Chapter 60: Backlash & Broken Promises

[JASMINE – POV]

By the next morning, it wasn't just whispers anymore.

It was posts. Stories. Threads. Screenshots of me and Lucas holding hands in the hallway, blurry clips from behind the gym—and one annoying close-up from Maya's story before she "accidentally deleted it."

"Didn't take long for the princess of petty to move on," one caption read.

Another was worse:

"Two-faced Jasmine: From Ayo to Lucas. Who's next?"

I threw my phone across the room. It hit the wall and dropped to the floor, battery cover flying off.

My chest ached—not from embarrassment, but from disappointment. How could people be so cruel? How could Ayo let this slide?

Because I knew deep down he had a hand in this.

[LUCAS – POV]

When I saw the posts, I was ready to throw hands.

Jasmine told me not to.

"Don't stoop to their level," she said, eyes tired.

But I wanted to. I wanted to shut it all down—protect her, even if it meant starting a war at school.

The worst part wasn't the comments. It was seeing her withdraw. Jasmine, who was all fire and bite, walking the halls like a ghost now. Headphones in. Eyes low. Guard up.

I cornered Ayo by the vending machine.

"You think this is funny?" I asked, voice low.

He shrugged. "It's the internet. People talk."

"She's not your business anymore."

He looked at me—really looked. "She'll always be."

I saw red. But Jasmine's voice echoed in my head.

Don't stoop to their level.

Fine. But I made him a promise.

"If this gets worse," I said, "I will step in. And I won't hold back."

[JASMINE – POV]

That night, I cried. Not because of the hate—but because I didn't recognize myself.

Where was the bold girl who didn't care what people thought?

Where was the girl who used to laugh in the face of drama?

She was still there… buried under noise.

And if I didn't fight back soon, I'd lose her.

So I wiped my tears. Sat up. And started writing.

Not a clapback. Not a rant.

But a post—a truth.

By morning, it would shake the school.