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Jackie's POV

I was falling for Lucas or I have already fallen for Lucas Hamilton.

I didn't know when or how but I knew what these feelings I'd been having the moment he kissed me last night. The way his soft lips had molded so tenderly yet so roughly with mine had put meaning to what I felt for him. Since I realized I had feelings for him, I have not been myself.

I had even woken up with a heavy feeling in my heart because I didn't know how to hold my feelings for him. To the point that I had planned on leaving the house on time before he woke up which had ruined.

When I saw Lucas, hair scattered, lips plump and sleep still in his eyes, my feelings for him flowed through my body times two and all I had done was act differently in front of him. I didn't want him or anyone knowing I had feelings for him.

I snapped out of my thoughts when the taxi stopped. I paid the man and got out then pulled out my phone. I called Maddy and she picked up.

"I'm here," I said, looking around the rows of stores in front of me.

"Come into the coffee shop," Maddy said and I spotted it.

I ended the call and walked toward the coffee shop then made my way inside. I spotted Maddy sitting at the table at the center of the place then I smiled as I walked over to her.

"Hi," I said and sat down opposite her. She smiled back a little and looked down at her hands. She didn't look too good. "Are you okay? You know, I was surprised that you came back earlier. The school doesn't start until November at least for two weeks which isn't necessary for you to come back. Since the Christmas break is coming afterward."

Maddy sighed and played with the tips of her long nails. She shrugged her shoulders and drummed her fingers on the table.

"Are you okay, Maddy?" I asked and she shook her head.

"I don't know what to feel, Jackie," Maddy said.

"Did something bad happen?" I was worried because it was unlike Maddy to behave this way.

"I... Clark," she said and I got scared in that instant.

I had not told Maddy about Clark kissing me. I hated being a bad person and I felt like the villain in her love story. I was messed up for choosing money over her relationship and exposing how much of a cheater Clark was.

"We broke up," she said and I gasped.

"What? Why? Did something happen?"

Maddy scoffed. "I found out that Clark was cheating on me."

I gulped and avoided her eyes, afraid to see the hate in her eyes if she always knows about the incident.

"I caught him with another girl at a bar. Well, a friend of his that I know has been telling me how unfaithful he is and took me to a bar where I saw him making out with a girl. I feel so heartbroken because I trusted him and loved him."

"Clark cheated on you?"

"I know, right? It's hard to believe it. I can't believe I trusted him. I should have listened to my guts when it told me not to be with him. I should have and now, I'm heartbroken," Maddy said in a cracked voice.

I felt sad when I saw tears in her eyes. I opened my mouth to sympathize with her and reveal what had happened but her phone cut me off.

"Excuse me," Maddy said and left the table.

"Oh, my God. What am I going to do? God, how do I tell her Clark kissed me without losing my job? I've made only a few amounts that can only buy my books. How can I tell Maddy without losing my job?"

"Hey, Jackie?"

I rose from my seat and faced Maddy who was busy putting her phone in her bag.

"I have to go. I need to meet up with someone right now and it's urgent."

"Will you be fine?" I asked and she smiled at me.

"I will be... I've been meaning to leave the relationship anyway. I guess, he wasn't the one for me. Besides, I think I should enjoy my life as a single girl, who knows? I might find the man of my dreams. I feel he's close," Maddy said and sighed. "Sorry for calling you here only for me to leave in a short time."

I shrugged. "Nah, don't worry. I'm free today."

"Alright. I'll text you if we need to hang out later today. Bye!"

With that, Maddy left me to my raging conscience. I groaned and sat down, rubbing my face.

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I arrived back at the house and dropped my bag on the couch then walked to the kitchen when I noticed that Lucas wasn't home, which was a relief for me as I was not ready to be in the same room with him.

I grabbed an apple and bit out of it. I was bored and needed something to do. I remembered I needed to check my results online but I had to use a laptop and I didn't have one.

I needed to check if I did well because I doubt I did from all the stress I went through during my first year. It made me wish I had my parent's support. If I had their support, I would have enjoyed my life in school. At this point, I was growing up too fast and I was only eighteen years old, turning nineteen soon. Life was hard.

As I crossed over to the living room, I heard a knock on the front door and the sound of it opening and closing. I was backing the door so I stiffened, knowing it was Lucas. I felt so shy around him now that I had feelings for him.

I took a deep breath and tightened my hold on the apple then slowly turned around, only to freeze from shock.

"Huh," Andrea said.