Monday mornings at school were usually the same—loud hallways, girls dragging their lockers open, boys shouting across the corridors like they lived in a stadium. I blended in quietly, hugging my books to my chest and trying to avoid being seen.
But today… today I felt different.
Today I had a necklace around my neck that James Adams bought for me.
James—the boy who hadn't spoken to me since the incident a month ago.
James—the boy who suddenly became gentle on my birthday.
James—the boy who looked at me on the roof like he was seeing something new.
My fingers kept brushing the silver moon pendant. It felt warm. Exciting. Dangerous.
I wanted to tell someone.
I needed to tell someone.
So I went to find my best friend.
---
I spotted Chloe near our classroom door, leaning on her locker and adjusting her lip gloss. Her curly hair bounced around her cheeks, her glasses sitting delicately on her nose. She looked up immediately.
"There you are!" she said. "Birthday girl—wait no, birthday woman. How does eighteen feel?"
"Strange," I said honestly.
"Tell me everything," she demanded, grabbing my arm and pulling me into the empty art room.
The moment the door closed, she folded her arms dramatically.
"Okay, spill. I want full details. Start talking, Lizzy."
I inhaled shakily. "Liam and Dad gave me gifts."
"Obviously. But that's not why you're smiling like you swallowed a star. What happened?"
I looked down at the necklace.
Her eyes widened.
"Wait… that's NEW."
She grabbed my shoulders. "Who bought you that?"
I whispered,
"James."
Her jaw dropped.
"James… as in your brother's playboy best friend James?"
"Yes."
"As in tall, arrogant, troublemaker James?"
"Yes."
"As in the one you accidentally saw naked—"
"CHLOE!" I clapped a hand over her mouth. "Lower your voice!"
She pried my hand away. "Okay, okay! Tell me before I explode."
So I told her.
Everything.
The awkward moment.
The pacing.
The whispering.
The necklace.
The way he looked at me before leaving the roof.
Chloe's eyes softened. "Lizzy… I think he might like you."
My heart fluttered. "You think so?"
"I mean… that necklace is expensive. And thoughtful. And the fact that he even bought it—"
Before she could finish, someone shoved the door open.
It was Jenna Davis, one of the gossip queens of the school, her arms full of textbooks. She looked at us suspiciously.
"Oh. Didn't know this room was taken."
Then she glanced at my necklace.
"Cute pendant."
"Thanks," I said quietly.
She shrugged and left.
Chloe watched the door close, then leaned close again.
"I stand by what I said. He likes you. Or something is definitely going on."
I didn't want to smile too much, but a warm bubble formed in my chest.
James Adams… liked me?
Me?
The introverted, chubby girl no one in school paid attention to?
It felt unreal.
But that dream lasted exactly
four minutes.
Because that was how long it took for Chloe's smile to fade as she scrolled through her phone.
"Wait," she whispered.
Her whole face changed.
"Lizzy… don't get excited yet."
My heart dropped.
"What?"
She swallowed. "James… he has a new girlfriend."
My entire body went cold.
"What?"
Chloe slowly turned her phone toward me.
There it was.
A Twitter post from Ariana Blake—the prettiest, curviest, most popular girl in the final year. The post showed her wearing a necklace. Not the same design, but unmistakably from the same brand.
The caption read:
"Birthday gift from him 💕
He knows my style."
Comments exploded with hearts, flames, people asking if she and James were official.
My throat tightened.
"But… but my birthday was Saturday."
Chloe nodded. "I know."
"And… and Ariana's birthday was Saturday too."
Chloe whispered, "Yes."
"And… he bought… both our necklaces… on the same day?"
Chloe hesitated.
Then nodded.
The warm bubble inside me popped instantly.
My breath shook.
My hand clutched the necklace as if it hurt me.
"So… he didn't buy it because he liked me," I whispered.
Chloe looked away. "He probably bought hers first."
My stomach twisted painfully.
"He just… saw mine too and picked it up as a quick gift. Because he didn't want things to feel awkward. That's all he said."
"Lizzy…"
"So it meant nothing," I whispered.
"You don't know that."
"Chloe," I said, tears burning my eyes, "he gave me the SAME DAY gift he gave to his girlfriend."
She pulled me into a hug.
I shook my head, feeling stupid.
So stupid.
"I thought… I thought maybe things were changing."
"I know."
"But I was wrong," I choked. "He doesn't feel anything for me."
"He might," Chloe whispered.
"No," I said, wiping my eyes harshly.
"He made it clear."
The bell rang loudly in the hallway.
Students filled the corridor.
Voices. Laughter.
Normal life continuing while my heart cracked open.
Chloe squeezed my hand. "Do you want to go home?"
"No."
I straightened. "I'm fine."
I wasn't.
Because at that exact moment, I saw them.
James and Liam walking down the hallway like kings of the school.
Liam laughing loudly.
James wearing that confident smirk.
But then I saw her.
Ariana Blake.
She walked behind James, then stepped beside him, tugged his sleeve, and whispered:
"Thanks again… for the necklace."
He smiled down at her.
My heart didn't break.
It shattered.
James looked up.
Saw me.
Our eyes met.
For one second…
His smirk faded.
His face softened—almost guilty.
But I looked away.
Quickly.
Painfully.
I turned to Chloe and whispered,
"It's just a gift.
That's all it was."
We walked into our classroom.
And for the first time in my school life…
I wished I hadn't told my best friend.
I wished I hadn't worn the necklace.
I wished I hadn't seen James on my birthday.
Because the truth was now clear:
James Adams_didn't like me.i know.
He never did.
He never will.
And that hurt more than I expected.
---