Chapter 70 Feeling Guilty
Mia's POV
"The outside world, they still see Stacy and me as the golden couple. They see the parties, the smiles, the stupid announcement our families made without asking what we wanted. But it was all fake. A performance. You, Mia..." he exhaled deeply, as if saying my name was the only truth he needed. "You're the only girl I've ever really wanted."
"Josh knows. Stacy knows. Even if no one else believes it, you are the only one who matters to me."
The sincerity in his voice melted whatever walls I had left. He wasn't perfect, far from it, but right now, standing in front of me like he was willing to risk it all, Liam Alcaraz was mine.
I let myself smile, soft and shy, as I squeezed his hand.
After he left that night, I lay on my bed, the world outside fading to nothing.
My fingers ghosted over my lips again, remembering the heat of his kiss, the way his hands held me like I might disappear, the way his mouth tasted like desperation and a thousand unspoken apologies.
My heart was still racing. My face buried into the pillow as I let out a giddy, muffled squeal. I felt like a girl in a dream... and for once, I didn't want to wake up.
Because no matter how complicated things were I was still his girl. And he was still the boy who made me believe in magic again.
"Good morning!" Josh's voice rang out with teasing warmth the moment I stepped into the hallway, my hair still slightly tousled from sleep and my eyes brighter than they'd been in weeks.
Before I could say a word, he added with a knowing smirk, "I guess last night turned out magical for both of you. You're glowing again, Mia. Like... really glowing."
I bit my lower lip, failing to stop the small smile that tugged at the corner of my mouth. I looked down, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. "Liam apologized," I whispered, as if saying it out loud would make it feel more real. "He told me everything... about Stacy. About why he didn't tell me. About everything that kept him from being honest."
Josh's playful expression softened. His voice lowered into something more careful, more honest. "He wasn't lying, Mia. Not about you. Not about what he felt." He sighed. "I knew the truth about Stacy from the very beginning. I didn't want to step in or make things messy, but I saw how much you liked him. How much you gave. I just... I didn't want you to get hurt."
I looked up at him, eyes tender. "Josh, none of this was your fault. You were only trying to protect me."
Josh leaned back against the wall, arms crossed loosely, his gaze far off. "Liam was struggling. You have no idea how torn he was. But no matter how many times he tried to pull away, he couldn't stop thinking about you." His voice grew quieter. "Last night... it wasn't just an apology, was it? It was him choosing you."
I nodded slowly, my smile dimming into something softer.
Josh looked at me, and said, "I just hope you're ready for whatever comes next, Mia. Love like that, it's rare, but it's not easy. I knew Liam's brother Julian. Their parents..." He paused, searching for the words. "They expect perfection. Even Julian was pressured to marry someone he didn't love. And Liam... he's carrying all of that now."
I swallowed, my heart tightening. "Josh..."
But he wasn't done.
"I loved Julian," Josh confessed, voice barely above a whisper. "For as long as I can remember. But I never told him. Not really. I was too afraid. He was my best friend, and maybe deep down, he knew I was gay... but I didn't want to risk losing what little I had of him."
He looked down at his shoes, eyes glossy.
"Watching Liam carry the same weight after Julian died... it broke something in me. So I guess I just didn't want to see that same kind of pain in you." He looked back up at me. "But I see it now... you're stronger than I ever was."
I blinked back the sting of tears. "Josh... thank you. For telling me. For trusting me."
He stepped closer, gently brushing my arm. "So, it's your choice now. Either let him go... or be brave enough to love him despite the storm that might come."
I nodded, my voice barely audible. "I know what I'm walking into. But if it's Liam on the other side, then... it's worth it. Even if it hurts in the end."
Josh smiled sadly. "Good to know." He started to walk past me, then paused, turning back with a final glance.
"Just so you know... for the record? Liam's not just into you. He's madly, deeply in love with you. I see it in the way he looks at you. And I just hope... for your sake and his... that he's brave enough to fight for that kind of love before it's too late."
And though the thought of heartbreak lingered in the air, I stood a little taller.
Because for the first time in a long while, I knew, Liam Alcaraz loved me. And that made all the difference.
"Good morning," Daniel greeted, his voice warm, steady, like it always was. Like nothing had changed.
I looked up, startled. He was already there, waiting for me at the school gate just like every other morning. But today, something inside me shifted the moment I saw him. My smile, once bright, faltered before it could reach my eyes. My steps slowed.
Daniel noticed it instantly.
He tilted his head slightly, his brows drawing together in concern. "Are you okay?"
I didn't answer right away.
"You were smiling a second ago," he added, softer now. "Like the world was good again. But then you saw me... and something dimmed."
His words weren't angry. They weren't bitter. Just quietly broken.
"I... I'm just tired," I replied, offering a quick smile I hoped would fool him. "Didn't sleep much."
Daniel gave a small, humorless chuckle. "Mia, you don't have to pretend with me. I've known you too long for that. You've seen me cry over losing a school debate. I've seen you eat cereal with orange juice because the milk ran out. You can drop the act."
I let out a slow breath, the weight in my chest pressing down harder now. I stopped walking. The school gates stood just ahead of us, but I didn't move.
"You're right," I said softly, eyes on the ground. "I'm not tired. I'm just... trying to process everything."
Daniel's face remained still, though his hands curled into fists at his sides. "Let me guess," he said, barely masking the hurt in his voice. "Liam."
My silence confirmed it.
"He came over last night, didn't he?"
I nodded. "Yeah. For the project."
Daniel scoffed quietly. "Of course."
I looked up at him slowly. "He apologized."
Daniel looked away.
"He told me everything," I continued. "About Stacy. About why he kept quiet. Why he pulled away. And then... he asked me to be his girlfriend again."
Daniel said nothing. His jaw clenched for a moment, then relaxed. His eyes were still on the sidewalk, as if looking at me would make it worse.
"He said he missed me every day," I added, my voice trembling slightly. "And he asked for another chance."
Daniel finally turned to me, and for the first time in a long while, he didn't try to hide the sadness behind his smile. He let me see it, the quiet ache he'd been carrying all along.
"I get it," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "You don't owe me anything, Mia."
"That's not true—"
"Yes, it is." His voice was calm, but the way his eyes glistened betrayed the storm behind it. "I knew what I was walking into when I got closer to you. I knew I was falling for someone who hadn't stopped loving someone else."
I looked down, guilt flooding my chest.