The next morning, the campus was eerie and quiet.
Thick fog clung to the ground, swirling around my ankles as I dragged my two suitcases toward the main gate.
I was almost free.
"Leaving so soon?"
Catalina blocked the path. She was wearing a hoodie—Jax’s hoodie. The very one I had bought him for Christmas.
"Get out of my way, Catalina," I said, gripping the handle of my suitcase until my knuckles turned white.
"You're pathetic," she spat, stepping closer into my personal space. She held up her wrist. "Look familiar?"
It was a silver bracelet with a heart charm. The exact same one Jax had given me for our first anniversary. The one I thought was unique. Special.
"He bought them in bulk," she laughed, a cruel, sharp sound. "Buy one, get one free. I got mine first, by the way."
Something snapped inside me. A tether finally breaking.
"I don't care. You can have him. You can have the bracelet. You can have the lies. I'm done."
"You don't get to be done until I say so!"
She shoved me. Hard.
I wasn't expecting it. I stumbled backward, my heels catching on the slick, wet grass. I fell back, sliding down the muddy bank and plunging into the campus pond.
The water was paralyzing. It shocked the air out of my lungs instantly. I thrashed, my heavy coat acting like an anchor, pulling me down into the muck.
"Help!" I gasped, swallowing foul, algae-tasting water.
"Jax!" Catalina screamed, her voice shrill and perfectly terrified. "Help! She pushed me!"
I saw him running from the parking lot. He must have been waiting for her nearby.
I was struggling to keep my head above water. My legs were tangled in the dense reeds.
"Jax!" I choked out.
He reached the bank. He looked at me, struggling in the deep water. Then he looked at Catalina, who was standing perfectly dry on the grass, clutching her "injured" arm.
"Cat!" He rushed to her, ignoring my splashes. "Are you okay?"
"She tried to drown me!" Catalina sobbed, burying her face in his chest.
Jax turned to me, his face twisted in disgust. "Stay away from her!"
He wrapped his arm around Catalina and walked her away.
I stopped struggling. I treaded water in the stunned silence. He left me. He had actually left me in the pond.
I dragged myself out of the mud, clawing at the grassy bank. I was shivering, covered in slime, my clothes ruined. But I was alive.
I walked to the administration building, leaving a trail of muddy water on the pristine marble floor. I signed the withdrawal papers with a shaking hand.
"Are you okay, dear?" the registrar asked, eyes wide with concern.
"I have never been better," I said.
I changed into dry clothes in the sanctuary of the gym bathroom. I threw my muddy coat in the trash.
As I walked to the taxi stand, I saw Jax. He was coming out of the infirmary, looking frantic. He spotted me with my suitcases.
"Eliana!" He ran over. "Where are you going? Cat said you attacked her."
I looked at him. Really looked at him. He was a stranger. A ghost of someone I used to know.
"I'm going to visit my parents for the weekend," I lied. My voice was smooth, devoid of any tremor. "I need some space."
He looked relieved. "Oh. Okay. Good. Take a few days. Cool off. We can talk when you get back. I'll smooth things over with Cat."
"Sure," I said.
"I love you," he said. It was automatic. Rote. Meaningless.
"Goodbye, Jax."
I got into the taxi. I didn't look back as the car pulled away.
An hour later, as I sat at the airport gate, my phone buzzed. A notification from the campus radio station's Instagram popped up.
A photo of Catalina and Jax kissing.
Caption: *Finally official. Thank you to the people who stepped aside so true love could win.*
I blocked the account. I blocked his number. I blocked Mason. I blocked them all.
I boarded the plane. As the wheels lifted off the runway, I felt the heavy weight on my chest lift with them.
I wasn't Eliana the girlfriend anymore. I was just Eliana. And that was more than enough.
