"I DON'T... I DON'T UNDERSTAND."

That was all Adelaide could utter out. She never thought that a game would lead to the elucidation of their breakup. Yet, there she was, gaping at Drew, struggling to comprehend the fact that he's in a PR stunt relationship. Of course, the signs were all there. But Adelaide hadn't wanted to assume things. Truth be told, Amaya and Drew's chemistry was unmatched compared to theirs. They looked good together.

Adelaide brushed off her thoughts and brought her attention back to Drew.

He was looking down at his hand, playing with the golden ring on his finger. "I wanted to tell you, Addie. I really did. I just... I-"

"2 minutes!"

It was clear in Drew's countenance that he was annoyed by Rudy's interruption; his nose flared and the muscles on his jaw clenched. If it were under different circumstances, Adelaide would've melt unto the ground because of the way he exuded hotness in that particular manner.

After a millisecond, Drew finally looks back at Adelaide and said, "I just want to let you know that... letting you go was the hardest thing I've ever had to do."

"Then why did you?" She couldn't help but ask.

Silence filled the air between them. Drew was taken aback by her question, clearly not anticipating it. He didn't know how to answer that without making her feel like she wasn't important to him.

"Why did you?" She repeats. "We were together for 2 years, Drew." The knot in his stomach tightens as he watches a tear escape her eye. "And you gave up on us." Adelaide hastily wipes away the tear before looking away.

"I'm sorry." He whispered. "I-I did what I thought was right. I knew how much she meant to you, Addie. You were friends even before... we happened." He looks down, ashamed by his pathetic excuse.

"You didn't think you meant that much to me?"

Drew paused, ruminating on what she said.

"I cared about you, Drew." Adelaide muttered. "I... I still do." She finally admits.

Drew continued to stay silent, fixedly looking at her. He wanted to comfort her, and reassure her that he was going to fix everything. But the longer he looked at her, the gultier he felt and embarrassed about what he did. All he could do was apologize over and over again, and it still wouldn't be enough. At least, not for him.

"I'm really sorry that I hurt you, Addie." He swallows the lump in his throat. "I want to make it up to you. Let me make it up to you."

Adelaide's heart tugged at that. "It's fine. You don't have to. I just... I need time to figure out what I want." She finally replies after a short while.

Drew nodded, satisfied that she didn't defied his offer. "I'd give you all the time in the world."

Adelaide breathes out a sigh of relief and nodded at him.

"30 seconds!"

Drew clears his throat, "I'm sorry about what I said back out there." When he saw the confused look on her face, he adds, "The one where I said you can't cheat the game... it made you uncomfortable."

"Oh," she whispers. "It's fine."

Drew pauses for a moment, "Guess I'll see you around, yeah?" He offers a small smile.

"Yeah, see you." Adelaide smiles softly.

♡ 𝗅𝗂𝗄𝖾𝖽 𝖻𝗒 anaaliese 𝖺𝗇𝖽 990,728 others

adelaide happy birthday jacs 😙 #2019
𝖳𝖠𝖦𝖦𝖤𝖣: @hichasestokes

𝗏𝗂𝖾𝗐 𝖺𝗅𝗅 𝖼𝗈𝗆𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍𝗌

user1 OH MYGOSH I REMEMBER THIS PIC

⤷ user2 THIS WAS FROM 2019 RIGHT???
⤷ user1 YES

user3 HAPPY BDAY CHASE ❤️

user4 HBD BABY @hichasestokes 😚

user5 chase looks the same

user6 fetus addie 🥺

anaaliese HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHASE

⤷ hichasestokes im unfriending you
⤷ anaaliese IM SORRY PLS FORGIVE ME
⤷ user7 😭

user8 addie looks different and chase looks the same 💀

madelyncline cute

user9 HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHASE YOU ARE AN AMAZING ACTOR. THANK YOU FOR EXISTING ☝🏻

⤷ user10 u should thank his dad for not pulling out
⤷ user11 i-
⤷ user12 😭

drewstarkey 𝗅𝗂𝗄𝖾𝖽 adelaide'𝗌 𝗉𝗈𝗌𝗍.

iMessage
𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐕𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

participants:
𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘶𝘦𝘳 ⇢ ❪ sis 🙄 ❫
𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘶𝘦𝘳 ⇢ ❪ barbie 💗 ❫

sis 🙄
ana

sis 🙄
ana

sis 🙄
ana

sis 🙄
ANA

barbie 💗
WHAT

barbie 💗
speak now

barbie 💗
i'm rewatching the originals

barbie 💗
stop nagging me

sis 🙄
you know how i told you that
i've already moved on from him

barbie 💗
which him?

sis 🙄
YOU KNOW WHO

barbie 💗
voldemort? GASP

sis 🙄
UR NOT FUNNY

barbie 💗
jk

barbie 💗
don't be such a sourwolf

sis 🙄
so

sis 🙄
i may or may not have
lied to you about that...

barbie 💗
I FUCKIG KNEW IT

barbie 💗
RUDY OWES ME 50 BUCKS

barbie 💗
💃🏻

sis 🙄
i-

sis 🙄
ANA

sis 🙄
I LITERALLY SAT IN A BATHROOM
WITH MY EX FOR 10 AGONIZING
MINUTES AND I FOUND OUT THAT
HIS RELATIONSHIP IS A DUCKING
PUBLICITY STUNT

sis 🙄
AND NOW I FANT STOP THINKING
ABOUT IT AND IM SO FUCKED

sis 🙄
AND YOU JUST BET ON ME TO
CONFESS MY TRUE FEELINGS???

barbie 💗
WAIT

barbie 💗
WHAT???

barbie 💗
???

barbie 💗
OH WOW

barbie 💗
THATS....

barbie 💗
I HAVE NO WORDS

sis 🙄
IDK WHAT TO DO

sis 🙄
OH GOD HE'S LOOKING AT ME
RN AND MY HEART WONT STOP
BEATING LIKE CRAZY I FUCKING
HATE MYSELF

barbie 💗
NO UR RIGHT UR FUCKED BYE

sis 🙄
I HATE YOU 😭

"ADDIE."

Adelaide whips her head toward the direction of the voice and raised a brow. "Why are you typing so aggressively, dude? Who hurt you?" Rudy made a face. "Chill." She only rolled her eyes at him before pocketing her phone.

"You know he hasn't stopped looking at you since you left the bathroom, right?" Upon seeing the troubled look on Adelaide's face, his smirk grows even wider. "Care to share what happened?"

"Stop." Adelaide grumbles, not wanting to reminisce.

They were all just chilling in Madelyn's living room, clearly bored out of their minds. It was already past midnight, and most of them had already gone home. Chase had apologized to them for the party which was an epic fail, but they were still grateful that they all spent his birthday together.

"Hey," Madison nudged her. "Let's go?"

After bidding goodbye to the others and embracing Chase, the three of them - Adelaide, Madison, and Mariah - finally head home. Mariah had a plane to catch in the morning which was why they had to get home early so that she could rest and prepare.

"You okay back there, Addie?" Mariah asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She replied with a smile.

Except she wasn't fine at all.

It's all a stunt, Addie.
It's all a stunt, Addie.
It's all a stunt, Addie.

Drew's words kept replaying in her mind. She didn't really understand why he did what he did. Sure, Amaya was a good friend of hers, but if she were to be completely honest, she would have chosen Drew over her.

That was how much he meant to her.

As soon as Adelaide arrived home, she did her skincare routine and finally changed into comfortable clothes. She plopped herself unto her bed and looked up at the ceiling. With the ceaseless thoughts and voices in her mind, she couldn't seem to fall asleep.

Then, seemingly on cue, her phone vibrated from the nightstand, signalling a notification.

drewstarkey
hey. message me when you
get home so I know you're safe 🤗

Adelaide's stomach fluttered in excitement. Her thumbs hover over the screen, thinking about what to reply and trying to contain the squeal that was longing to come out of her throat.

adelaide
safe.

She couldn't help but giggle at her reply and bit her lip, waiting for the three dots to stop moving.

drewstarkey
good night, beautiful

Adelaide plopped face down unto her pillow and screamed.

What are you doing to me, Drew?

ೄྀ࿐ 𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑'𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄 ˊˎ-

HI OMGG I FINALLY UPDATED LMAO

it's been almost a month and a half since
chapter fifteen but here ya gooo ;)

ily guys!! don't forget to vote & comment,
i love reading them it makes me happy <33