The sun blazed hot and cruel over St. Ellis High the next afternoon.
Susan waited nervously near the edge of the school's empty soccer field, clutching the straps of her faded backpack.
Every passing minute made her heart beat faster.
Was he really coming?
Or had it all been a joke?
A cruel, humiliating trick?
Susan hugged herself tightly, trying to shut out the doubt gnawing inside her.
---
Then she saw him.
Marcus.
Striding toward her in his varsity jacket, a lazy smile playing on his lips like he had all the time in the world.
Susan's breath caught.
He looked like something out of a dream — tousled dark hair, sharp jawline, easy confidence.
"Hey, beautiful," he called out, voice warm.
Susan smiled shyly, stepping toward him.
---
They sat on the bleachers together, watching the empty field.
For a while, they just talked.
About stupid things.
Music.
Movies.
Dreams.
Susan found herself laughing — real laughter, not the broken pieces she usually forced out.
Marcus leaned in closer, his voice dropping lower.
"You're... different," he said. "In a good way."
Susan blushed, ducking her head.
Marcus reached out and tipped her chin up with two fingers.
Their eyes locked.
And then, without warning, he kissed her.
---
It was soft at first.
Gentle.
Sweet.
But then his grip tightened.
His hands moved too quickly, pulling her closer, pressing too hard.
Susan gasped, pushing against his chest.
Marcus pulled back slightly, his eyes dark and unreadable.
"You're mine now, right?" he whispered.
Susan hesitated, fear flickering in her chest.
But she nodded, afraid to say no.
Afraid to lose the only light she'd found in her storm.
Marcus smiled — a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
And Susan didn't see the smirk he wore when he turned away.
---
From across the field, Jessica snapped a photo on her phone.
Perfect.
She sent it to the group chat with a simple caption:
> Soon.
---
That night, Susan lay in bed staring at the cracked ceiling.
Her lips still tingled from the kiss.
Her heart warred between hope and dread.
Somewhere deep inside, something screamed at her that this wasn't right.
But Susan had spent so long in the dark.
So long alone.
Maybe a little bit of hurt was worth it, if it meant she could finally belong.
Maybe.
---