The Heartbreak Club

3. one heart for another

dedicated to inkblack for allowing me to send her loads of hysterical messages about plots that constantly change and offering me the moral support and sanity i cannot find on my own 💕

The founders of the breakup game were an odd pair, drawn together under circumstances that would have repelled anyone else. It all started with Hugo Reed, a self-proclaimed womanizer and also a regular acquaintance of Declan.

When Hugo tricked Florence Eastaughffe, the new girl, into believing he was both single and completely enthralled by her, he expected her to keep silent when she eventually discovered that he had a girlfriend. Especially when that girlfriend happened to be the intimidating head cheerleader, Kelsey Webster.

But, Florence had not kept quiet. In fact, in all her bravery, she confronted Kelsey and told her everything. And instead of biting her head off, Kelsey had directed all of her rage towards Hugo. The two girls became a force to be reckoned with.

And then, at a party shortly after their alliance, when all of their relationship-hating rage was at its peak, they started it all. With Kelsey's popularity and Florence's attention from being the new girl, everyone got involved.

Who knew it would have carried into senior year.

Willa navigated her way to her locker on Tuesday morning through the sea of chatting students. Her mind was so busy circulating around the terrifying idea of seeing Ashton, her supposed boyfriend, that she almost jumped out of her skin when she was Florence waiting for her, her head turned to the grey metal door.

And as she grew closer, she noticed it wasn't the door she was looking at. It was the red-coloured paper stuck to it.

In the past, she might have expected something like this from Declan, a red envelope containing a Valentine's Day card, or a single rose poking from the ventilation holes on their anniversary. But she knew he wouldn't have dared, not anymore.

Willa decided to address Florence first, her fair brows pulled in a frown as she did her best to ignore the object screaming her name. "Um, hey, Flo."

The tall girl smiled in her direction. "Hi, Willa. Looks like your boyfriend's a keeper. This is just so sweet."

Willa's jaw fell agape, and she was sure her face paled as she identified it as a maroon coloured love heart, held in place by a golden ribbon.

"I actually have to get to class, but I wanted to talk to you first."

Willa, still not recovered, turned back to see Flo's dark eyes searching her face in amusement. "Uh, yeah, sure."

"It's about the Game," she said, as if that was enough to convey whatever she was about to say. "It's obviously still on. We checked Ashton out, and his brother's right. He's still in it. It was our slip up."