Fake Dating My Ex's Hockey Star Brother (Maya Scott) novel Chapter 151

ALLISON’S POV

“I love your hair,” a girl says as she walks past with her friend.

I blush and thank her, my fingers brushing over it out of habit. That makes three people since I left the salon, which should feel nice. And it does. If I knew it was going to be like this, maybe I would’ve actually told my hairdresser how good she did or at least smiled more. Now, I regret not being nicer to her.

But yeah, that isn’t the only thing I regret.

I regret not confronting Josh last night. I regret letting him talk to me like that and then just backing down because I was too tired, too overwhelmed, too done to deal with another problem. There’s only so much I can take on at once, and last night, it was too much for me.

And now,

I’m mad, like genuinely pissed. I’ve been angry since the moment I opened my eyes this morning, grabbed my phone, and saw nothing. There were no new messages, not from Sean or even from… Justin.

I mean, think about it. He’s supposed to text me, right? At least something, or an apology. He could’ve even asked if I got home safely with Katy. Anything.

And Sean? I left my car with him and he couldn’t even text about that. What kind of boyfriend does that? But somehow, he still found the energy to text me after class asking to borrow my car to go see his mum. Maybe that’s what I deserve for kissing another guy.

As I reach the front of my dorm, I glance down at my phone, already knowing there’s nothing there. It’s barely eight p.m. and I somehow have no one and nothing waiting for me. Jessy’s also busy, and honestly, I don’t even want to be in a bar right now or anywhere loud or social or full of people asking if I’m okay when I clearly am not.

I’m just about to walk inside when someone steps directly into my path.

“O sweet mother Mary!” I gasp, stumbling back and almost losing my balance until hands grab me and pull me upright.

“You should be more careful as you walk,” Justin says, eyes locked on mine.

My chest is pounding, my heart doing that ridiculous flutter thing it always does around him. And for a second I can’t even breathe properly because just seeing him…just being this close to him pulls everything I’ve been trying to shove down right back up, hitting me square in the chest. I jerk my gaze away because I cannot, I cannot, look at those lips again.

“What are you doing here?” I manage to ask, stepping back to create some space, though it’s pointless because he’s still too close and my body doesn’t seem to care about the space at all.

“You ask me that all the time,” he responds. “What about…how are you? Or, I don’t know, how have you been?”

“I saw you…” I start, my words catching halfway. “You look…perfectly fine to me.”

“I do?” He tilts his head slowly. “Then why did you run last night?”

Panic hits me, and I glance around because gossip spreads fast at Cadston, and that kiss is definitely not something I want Katy or anyone finding out about.

“We can’t talk about that here, anyone can see or hear us,” I reply. “Plus… shouldn’t I also ask why you didn’t chase after me?”

He steps closer, and I instinctively take a step back. “Katy’s in her room, and I already checked around. No one’s here. We can talk under the tree.”

I square my shoulders. “I have nothing to-”

Before I can finish, he grabs my wrist, tugging me toward the side of the parking lot where a big tree stands.

“Let me go,” I yank my hand free and hug myself, trying to create some space. “There could be snakes in this tree.”

“Then we better talk fast,” he responds, not backing down.

Great. I probably shouldn’t have wished he’d text me. Now that he’s right here, I can’t even find my tongue.

“You seem to regret our kiss,” he says.

He stares at me like he didn’t expect that, and I catch a flicker of… fear?

“Allison, he’s not good enough for you,” he finally says.

My stomach drops, not just at his words, but because part of me has been dreading this. The little voice I’ve been ignoring in my head whispers: maybe this is what he’s always thought about Sean. I’ve seen it in the way he looked at Sean with disdain and then at me with pity. Is this… pity? Is that why he’s doing all this?

I clench my fists. “You don’t know anything about him. You don’t know anything about my relationship, so I don’t need your opinion.”

“Do you even know how he talks about you?” he asks, disappointment cutting through his voice. “Everyone in Cadston knows Sean’s no good for you. Why can’t you see it?”

“Everyone or just you?” I snap. “Maybe you’re the one making up rumors because no one has ever said a damn thing to me!”

“And why would they?” he shoots back. “Who should know your boyfriend better than you, Allison? Who?”

“Exactly! I know him better than anyone!”

“You don’t,” he exhales, shaking his head. “Not for a single day did he ever deserve you. He’s a mess. He makes you shrink yourself just to be with him, he doesn’t make you happy and on top of everything, all he does is sexualize you. Tell me, when was the last time he took you out on a date? When was the last time he even came to one of your plays or asked what you actually like?”

His questions hit me like arrows, straight to the heart and I don’t even know why they hurt so much. It’s like I’m trapped in a box with no way out. I stagger back, clutching my chest.

“You can’t answer because I bet it’s been all about sex. You also planned the anniversary getaway, didn’t you?” he asks, stepping closer. “You’ve been with him for two years and I get it, breaking up isn’t easy but you need to, Allison. Because I’m not sorry for what I did last night.”

I tilt my head, staring into his eyes, and all I see is truth. Nothing but truth and determination, staring back at me. I know he means every word he just said, I know he’s not the type to bluff. And suddenly, my confidence crumbles.

So I do what I’ve never done in my life: I run from saying what’s in my mind. Even as Justin calls my name, even as his voice reaches for me, I don’t stop running.