Chapter 38

August 06 - August 08 

The new semester kicked off, and with it came a wave of assignments and looming exams. It was time to leave behind the heated celebrations of the past and focus on what mattered: academics. Despite the workload, I tried reaching out to Nora a few times. She's my only girlfriend outside of my close circle, and I couldn't just let things fizzle out between us. Unfortunately, she avoided me at every turn. 

On the 8th, I attended a student council meeting and ended up talking to Owen about the situation. He listened, thought thoughtfully, and then offered a suggestion: "Why don't we go to her house? She can't avoid you if we're right there." 

With Owen's help, I found myself standing on Nora's doorstep later that day. There was no running now. Nora hesitated but finally opened the door. Owen, ever the voice of reason, urged her gently, "Nora, just talk it out with Zara. Clear the air. Avoiding her isn't going to help either of you." 

That's how, a few hours later, we sat in her living room, hashing things out. 

"I didn't mean to hurt you," Nora confessed after an awkward silence. She fidgeted with her hands, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's just… I have feelings for Wyatt. And being around you, knowing you're with him, it feels wrong. Like I'm betraying you." 

For a moment, I couldn't help but laugh. "Nora, seriously? Wyatt and I are in a fake relationship. It's not even real." 

Her eyes widened. "But… how? After spending so much time together, after all the dates and fun, you're telling me you haven't caught any feelings for him?" 

I leaned back, shrugging. "If I were going to fall for him, it would've happened by now. Don't get me wrong, I care about him, but it's not like that." 

She still looked unsure, so I added, "Listen, I won't play Cupid here. If you like him, you'll have to take the shot yourself. Just promise me one thing: we don't let a boy ruin our friendship. Deal?" 

Nora hesitated before nodding. "Deal." 

August 09 - August 20 

The following weeks were consumed by the chaos of exams, projects, assignments, and, surprisingly, parties. My schedule was packed, but it felt good to immerse myself in university life. Between joining a few clubs and staying active on social media, I somehow became "the it girl" on campus. 

True to my word, I kept up my live streams, ensuring I did one at least every two weeks. 

Then came the 15th, a day I won't forget. Wyatt and I were at the café in Elite Hotel, supposedly on one of our staged "dates." The tension was palpable from the start. He stared at me, his jaw tight, before finally saying, "You need to stay away from Nora." 

I blinked. "What? Why?" 

He avoided my gaze, tapping his fingers on the table. "She… she behaved inappropriately toward me." 

"Inappropriately?" I pressed, leaning forward. "What are you talking about?" 

He sighed, clearly frustrated. "A good friend wouldn't make a move on her friend's boyfriend, even if it's fake." 

I laughed, though it lacked humor. "Oh, Wyatt. I know about her feelings. It doesn't matter. If you like her, just go for it. I'll step back." 

His expression darkened, his voice rising for the first time. "Am I just some 'thing' to you? Something you can toss around when it's convenient? Zara, fake relationship or not, I'm still a person. I have feelings, too." 

The accusation stung. "That's not what I meant," I said gently, but he stood up, shaking his head. 

"You don't get it," he muttered before walking out. 

I sat there, stunned. Wyatt had never been this angry with me before. It took me a moment to shake it off, convincing myself that he just needed time to sort through his emotions. 

What I didn't expect was for him to ignore me completely afterwards. 

By the 18th, I'd had enough. I went to his university and followed him to his car. Sliding into the passenger seat, I folded my arms. "We need to talk." 

"Get out of the car, Zara," he said coldly. 

Before I could respond, someone knocked on the window. I turned to see a girl in barely-there clothing, flashing a bright smile. 

Wyatt glanced at me, his tone sharp. "I have a date with my 'new' girlfriend." 

I blinked, incredulous. "Are you serious right now?" 

"Dead serious." 

I stared at him, searching for any hint of a joke. There was none. "You're being childish," I snapped. "And for the record, this is cheating. I won't break up with you unless it's for Nora, so consider this crossing the line." 

I stepped out of the car, offering the girl a tight smile before walking away. 

The days that followed were tense. Wyatt and I avoided each other, and Nora was the one who comforted me during this time. 

August 21 - August 25 

The end of the month brought the release of the Hollywood movie I'd starred in. The buzz around it was massive, with record-breaking pre-sales and critical acclaim post-release. 

On the day of the premiere, I wore an emerald-green dress paired with vine-inspired accessories, symbolizing my connection to my character. The producer couldn't stop praising me during the media interviews, and the entire evening felt surreal. 

But even amidst the glitz and glamour, Wyatt lingered on my mind. His brother Joshua reached out, asking how I was. I bluntly replied, "He cheated on me." 

The next day, Wyatt showed up at my door, smoking. "What the hell, Zara? Cheated? How is it cheating when we're not even in a real relationship?" 

"It's different," I said, crossing my arms. 

"How?!" he asked, his tone softening. "You're the one who said it didn't matter. So why does it matter now?" 

I hesitated, the weight of my own contradictions hitting me. "Because… it just does. Look, I know I'm partly to blame. But can't you see? We used each other for our own purposes. It's time to stop pretending." 

"What are you saying?" 

I took a deep breath. "Let's break up and go back to being friends."

"So, when you say break up, we should break up? Just like that?" Wyatt's voice cracked slightly, and for a moment, I thought I heard a faint whimper. His nose flared, his expression caught somewhere between anger and hurt. "Why, Zara? Why? Why can't you ever ask for my opinion before deciding something this big?" 

I opened my mouth but hesitated, the words catching in my throat. Finally, I looked down, my voice barely audible. "I—I care about you, Wyatt." I clenched my fists, trying to steady myself. "But don't you see? This… this is getting out of hand. It's going too far." I lifted my gaze to meet him. "We both know this isn't forever. We can't stay like this, pretending. I just want to go back to being friends. Friends like we used to be. I want you to have the best, Wyatt. You deserve that." 

Wyatt took a step closer, his hands clenched at his sides. His voice was softer now, pleading. "I know, Zara. I know we're not going to get married. I'm not delusional. But can't we stay like this? Just for a little longer?" His eyes searched mine, desperate for something I couldn't give. "Is it really so wrong to keep going as we are? I don't want to lose what we have." 

I sighed, the weight of his words pressing down on me. "Wyatt… It's not about right or wrong. It's about time. This—us—it's just a waste of your time. You could be spending it on something real. Someone real." 

He shook his head, frustration flashing in his eyes. "And what about you? Aren't you wasting your time too? Why do you get to decide when this ends?" 

"Because I'm thinking about both of us," I said firmly. "We're friends, Wyatt. We've always been friends, and we'll still be friends after this. We can still hang out, laugh, and have fun, just like before. But this fake relationship? It's not doing either of us any favors anymore." 

He took a step back, rubbing the back of his neck as he let out a bitter laugh. "Just like before, huh? You make it sound so simple, Zara. Like flipping a switch." 

"It won't be easy," I admitted, my voice softer now. "It'll be awkward for a while. I know that. But we'll find our way back. I'm sure of it." 

Wyatt looked at me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Finally, he let out a heavy sigh, his shoulders sagging. "You're impossible, Yiyi. But fine. If this is what you want, I'll go along with it." 

I smiled weakly. "Thank you, Wyatt. I mean it." 

"Don't thank me yet," he muttered. "I'm still mad at you for not asking my opinion." 

"Noted," I said with a small laugh, relief washing over me. 

For a moment, we stood there in silence, the weight of the conversation settling between us. Then, Wyatt's lips curled into a faint smile. "You know, even when you're breaking up with me, you're still bossy as hell." 

"And you're still as dramatic as ever," I shot back, rolling my eyes. 

"Friends?" he asked, extending his hand like we were sealing a deal. 

"Friends," I said, shaking his hand firmly, our smiles finally reaching our eyes.

I couldn't help but smile. "Yeah. We were." 

By the end of the month, things felt lighter. Wyatt, Nora, Zach, Owen, Ryan, and I hung out as friends again, no lingering tension. For the first time in a long time, everything felt right.