Chapter 14:Unspoken Truth
The rumors hadn't stopped.
If anything, they had gotten worse.
Everywhere Caesar turned, there was whispering.
"Did you hear? Blythe and Zach are definitely a thing."
"They're always together."
"I saw them walking home yesterday. Pretty much confirmed."
Caesar tried to ignore it.
He wasn't an idiot—he knew rumors were just rumors.
But no matter how hard he tried, the thoughts kept creeping in.
---
Caesar thought he could enjoy a peaceful lunch.
He was wrong.
Zach plopped down beside him, grinning as usual. "You look like you wanna throw something."
Caesar glared. "I do."
Blythe sat across from them, looking unusually serious.
Zach glanced at her. "Whoa. What's with the face?"
Blythe sighed, crossing her arms. "I'm getting tired of this."
"Tired of what?" Zach asked, but Caesar had a feeling he already knew.
Blythe leaned forward. "The rumors. You, teasing. People actually believing we're dating."
Zach tilted his head, still smirking. "Oh? You're saying it bothers you?"
Blythe gave him a look. "Of course it does. I don't want people thinking I'm dating someone I'm not."
Zach chuckled. "Ouch. That one actually stung."
Caesar didn't know why, but he felt the tension shift.
For the first time, Zach didn't seem like he was just joking around.
Blythe exhaled. "Look, Zach… I like you, but only as a friend. I need you to stop playing around with this whole 'couple' act."
Zach was silent.
For a second, Caesar almost expected him to laugh it off like usual.
But then, Zach gave a small nod. "…I get it."
Blythe looked at him, surprised. "You do?"
Zach smirked, but it wasn't as bright as usual. "Yeah. I mean, come on, Blythe. I like messing with you, but I'm not an idiot."
Blythe hesitated. "Wait… then does that mean you…?"
Zach leaned back, stretching. "Like you? Maybe. Maybe not. Who knows?"
Caesar clenched his jaw.
Blythe blinked. "Zach—"
Zach held up a hand. "Relax, it's fine. I knew you weren't into me. I just enjoyed seeing everyone get worked up."
He grinned at Caesar. "Especially this guy."
Caesar stiffened. "I wasn't worked up."
Zach chuckled. "Sure, buddy. Sure."
Blythe sighed. "So we're good?"
Zach nodded. "Of course we are. You're stuck with me, whether you like it or not."
Blythe smiled, relieved. "Thanks, Zach."
Caesar felt something twist in his chest.
---
The rest of lunch was surprisingly normal.
No teasing. No fake flirting. No rumors being fueled.
But Caesar couldn't shake the weird feeling in his stomach.
He should have felt relieved that the rumors were cleared up.
Instead, he felt…
Restless.
Frustrated.
Maybe even disappointed.
Blythe wasn't dating Zach.
She never had feelings for him.
So why did it still feel like Caesar had lost something?
---
As Caesar was packing up, Blythe nudged him. "Hey, want to walk home together?"
Zach, who was nearby, raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What's this? Blythe choosing Caesar over me now?"
Blythe rolled her eyes. "I just want some fresh air with a quiet person for once."
Zach laughed. "Wow. And here I thought we were besties now."
Caesar ignored the exchange and nodded. "Fine."
They walked in comfortable silence for a while.
Then Blythe spoke. "You were jealous, weren't you?"
Caesar froze mid-step.
Blythe smirked. "You totally were."
Caesar scoffed. "Of course not."
"Mhm. Right."
Caesar frowned. "Why would I be?"
Blythe shrugged. "Because I've been spending time with another guy. And because Zach kept messing with you."
Caesar didn't respond.
Because she wasn't wrong.
But she also wasn't right.
It wasn't just Zach that bothered him.
It was the way Blythe acted so naturally around him.
The way she never seemed that comfortable with Caesar.
It made him wonder—
"Do I really mean anything to her?"
But he didn't ask.
Because the answer might be something he didn't want to hear.
---
Blythe didn't seem to notice his silence.
She stretched. "Well, at least now people will stop assuming weird stuff. I mean, it's so obvious we were just friends."
Caesar felt his chest tighten.
"Just friends."
He ignored the way that sounded too final.
Too real.
Too painful.
He gave a small nod. "Yeah. Obvious."
Blythe smiled. "Glad we're on the same page!"
She waved before turning down her street. "See you tomorrow, Caesar!"
Caesar just stood there, watching her leave.
His heart felt heavy, but his mind screamed at him to ignore it.
So he did.
For now.
But deep down, he knew—
It was only a matter of time before he couldn't ignore it anymore.
---
To Be Continued…
---