Chapter 19: Mending Broken Hearts

Alison's POV

I stumbled back to my room, every step heavy, my chest aching as if I’d taken a direct blow. I had never felt such a sharp, unrelenting pain before. The moment I’d walked into Xander’s office, I’d been frozen, seeing Caitlyn’s hands draped around him and her lips pressed against his. Even worse, I’d seen the shock on his face, but it hadn’t mattered. That image was now burned into my mind. It felt like deja vu.

When I reached my room, I shut the door with a thud and slid down against it, my body trembling. I wrapped my arms around myself, clutching tightly, as if holding myself together could somehow stop the pain. Everything we’d shared these past few days, the trust that had been growing between us... it felt fragile now, on the verge of shattering.

A knock sounded against the wood, quiet but firm. My heart clenched as I heard his voice.

“Alison, please. Open up. I need to talk to you.”

I bit down on my lip, anger and hurt twisting in my chest. “Go away, Xander. Just..