Every girl who wronged her is here.
Every guy who never defended her is here.
And Jade?
She’s in Boston blowing up the internet while I’m standing under golden fairy lights pretending I’m okay.
Tristan claps me on the back. “Alright, Holt. Let’s strategize.”
“You strategize. I’m done.”
“No, you’re not.”
He grips my shoulders.
“Romance her, Romeo.”
I grit my teeth. “Stop saying Romeo.”
“I’ll stop calling you Romeo when you stop losing your Juliet.”
“I HAVE NOT LOST HER.”
Tristan raises a brow.
“Really? Because her Boston vlog? Half a million shares. Coaches want her. PR wants her. Netflix wants her. The world wants her.”
He leans in, voice lowering.
“And she’s starting to realize she doesn’t need you.”
That kills something inside me.
He sees it, softens.
“Leo… you need a grand gesture. A real one. Not flowers, not begging, not chasing her into locker rooms. Something that proves you’re the guy she thought you were.”
“And what is that?” I ask quietly.
Tristan smiles slowly.
“You figure it out. Because she’s worth figuring it out for.”
I stare out over the icy harbor lights, cold wind slicing across my face.
He’s right.
She’s worth everything.
And I’m running out of time.
So I pull out my phone.
Not to text her.
Not to beg her.
Not to stalk her page.
