Maybe if you hadn’t slept with Tad while Chase was at football practice—

You tell him, girl!!

POV: watching someone throw a tantrum in the comments while her ex takes a pic with someone new in a swanky celebrity resort—

—I’d dumped my girlfriend too if it could give me that glow up—

Chase snatches his phone back, red-faced. “Didn’t give you permission to look,” he snaps angrily.

“I didn’t mean to—”

His phone lights up again, brighter this time. Someone named Cheating Bitch is calling.

Chase hits the Reject button hurriedly, his face turning even more scarlet. “It’s my ex,” he mutters. “She’s been doing this almost nonstop since I got here.”

“You haven’t blocked her number?”

“I don’t want to. I don’t want her thinking she’s won.”

I’m not sure what he thinks his ex would win from doing that, but I stay quiet. After a moment, he groans aloud, running a hand through his hair.

“Blocking her wouldn’t have done much unless I blocked her and half the school on all my socials, too. That’s what she is—a cheating bitch. Turns out she slept with someone on the football team—one of my friends—for almost two months, and I found out only a week ago—on the last day of class.”

“Why is she calling?”

“Probably to apologize and swear she didn’t mean to do it. Like our relationship still means something to her. But I bet she’s only calling because I posted that picture. I implied that I met someone else, but it wasn’t because I wanted her back or anything. I just—I don’t know. I wanted to make her mad.”

“Why did you say you were at a glamorous beach resort?”

He looked embarrassed. “It sounded better than some boring film set with no one else but suits for company, you know? And I can’t back down now. They won’t let me live it down.” He cleared his throat. “Look. I know you have no reason to help me. I’ll understand if you say no. But could you get her off my case, at least for tonight? Just, you know—there’s not many people my age on set, only Melissa and you. You don’t mind if I post a photo of us hanging out or something?”

“Why?”

“Why?” he echoed. “Because it’s what everyone else is doing. And pretending for a little while lets everything die down until they move on to some other gossip.”

“Is this really what you want?”

He pauses. Hangs his head. “No. I don’t.”

As if on cue, the phone vibrates again. Cheating Bitch.

Chase shoots me a pleading look. “Just for a couple of days?”

I sigh. It’s not like his friends would ever meet me. “Okay.”

“Yes! Thank you. I owe you a billion.” Chase pushes a button, his voice now stern. “For the last time, Riley, go away. I don’t want to talk to you.”

“Chase,” the girl on the video responds, pleading. She’s an attractive blonde with clear blue eyes and a dimple on one cheek. “Let me explain. I’m sorry; I know I fucked up. I swear Tad didn’t mean anything. You mean everything to me. I—”