in front of him.

He stopped, his expression unreadable. “What do you want, Jayden?” he asked, his voice flat and devoid of the warmth I’d grown used to.

“What do you mean?” I asked, confused. “Why are you acting like this? Did I do something wrong?”

“Listen, I don’t want to be friends with you anymore,” he said, his words like a punch to the gut.

My breath caught. “What? Why? You can’t just—”

“I can,” he interrupted, his voice growing sharper. “You’re just a nobody, I was nice to you cause it felt nice being friends with a poor boy. That’s all you were to me. Nothing more. So just stay away from me.”

I froze, the words echoing in my head. Pet project? No. This wasn’t Liam. This wasn’t the person I had come to know.

“Liam, stop,” I said, grabbing his arm as he tried to walk away. “You don’t mean that. You’re just—”

“Let go of me!” he snapped, jerking his arm out of my grip. “I said stay away.”

He turned and walked away quickly, leaving me standing there, my chest tight and my mind spinning.

But before I could process what had just happened, I saw her. A girl with long, flowing hair and pale skin ran up to him. She wrapped her arms around him, her uniform too short, revealing more than it should. She giggled, pressing her face into his shoulder.

“Oh, babe, I missed you so much,” she said, her voice dripping with sweetness.

I watched as Liam hesitated, then wrapped his arms around her, holding her close.

My heart dropped. I couldn’t breathe.

She tilted her head up, and before I could even process what was happening, she kissed him.

The world seemed to stop. My chest felt like it was being crushed.

I clenched my fists, the nails digging into my palms. Was this jealousy? Was this what it felt like to want something you couldn’t have?

Liam’s laughter brought me back to reality. It wasn’t his usual laugh. It sounded very excited.

I turned away, unable to watch any longer. My legs felt heavy as I walked toward the school building, each step dragging with the weight of my emotions.

But even as I tried to push it all away, one thought kept repeating in my mind: Why did it have to hurt this much?

The rest of the day passed in a blur. Liam avoided me, though I caught glimpses of him with her—laughing, talking, acting as though nothing had happened.

By the time school ended, I felt drained. I wanted to go home, to escape the storm of emotions raging inside me. But as I stepped outside, I saw him again.

He was standing by the gate, the girl still clinging to him. She looked up at him with adoration, and he smiled down at her.

I clenched my jaw, turning away before they could see me.

But as I walked away, a single tear slipped down my cheek.

And I whispered to myself, “Why did I ever think he could care about me? I'm all alone once again.”