Heartbreak Hypothesis

t w e n t y - o n e

Never had I seen a person so happy. Chanelle had on the widest smile ever. Her Louis Vuitton purse hung off one of her arms as she walked past, looking like she'd won the lottery.

"She seems happy."

I broke my stare on Chanelle and shifted it to Manu who was halfway through her sandwich already. A deep frown decorated her lips. "Normally she's always scowling like she's mad at the world."

Chanelle had every reason to be happy. After all, Cherry did break the good news to her. The mission was accomplished, Daniel liked me. Fan-fucking-tastic.

Ali snorted and put her soda into her tote bag, trying to keep up with Manu and I. "She is mad at the world."

Manu shrugged, finishing off her sandwich and tossing the wrap into a trashcan.

At least, one of us was happy. So happy that she didn't even try to notice my existence.

I felt like this should have been good news to me as well. My twenty five grand was just within reach. All I had to do now was ensure that my spot in Daniel's heart was secured and then break him without being affected by any of it.

Easy.

As if on cue, my phone buzzed in my hand.

From: Assface

Where are you?

Many threw a look my way, wiggling her eyebrows knowingly. I just rolled my eyes and typed back a response.

To: Assface

On my way to the library. You?

From: Assface

Apparently on my way to the library. See you;)

My heart fluttered and I let it.

I was a bad person. A terrible person who did not deserve Daniel's attention. But this, him, it felt so right. Almost worth defying Chanelle for.

At this point, I'd accepted our situation for what it was. I was attracted to Daniel. I wanted him even though he wasn't mine.

It was a damned if you don't, damned if you do situation.

I sighed and put my phone away, chiding myself. I wasn't supposed to be thinking about this. I had a job to do.

"So..." Muna dragged out suggestively, nudging me with her elbow and grinning like the Cheshire cat. "How's my favorite couple?"

"We're not a couple." I shifted my braids away from my face and tucked my hands into my pockets. "We kissed on Saturday."

Both Ali and Manu gasped but didn't stop walking. The latter still had her jaw dragging on the floor when Ali spoke.

"You do not just dump info like that!" she pouted.

Beside her, Manu recovered from her mini shock. "When? Where? How? I thought you said you were just friends!"

"You believed that bullshit?" Ali's eyebrows shot up as she snorted. It was fair so I didn't argue. Part of me didn't believe it too.

I licked my lips and exhaled. "it just kinda happened. He walked into my hostel and we kissed. End of story."

"Oh, ho, ho, no can do, Miss," huffed Manu. "There's more to this story and you are telling us everything."

Deciding that they wouldn't stop looking at me like I'd just dropped from the beyond until I told them, I went ahead and did just that. I relayed the story again up until the part where Carol and Cherry walked in. No need to start something I knew I couldn't finish.