The graduation party was a blur of flashing lights, pulsating music, and the hollow echoes of laughter. It felt like a lifetime ago that I had walked these same halls, hand-in-hand with Jax, dreaming of our future. Now, the future was here, vibrant and loud, but utterly devoid of him. I moved through the crowd, a ghost in my own past, trying to pretend I didn' t see Jax across the room, his arm draped possessively around Cinda. She was laughing, her head thrown back, a picture of manufactured happiness.

My friends, bless their loyal hearts, clustered around me, shielding me from the sight. "Kylie, are you okay?" Maya asked, squeezing my hand. "It's so weird seeing him with her. After everything."

"Yeah," Liam added, his brow furrowed with concern. "I still can't believe he sided with her after the fire. And that whole scene at his house... it was insane."

I just shrugged, a small, sad smile playing on my lips. "It's over, guys. Really over. I'm okay."

"But... you two were inseparable," Chloe said, her voice tinged with nostalgia. "Remember that time at junior prom? You two danced the entire night, like something out of a movie."

"And that romantic dinner at the beach, when he proposed starting the restaurant together," Maya piped in, a wistful note in her voice. "He was so charming, so devoted."

I nodded, a pang of something sharp and cold hitting my chest. "He was," I agreed, my voice flat. "But people change. Or maybe, I just finally saw who he really was."

Just then, his eyes met mine across the crowded room. That familiar, possessive gaze. He lifted his chin slightly, a subtle challenge. Cinda, noticing his attention had shifted, leaned in, whispering something in his ear. He smirked, then leaned down and kissed her, a long, exaggerated kiss designed for an audience of one: me.

A flicker of the old hurt, the old anger, sparked within me. But it quickly died, replaced by a strange sense of detachment. He was trying to provoke me, to elicit a reaction, to prove he still had control. But he didn't. Not anymore. I simply turned away, engaging Chloe in a conversation about her summer plans. It wasn't an act. It was genuine indifference. He was a closed chapter, a faded memory.

I felt his gaze on me, a palpable heat, even as I pretended not to notice. I caught a glimpse of his reflection in a nearby window. His jaw was tight, his eyes narrowed. He looked... confused. Then angry. Good. Let him wonder. Let him burn.

Cinda, ever the opportunist, tugged on his arm, pulling him deeper into a circle of their mutual friends. He seemed to hesitate for a moment, his eyes still on me, before reluctantly following her lead.

The party continued its boisterous rhythm. Someone started a game of Truth or Dare. The energy shifted, lightened. I found myself almost enjoying the moment, surrounded by friends who genuinely cared.

"Okay, Cinda, your turn!" a loud voice boomed. Cinda, preening, spun the bottle. It landed on her. "Truth or Dare?"

"Dare, obviously!" she declared, her eyes sparkling with mischief. She loved to be the center of attention, especially if it involved humiliation.

"I dare you to kiss the most attractive person in this room!" The crowd cheered, a ripple of excitement going through the room.

Cinda's eyes immediately locked onto mine, a predatory glint in them. She walked directly towards me, her smile wide and malicious. I felt an ice-cold dread seep into my veins. She meant to humiliate me, to rub her 'victory' in my face.

She stopped inches from me, her breath smelling sickly sweet. "Well, I guess I have to pick... you, Kylie," she purred, her eyes wide with mock innocence. "Since you're so clearly still obsessed with Jax, and he's my boyfriend now, I'm just going to show you what you're missing." Her hand reached out, grabbing my chin with surprising force, pulling my face towards hers.

The humiliation was a physical ache in my throat. My heart pounded, but I forced myself to stay still, to not give her the satisfaction of a struggle. I looked past her, searching for Jax, a desperate, foolish part of me hoping he would intervene, put a stop to this cruel charade. He was watching, his face unreadable.

"Go on," I said, my voice barely above a whisper, surprisingly steady. "I don't mind. He's all yours anyway." The words, though painful, were true. And the truth had a strange power.

Jax's eyes widened, a flash of something akin to shock. His jaw tightened, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. He looked from me to Cinda, a storm brewing in his gaze. He wasn't expecting my indifference. He was expecting the old Kylie, the one who would crumble, who would fight, who would make a scene.

Cinda, clearly thrown by my calm, hesitated for a split second. But then, urged on by the crowd's expectant murmurs, she leaned in, her lips brushing mine in a quick, pecking kiss. My skin crawled. It was cold and utterly meaningless.

As she pulled back, a triumphant sneer on her face, Jax exploded. He stalked towards us, his eyes blazing, and grabbed Cinda, yanking her away from me. He slammed his lips against hers, a brutal, possessive kiss meant to send a message. He held her face tightly, almost bruising her. It was a kiss of ownership, of defiance, a public spectacle designed to wound. To wound me.

When he finally pulled away, his eyes were still on mine, a challenge in their depths. "See, Kylie?" he snarled, his voice loud enough for everyone to hear, his arm wrapped tightly around Cinda' s waist. "This is what a real kiss feels like. Not like your pathetic little pecks. You never knew how to really kiss me, did you?"

Chapter 3

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