CHAPTER 2

Davina's POV 

I couldn't stay there any longer. And the laughter still rang in my ears as I grabbed my things and hurried out of the cafeteria. My hands clenched around my notebook, the pages slightly crumpled from how tightly I was holding it.

I felt like my chest was about to burst open from the embarrassment. How could I have let that happen?

Shannon humiliated me in front of the entire school, and I just stood there, frozen, like a complete idiot.

I bit the inside of my cheek—hard and willing the burning in my eyes to hide away. Crying over this would just make me feel even more pathetic.

I needed to find Casper and Jules.

They were supposed to join me at the table. They had said they would. But when I looked around during dinner, they weren't there. I had sat alone, surrounded by couples and humiliated, while my best friends were nowhere to be found.

The halls were mostly empty now, only a few students lingering by their lockers. My sneakers scuffed against the tile floor as I made my way toward the exit. I tried calling Casper, but it went straight to voicemail. I didn't even bother trying Jules—she never answered her phone.

They were probably already at Jules’s place. The three of us had planned to meet there tonight, since her parents would be running late and might not even come home at all. It wasn't anything fancy—just a small get-together to celebrate my birthday. No big parties, no loud music, just us. That was how it has always been. 

I hugged my arms around myself as I stepped outside, the cool evening air brushing against my skin. It was the best I could do… since I had never received a hug from any guy.

The walk to Jules' house wasn't long. She and Casper were my neighbors, which was probably the only reason we became friends in the first place. I wasn't exactly the type of person who attracted friendships easily.

By the time I reached her porch, I could easily see the warm glow of the living room lights through the window. But my stomach twisted. ‘Would they even care about what happened tonight?’

I didn't bother knocking—I just pushed open the door and walked inside.

Casper was sprawled out on the couch, one of his legs hanging over the armrest, tossing a bag of popcorn in the air and trying but failing to catch it in his mouth. Jules sat cross-legged on the floor, flipping through a magazine, her brows furrowed in concentration.

They looked completely at ease. Like nothing had happened. Like I haven't just been publicly humiliated while they were nowhere to be found.

I dropped my bag onto the floor with a loud thud. “So, you two just decided to ditch me?”

Casper jolted, nearly choking on a piece of popcorn. He sat up, his eyes wide. “Whoa, hold on—ditch you? What?”

Jules's head snapped up. “Davina?”

I crossed my arms. “You said you'd join me at the table.” 

Casper exchanged a quick glance with Jules before looking back at me. “We got caught up trying to prepare for your birthday. Trying to surprise you and by the time we were done, the time was already against us.”

Jules stood up, smoothing her hands over her jeans. “We didn't ditch you… you should know that.”

I swallowed as my throat felt tight. ‘So they hadn't ditched me on purpose’. That should have made me feel better. But somehow, it didn't.

I let out a shady breath and dropped onto the couch beside Casper, hugging a pillow to my chest. “Well, while you two were preparing for my birthday, I was getting publicly humiliated.”

Casper and Jules stiffened.

“What happened?” Jules asked softly.

I gave them the short version. “Shannon happened.”

Casper winced. “Oof. That's brutal.”

“I'm so sorry, Davina,” Jules said, her face full of guilt. “We should have been there.”

I shrugged, pretending it didn't bother me as much as it did. “It wouldn't have changed anything. It's whatever.”

But it wasn't. It wasn't whatever. It hurts. A lot.

Jules practically sprinted to the kitchen, her ponytail bouncing as she grabbed the dishes from the counter. She held them close, almost protectively, not letting me see what was inside.

“Not yet,” she said with mischievous glint in her eyes, as if this was some grand surprise.

I raised an eyebrow. “Is it something alive? Because if a raccoon jumps out of there, I'll seek justice.”

She rolled her eyes but didn't respond, setting the dishes on the dining table without opening them. I had no clue what they had planned but knowing Jules and her love for a dramatic flair, it could be anything. 

Before I could ask, Casper bolted past her, nearly knocking over a chair in his rush. He carried a small white box with careful precision, his tongue slightly sticking out as he concentrated. He placed it gently—almost ceremoniously—on the center table before stepping back. His hands rested on his hips like he had just delivered something scared.

I leaned forward, catching the faint scent of vanilla and frosting. “Tell me that's cake and not some weird science experiment.”

Casper smirked. “It's a cake. But now that you mention it. I kinda wished we had gone with the experiment idea.”

Jules, ever the responsible one, gave him a playful shove. “Just light the candle already.”

Casper grabbed a lighter and flicked it open. The small flame danced as he touched it to the single candle stuck in the middle of the cake. I stared at the tiny flame, feeling a weird lump forming in my throat.

“Make a wish,” Jules prompted.

I inhaled deeply and closed my eyes.

Please, universe. Give me a boyfriend. A well-deserving one. A fitted guy with six-packs.

The wish felt ridiculous even as I thought it. I opened my eyes and blew out the candle. Both Casper and Jules clapped.

“Alright, cake time!” Casper carried a knife in her hand, ready to use it on the cake.

But I wasn't thinking about cake. I was thinking about saving my dignity. Before I could second-guess myself, I turned to Casper.

“Be my fake boyfriend.”

He blinked, mid-reach for a knife. “What?”

“You heard me.” I sat up straighter, gripping my knees. “Casper, be my fake boyfriend.”

Jules and Casper exchanged glances, clearly unsure whether to laugh or take me seriously. Casper flicked his eyes and stared at me.

“Uh…” he scratched the back of his neck, looking about as uncomfortable as someone being interrogated. “You feeling okay, Davina?”

I groaned, rubbing my temples. “I'm dead serious. Shannon humiliated me in front of everyone. I need to bounce back. And what better way than to have a boyfriend?” I paused, then added, “a fake one, obviously.”

Casper let out a low whistle. “Damn. She really got under your skin, huh?”

I shot him a look. “Are you going to help me or not?”

He hesitated. For the first time. Casper hesitated.

Casper—my best friend who has gone along with every stupid idea I'd ever had. The guy who once pretended to be my long-lost twin just to get me out of gym class. So why was he hesitating now?

I narrowed my eyes. “Why are you acting weird?”

Jules shifted uncomfortably beside him as she bit her lip, looking down at the floor. Something was off.

Then, Casper dropped the bomb.

“Because… Jules and I are dating.”

At that moment. There was silence. A complete silence. A deafening one. 

The words barely registered at first. I blinked, my brain short-circuiting. Did I hear that right?

“You're what?” My voice cracked.

Jules finally spoke, her tone careful, like she was stepping on glass. “We were going to tell you. We just—”

“Wait. Since when?” I interrupted.

Casper exhaled. “A couple of months.”

A couple of months.

I gasped. All this time. I had been completely clueless. My two best friends—**the only friends I had—**had been sneaking around behind my back, keeping this huge secret from me, and I never noticed. I've been left out to deal with my problems.

I let out a sharp, humorless laugh. “Wow. So I don't really matter in the first place, right?”

“Davina, it's not like that—”

“But it is, though, isn't it?” I stood up abruptly, the chair scraping against the floor. “You guys didn't tell me because you didn't want to tell me. You were waiting for… what? The perfect moment?”

“Davina please,” Jules pleaded. “We didn't want to hurt you.”

“Yeah, well, mission failed.” I nodded. “You weren't just preparing for my birthday. You guys were making out. Wow.”

Casper sighed. “Look, if this is about the boyfriend thing, we can still–” he trailed off as Jules tapped him on his lap.

“I thought as much… She won't allow it, right because she's your girlfriend and she wouldn't just allow you to touch me anyhow. Would she?” I snapped. “Just forget it.”

The air in the room felt strange. I didn't care about the cake nor the dishes anymore. I needed to get out of there. I turned on my heel, grabbing my bag. Jules reached for my arm but I pulled away before she could touch me.

“Just… enjoy the cake.” I mumbled before walking out the door.