Chapter 32 The Greatest Flirt
Mia's POV
"You are up early?" I asked when I found Josh standing by our small dining table, calmly sipping his coffee.
"I made you breakfast," he replied casually.
Without thinking, I wrapped my arms around him from behind, resting my cheek briefly against his back.
"Thank you, Josh. You did not have to do this," I said softly.
"You are welcome," he answered. "It is the least I can do for my partner in crime." He glanced at the clock. "You should take a bath now and hurry. I will drive you to the academy. But I will make sure Liam never sees me."
I raised an eyebrow. "Why is that?" I teased. "I noticed plenty of girls at the academy were already jealous of me for having you as my boyfriend. Some of them even wait for you every morning."
"Shut up," he said, grimacing. "That is exactly the problem. Even though they know I am your boyfriend, some of them still wave at me."
The look of disgust on his face made me laugh.
Then his tone changed. "By the way, I am only doing this so you will not feel guilty every time Liam sees us together." He paused, then added casually, "So... how was your dinner with the golden boy?"
Heat rushed to my cheeks instantly, betraying me before I could stop it.
"It was perfect," I admitted, my mind drifting back to last night, to Liam's smile, to the way he looked at me like I was something rare.
Josh smiled. "I am happy for you."
"Thank you, Josh," I replied.
But then his expression turned serious.
"Just remember," he said quietly, "you cannot tell him anything about us. No matter how much you want to spend time with him, do not ever tell him my secret. Promise me that."
Something tightened in my chest.
"You do not need to remind me every day, Josh," I said, forcing my voice to stay steady. "I am loyal to you."
But I could not hide the sting on my face.
Because as much as I understood why he needed me to keep quiet, it still hurt that he doubted me at all.
"I am sorry, Mia," Josh said quietly. "I know you would never tell anyone about my secret. I should not have doubted you. I am just scared of how my parents would react if they found out. I do not care about their wealth, but I am not ready to be disowned by my own family."
His voice wavered at the last part.
I reached for his hands and held them gently, making sure he felt my sincerity.
"Hey," I said softly, "I am not angry with you. It is okay. I understand why you are afraid. Anyone would be." I squeezed his hands. "But I promise you, I will never tell Liam about our fake relationship unless you give me permission. Your secret is safe with me."
Josh looked at me, relief slowly replacing the tension in his face.
And even though I understood his fear, a small ache still lingered in my chest.
Because keeping his secret meant carrying another weight I never asked for.
Josh stayed true to his word. He dropped me off a short distance from the school and did not step inside the campus at all. He did not linger, did not draw attention, did not give anyone a reason to talk. Just a quick goodbye, and then he was gone.
I adjusted my bag on my shoulder and started walking toward our classroom, trying to settle my thoughts before the day fully began.
That was when I saw Daniel coming toward me.
He slowed down as he approached, his steps unsure, his hands fidgeting at his sides like he was debating whether to turn back.
"Hi, Mia," he said softly. "Can I walk with you?"
I noticed the hesitation on his face. The uncertainty. The quiet guilt he never fully said out loud.
For a moment, old feelings stirred. Not affection, not longing, but something heavier. Something complicated.
I hated him for betraying me. That truth had not changed. What he did still hurt, and some wounds did not fade just because time passed. But at the same time, I could not hold onto anger forever. It exhausted me. And despite everything, Daniel had once been my safe place. My friend. The person who stood by me when things were simpler and kinder.
More than that, I owed a lot to his mother.
She had believed in me when others did not. She had helped me when I was struggling, never asking for anything in return. And I knew how much she wished for her son and me to be friends again. If there was one thing I could do for her, it was to try.
Just try.
So I took a breath and softened my expression.
"Sure," I said, offering him the familiar smile I used to give him, the one that meant peace, not forgiveness, but willingness.
And together, we walked toward the classroom, side by side, carrying the weight of what we used to be and the uncertainty of what we could ever become again.
"Wow. You really are the greatest flirt, Mia," Chloe said loudly the moment we stepped into the classroom.
Her voice was sharp enough to draw attention. At the exact same time, Liam lifted his head from his desk and saw me standing beside Daniel. I felt it immediately. The shift in the room. The way whispers began to stir.
"Yes, she is," Belle added, folding her arms. Jealousy was written all over her face. "You already have a boyfriend. Yesterday, you rode home in Liam's car. And now you are walking in with Daniel? Is this how you do it, Mia? Collecting attention from all of Suncrest Academy?"
My hands curled into fists at my sides.
For a split second, I wanted to slap them. To tell them exactly what kind of people they were. But I stopped myself. They were not worth it. I was better than that. And I refused to give them the satisfaction of seeing me lose control.
Before I could speak, Daniel stepped forward.
"That is enough," he said sharply. His voice cut through the noise, and everyone turned to look at him. "Chloe, this is the last time I hear you say something like that. And you too, Belle. Actually, all of you."
He moved closer, his jaw tight. "I do not want to hear any nasty comments thrown at Mia again. If you do, it only means you want to mess with me."
Chloe let out a bitter laugh.
"Oh, don't get ahead of yourself, Daniel," she snapped. "Maybe you forgot your place. Your mother only works here at Suncrest as a teacher. And your father was just an engineer at my father's firm. Don't you dare threaten me like that."
Her words left a sharp ache in my chest.
I saw Daniel's face pale instantly, the confidence draining from him as her insult landed exactly where she intended it to hurt.
Before I could react, before I could even open my mouth to defend him, Liam stepped in beside me.
He stood there calmly, but his presence alone was enough to silence the room.
"Well," he said evenly, his voice cool and controlled, "if this is how things work, I agree with Daniel."
Everyone froze.
"I do not want to hear any of you say a single word against Mia," he continued, his gaze locking onto Chloe without wavering. "And for the record, Chloe, your father has been trying to arrange a meeting with my dad for weeks now. He is asking for a favor. Something about buying out your company."
The room went completely silent.
Chloe's face drained of color before flushing a deep, furious red. Embarrassment, shock, and fear flickered across her expression in quick succession, each emotion betraying her before she could mask it.
No one laughed or dared to speak. The room fell into a heavy, uncomfortable silence, and for the first time since I had walked into that classroom, something inside my chest finally eased. I realized then that I was no longer standing on my own. I was not alone anymore.