Chapter 96 Easier To Pretend
Liam's POV
Ignoring Mia was easier than looking at her. I learned that the hard way.
If I let myself look at her, everything inside me would fall apart. One glance at her face, at the familiar softness in her eyes, and I would forget every reason I was forcing myself to stay away. I would forget the consequences, and the promises I made to keep things under control.
Every time I saw her, all I wanted was to pull her into my arms and kiss her until the rest of the world disappeared. So I did the cruel thing instead. I ignored her.
Going to class became harder with each passing day. The halls felt tighter, louder, like they were closing in on me. I could feel her presence even before I saw her, and it took everything in me not to turn my head. Still, there were moments when I failed. Moments when I stole quick glances at her, careful ones, only when I was sure she was not looking back.
She looked smaller somehow. Quieter. And knowing I was the reason for that made my chest ache.
I felt the pain every second, but I kept reminding myself that this was what she wanted. Or at least what I convinced myself was best for both of us. Loving her openly was no longer an option. Not like this.
"So, did you finally break up with Mia?"
Stacy's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. She stood beside me, arms crossed, her expression calm but expectant. I hated how easily she could say Mia's name, like it meant nothing.
I had never agreed with her terms. From the beginning, something about them felt wrong. Deep down, I knew I could not trust her. And worse, I knew she was capable of hurting Mia if it suited her.
"Yes," I answered after a brief pause. "For the peace of everybody. Happy now?"
Her lips curved into a wider smile, one filled with satisfaction. That smile made my stomach twist.
"Of course," she said. "I did not even ask you to break up with her. I only told you to date her in private. Just the three of us knowing the truth. But this?" She tilted her head slightly. "This is even better."
I clenched my jaw and stayed silent.
"I do not need to remind her of who she is," Stacy continued. "At least now, she knows her place."
I felt anger surge inside me, sharp and hot, but I forced myself not to react. Showing emotion would only give her more control.
"At least she listened," Stacy added lightly. "Besides, she is better off with Daniel anyway."
That did it. Jealousy twisted in my chest, sudden and violent. The idea of Mia with someone else made my hands curl into fists at my sides. But I did not let it show. I refused to give Stacy the satisfaction of knowing she had struck a nerve.
I knew better than to argue. Agreeing with her was easier. I told myself this was temporary. That I would figure things out later. That once everything settled, I could find a way back to Mia. I just needed her to wait for me.
"You are right," I said quietly. "Daniel and Mia are good together. They belong in the same world anyway."
The lie tasted bitter on my tongue. Saying it felt like betraying her all over again, but I kept my face neutral.
Stacy's smile returned, brighter than before.
"Your father would be happy knowing we are good again," she said. "And that you broke up with Mia."
I did not correct her. I had learned one thing about Stacy. The less she knew about my real feelings, the safer Mia would be. If lying meant protecting the girl I loved, then I would lie without hesitation.
Because the truth was simple, I had not stopped loving Mia. I was just pretending I had. And every day I ignored her, it felt like I was losing a piece of myself along with her.
"What is your deal, Alcaraz?"
Daniel's voice stopped me in my tracks just as I was about to unlock my car. I turned slowly, already knowing this moment was coming. He was walking toward me with long, angry strides, his jaw tight and his hands clenched at his sides.
Practice had just ended, and the field was nearly empty. The sky was already darkening, the air heavy with exhaustion and unspoken words. I should have felt relieved the day was over. Instead, my chest felt tight.
For once, I was glad Stacy was not waiting for me like she usually did. Lately, she had made it a habit to show up after practice, surrounded by her friends, making sure everyone saw who I was with now. Since the day I betrayed Mia for the second time, my life had felt like a performance I could not escape.
"What do you mean, Dan?" I asked, forcing my voice to stay calm as I turned to face him. I pretended not to understand, pretended I was not already bracing myself for what he was about to say.
Daniel stopped a few feet in front of me. His eyes were dark, burning with frustration, and I could tell this was not a casual confrontation. This was something he had been holding in for too long.
"Don't act like you have no idea what I'm talking about, Liam," he said sharply. "I'm not stupid."
I swallowed, my grip tightening around my car keys.
"I see the way you've been treating her," he continued, his voice rising slightly. "One day you're there, the next day you're acting like she doesn't exist. You look right through her like she never mattered to you at all."
That hit harder than I expected.
Daniel stepped closer, close enough that I could feel the tension radiating off him. "Do you have any idea what you're doing to her?"
I opened my mouth to answer, but no words came out. What could I say? That I was trying to protect her? That I was trapped between my family, Stacy, and the consequences of loving someone I was not supposed to choose?
None of that would make sense to him.
"You don't get to hurt her like this," Daniel said, his voice lower now, controlled but dangerous. "If you don't want to be with her, then fine. But don't drag her back and forth just because you can't decide what you want."
I looked away, my chest aching.
"I never meant to hurt her," I finally said, my voice quieter than I intended. "You think I don't know what I've done?"
Daniel let out a bitter laugh. "Then why does it look like you're choosing everyone else over her?"
The question stayed hanging between us, heavy and unforgiving.
Because the truth was, I did not know how to answer that without admitting the one thing I was trying so hard to deny.
That even now, even after everything, Mia was still the one choice I wanted the most.
“Just ask her yourself, Daniel,” I said, my voice tight. “I went to her apartment. I begged her to give me another chance. But she was clear. She doesn’t want me anymore. All I did was respect her decision.”
“I didn’t want to keep burdening her,” I continued. “I know what I put her through, Dan. I know how much damage I caused. All Mia ever wanted was to protect her scholarship, finish school, and make it to college. She was choosing her future over me.”
My hands curled into fists as I spoke.
“So I stepped back,” I said quietly. “I gave her what she asked for. Or at least, what she needed.”
The words sounded convincing on the surface, even to my own ears. But deep down, guilt twisted painfully inside me. Because I knew I was not telling the whole truth.
It was easier to say this was her choice than to admit mine. Easier to pretend I was being selfless than to confess what I was really afraid of.
I was terrified that staying would only make her suffer more. And I could not live with myself if I became the reason she lost everything she had worked so hard for.