Fake Dating My Ex's Hockey Star Brother (Maya Scott) novel Chapter 166

ALLISON’S POV

Home sweet home. I breathe out as Katy pushes the door open, my eyes landing on our cramped little room I used to complain about all the time. Turns out, after being stuck in a hospital for two weeks, this place is kind of perfect.

“I’ve missed this place,” I say, dropping onto the couch and letting the snack bag slide from my hands. “I’m never talking trash about our tiny corner again.”

She chuckles, shaking her head. “You don’t know what you have until you lose it. Come on, let’s go to my room.”

I hesitate for a second before pushing myself up. I can’t tell if she’s been extra clingy because she actually missed me or because Mom asked her to keep an eye on me. Probably the second one.

Things have been weird since the hospital.

After my last clash with Mom, after I threw Dad’s cheating in her face, which was selfish, she’s been distant. Really distant. She only showed up when the doctors came around, stood there quietly, and then left. She barely said a word to me either.

Honestly, it was kind of refreshing to not be criticized for existing. So when I overheard her telling Katy to make sure I didn’t miss out on notes or classes, I was surprised.

I take off my shoes and slump onto Katy’s bed, dragging her pillow under my head. “Ughhh. I feel like an elephant,” I mumble. “I need a nap.”

“You can nap with me.” She starts stripping out of her clothes, kicking her shoes off into a corner. My eyes drift to the mess on the floor: her worn sneakers tossed on top of each other, and clothes half-folded. She’s the complete opposite of Justin, who lines his shoes up by color.

Talking about Justin-like he promised, he didn’t stay away. He showed up every chance he got, like it was some kind of personal mission, and honestly, I couldn’t even complain. I liked it. Way more than I should’ve. Having him around made the hospital less…hospital-y.

“Alls,” Katy says, plopping down beside me and turning so our eyes meet. “Did you and your mom have an argument?”

I blink at her.

“Don’t even think about lying,” she adds, her tone judgmental as if I’m a chronic liar.

I smile, trying to play it cool. “How did you know? Was she badmouthing me or something?”

She shakes her head, reaching out to brush a strand of hair from my face, her finger lingering on my chin. “No… I just noticed she got distant. Did you say something mean to her? I think she was really hurt.”

I exhale, running my tongue over my lips. “She was mean to me first.”

Her brows knit. “What happened?”

And now I freeze, because…how do I even start? Do I tell her everything that happened with Sean?

For a few seconds, we just stare at each other, and feel my throat strain with all the words I haven’t said. I know I can’t keep her in the dark forever, but spilling it now doesn’t feel…right.

There’s no right time, Allie.

I bite the inside of my cheek, staring at Katy’s concerned eyes. “It’s about Sean.”

“Oh,” she says, her expression softening. “About the brakes right?”

I shake my head. “It’s not about that…” My throat tightens. “I have something to tell you, but promise me you won’t freak out or get mad.”

“I don’t think I can get mad at you now,” she says, smiling. “Shoot.”

My lips part, then snap shut again. My brain feels like it’s on strike, refusing to give me the words to explain just how badly Sean screwed me over.

I take a shaky breath, counting to ten in my head, and then the words tumble out before I can overthink them. “Sean… cheated. He… sent my nudes to his friend group… and he even tried to set me up with Josh. I thought I could tell my mom about it but she didn’t even let me start before blaming me for dating Sean.”

My chest rises and falls as the words leave me, and for a moment, silence takes over. I watch Katy’s eyes darken, her jaw tightening. “What?”

Her eyes stay locked on me, the anger in them growing by the second, and it makes my chest ache. “He… cheated…”

“I heard you the first time,” she snaps, then scoffs, shaking her head. “I’m trying to wrap my head around it and it feels like my skull is getting crushed.”

“It’s already happened, so…”

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