"He chose the sweetest words to get her heart, and the most poisonous action to break it."

***********

Lilly's POV

At that realization, I felt myself backing away, escaping, shocked at my own thoughts.

The tremor coursing through my heart reminded me of the reason why I was always so scared of this, of him, of the possibility of us and what it could do.

The music stopped and the magic that enveloped the room ever so slowly started to fade away. I immediately wiped away the traitor tear and tried to recover from the drastic beauty of that moment.

"That was great!" I heard Mrs. Garcia's voice, she clapped her hands and came into view just now. Laying her fingers over the piano, she let out a dreamy sigh, "It's exactly what I need for this play, it's perfect!"

Chase got to his feet and she immediately asked, "So, will you offer up this perfect talent of yours for our play?"

He smiled and nodded, "Yeah, sure."

Her smile widened and her eyes shone with gratefulness. Her gaze left Chase and fell on me behind him, "Oh Lilly, you're just on time, come on let's discuss-" I silenced the rest of her words when Chase immediately turned around and his eyes fell on me.

His gaze didn't last for more than a second, "I have to go," He told her, as he grabbed his bag from beside the piano and threw it over his shoulder.

She nodded, "Sure, we'll talk about the details later."

Without uttering another word, he walked away, passing right beside me, his musky scent residing as he left the room, running away. So, I guess we're back into ignoring me. This SOB makes me feel as if I am the guilty one over here.

It's not like he's the one who broke my heart!

"So, Lilly, did you think about what I told you, you know about joining the play and all?" Mrs. Garcia's words grabbed my attention back to her, "I really feel that you'd be perfect for the role and-"

"Is he gonna be in it?" I asked, unintentionally interrupting her words.

"Chase?" She asked and I nodded, "Yup, did you hear the amazing melody he just played?" She excitedly said, "It will fit the script perfectly!"

I smiled, a determined one and I nodded, "Well then, consider me in."

Let's see how you're gonna escape that you little jerk.

Annoying him and making him uncomfortable was always such a blast, not gonna give up on that now.

***********

Next Day...

Today is kind of a big deal for our school.

The final soccer game of the season, and we're playing against none other than our rivals from Berkely-Hall public school. They hate our guts because for two years in a row, we took over them and won.

Today, it'll be three in a row. That's guaranteed. We've got the best players in town, including Zack and Chase.

Due to this most-awaited game, our school is now full with their students, all of which are wearing red shirts with the yellow logo scribbled all over it.

Even their color of choice is as bad as their skills.

"Oh look, it's the little rich kids, the elite group," A sarcastic voice I've came to recognize and hate with a passion had me rolling my eyes in annoyance. Every damn year.

I turned around to meet Kai's eyes as they traveled from me to the rest of the group, "Here is Mr. bling-bling," His eyes were on Zack, using his usual slangs, "And the booshie girls," He added looking at me and Sally, "And the poor boy who could never fit in," He finished his usual insult by looking at Conner.

"Oh wait, you're still missing Mr. golden boy though, where is he?" And by that he definitely meant Chase.

He casually twirled the ball in his hand and added, "Just wanted to wish him and all of you good luck before the game."

Zack stepped forward, his head tilted to the side and his tone was pure mockery, "Dearest Kai, we don't need luck, because as usual, we'll beat your asses down," His hand slammed against Kai's, making the ball fall from his hold but Zack's reflex was fast enough to catch it, a smirk pulled up one corner of his lip, "Just like we do every damn year."

Kai rolled his eyes and Zack pushed the ball into his chest, harsher than he should. Kai groaned and Zack's hand rested over the boy's shoulder. He faked a genuine tone, "So, I will be the one wishing you and your teammates the best of luck."

Kai shrugged his hand away, cursed something at Zack before he stormed away.

"Jerk," Sally mumbled under her breath and crossed her arms over her chest, "He called me a booshie."

I placed my hand over her arm, calming her. Kai's words is something I've got accustomed to over the years. They always come and mock us, calling us the little rich kids, as if it's something we have to be ashamed of.

"I can't believe I used to be friends with that guy," Conner added, shaking his head in disbelief. Before Conner got the scholarship to Westridge Academy here, he used to attend the same school with Kai.

No wonder the boy is bitter about us.

I shook that away and turned to them, "Never-mind him now, are you guys ready for the game?"

Zack threw me a wink before his arm casually went over my shoulder, "Born ready, baby."

Sally's eyes were on Zack's arm around me and she rolled her eyes, totally against any physical contact between the two of us.

"Well, as usual, I won't be joining the game unless someone gets hurts...or dies." Conner added, annoyance flaring within his words, "Just saying, if someone on the team dies today, it doesn't necessarily means I did it."

I quirked an eyebrow at his wicked tone and Zack rolled his eyes at him, "Quit bitching about it man," He said, "Now, if you excuse me, I need to steal Lilly from you guys for a while."

Wait.

Steal who, again?

Sally's eyes widened a bit but before she could interject, I felt Zack's hand pull me away from them. We stopped by my locker and that's when he freed my arm from his hold. I gulped down that anxious feeling and laid my back against the locker as I stared up at him.

"So," I cleared my throat and tried to stir a causal conversation to fill the sudden awkward tension arising, "Big day, huh?"

He nodded, a small smile curving his lips, "In so many ways, I expect it to be a very big day, yeah."

I swallowed hard, a tremble of nerves rushed through me at the closeness, "What..what ways?"

"Well, as a first, I've got to bring my A-game today and win, no matter what, I have to win, because they'll pick up the best player and offer him a full collage football scholarship and I've been working to get that for quite sometime."

I know what you're wondering, why could he after a scholarship. Zack is rich, but only because of uncle Ashton. He is the one who've been supporting him, his little sister and his mother for as quite as I can remember. So, the fact that he's trying to do something for himself and on his own showed me that beyond all the bad-boy facade, there is a responsible guy, and I admired him for that.

My nerves eased down a bit, "You'll do great, I am sure." I said, a small relaxed smile pulling at my lips, "You're the captain of the team, don't forget that."

He nodded, "Yeah," His chest heaved up as he carried on, "And today is a big day because," His hand came beside my head and he pressed his palm against the locker, trapping me, "I think it's finally time for me to get the girl that I want."

I gulped, "Uh-huh."

His gaze flickered to my lips, they lingered there for a couple of seconds before he looked up, "I am so tired of playing around the bush, I want you, Lilly. I like you and I am pretty sure that you know that by now." He said and my heart beat a million shocked beat against my chest. I was not expecting him to be so damn forward about it, "You're no longer with Chase, so I don't see any reason to stop us from taking this step."

There is a million and hundred reasons and they all start with Chase's name.

"Zack, I am not ready, I've just gotten out of-"

"I am gonna stop you right there," He interrupted and shook his head, "Don't rush your answer, take your time and think about it," His hand moved from beside my head and it rested over my cheek, "After the game, you can tell me your decision." His fingers brushed over my skin before he retreated his hand back and gave me a wink.

"Okay?" He asked before he walked away and I couldn't say anything but nod my head. It was a bit too much to wrap my head about. I knew he was flirting, getting closer but I didn't expect him to come forward and actually say the words out loud.

But still, I no longer have any of those type of feelings toward him. To be honest, it feels like I am not capable of having them toward anyone but that SOB. He has ruined me for everyone else.

I really need to get over him.

But this...this is not the right way to do it. Not with Zack, at least. I can't do that, not to me and definitely not to Chase. Unlike him, I won't go around messing with one of his best friends.

The weight over my chest seemed to only double with every passing day. They say time heals everything, and every pain will cease to exist. I am really starting to doubt that. It keeps getting harder. I hate to admit it but...it still hurts. A lot.

But, I still don't know what hurts the most, the fact that I lost him, or that he's chosen another girl over me, or that he didn't even have the audacity to apologize, or maybe that he didn't love me enough to stop himself...or how easy it was for him to hurt me like that.

I pressed my eyes shut and tried to block those thoughts away. It's true I've only cried one time, but that doesn't me it's not eating me up from the inside every single day.

I can't stop this pain from controlling me.

It feels like something is still missing. Something that I need...something like a closure.

I didn't know what was I expecting from this but I walked toward where Zack went, where they're all are now, where Chase is definitely is. In the gym, for their last practice before the game.

My legs pushed me forward and I entered the gym, my eyes wandering around. A couple of the guys on the team were practicing, and throwing the ball around. On the side, some of the students stood and watched.

"Chase!" The worry in Conner's tone alone had me turning around so fast.

I thought Chase could never cause me more pain or hurt than he already did, but this moment proved me wrong.

My eyes widened when I saw the ball slipping away from his hold, how his eyes pressed shut, in pain and his hand clutched into his chest as his body staggered backward. Conner was fast enough and his hand went toward him, letting Chase use him as anchor.

"Everyone back away!" The coach shouted and ran toward him.

Frantically, I looked around, my eyes searching. His bag, I need his bag, it's in there. The inhaler is in it. His bag ,the damn bag, where the hell is it?

My eyes spotted it on one of the bleachers and I ran. I didn't understand how my shaking legs had the power to hold my weight and rush me so fast, maybe it was the adrenaline, or the fear. It had me scurrying away, grabbing the bag and pulling the inhaler from its inside.

Without wasting any time, I pushed my way around the crowd in hurry. Most of them were gathered around him, which had me snapping, "Get away from him!" I shouted, furious at their stupid action. He needs to breathe for god's sake.

I finally reached him, he was sitting down now, Conner's hand still around his arm, the coach still screaming at the others and barking orders, but what infuriated me the most, was Aylin, standing in front of him, blocking all the damn oxygen. Stupid. So damn stupid.

Her hand resting over his shoulder as she bombarded him with stupid questions, "Are you okay?"

He is apparently not okay, for god's sake!

I marched forward, angrily. My fingers wrapped around her wrist, they tightened, pouring all of my anger and hate into the touch. I harshly pushed her hand away from him. She staggered to the side and her eyes widened at my relentless action.

My eyes glared at her, my inside boiling as I shot out, "Stay the hell away from him!"

I immediately focused my attention on only him. I fell into my knees ahead of him, my hand went to his cheek, my fingers rested under his chin, angling his face as I placed the inhaler close to his lips.

His hand came over mine and he inched it to his mouth, his eyes closed as he finally inhaled into it. His chest rasped and my heart stuttered with every breath he took. His finger tightened over my hand and when his eyelids glided open, they fell onto mine and in that little moment, everyone around us seemed to disappear into thin air.

He pulled the inhaler away, his hand never left mine while doing so. My other hand still over his cheek, unable to let go yet.

Thousands of words flashed in the look of his eyes, they fought for a release. Words of sorrow, gratefulness, and so much more.

His chest rose up and fell down, and all I felt was his forehead press up against mine. At the contact, my eyes closed, my fingers brushed against his cheek, "You're okay," I assured myself and finally allowed my lungs to pull the oxygen in, "You're okay," I added over a stuttered whisper and I let that strangled breath out.

Our little small moment was shortly lived as I heard the coach telling me to back away, "Let the nurse do her work," He added as I got to my feet.

Chase stood up as well, "No need, I am fine."

My gaze dropped down and noticed that his hand is still wrapped up around mine, he is also unable to let go yet.

"The hell you're fine!" The coach snapped furiously, "That's it, you won't be joining the game," He turned to Conner, "Walker, you'll be taking Chase's place."

Conner's eyes widened and he screeched, "What?"

"What, no!" Chase interjected, "I am fine, I can still play," He defended and I wanted to object, "Look coach, I've been playing for how many years now, this had never happened, never, so it won't happen again, just le-"

"No kid, you're my responsibility and if anything happens to you on the game field, that's on me." He strictly added, "That's it, you're out for today, Conner will take your place."

Conner turned to me and shook his head, his eyes a bit wide, "I know that I just talked about this, like only a few minutes ago, but I swear, I swear I had nothing to do with this!"

I shook my head at his silliness, "I know."

His gaze went to Chase, his eyebrows pulled together and worry laced his question, "You sure you're okay?"

Chase nodded and just like that, the worry left Conner's gaze and tone, "Great, then now I can go back into not talking with you," He said before he walked away. Everyone else seemed to get back into their own business and I was thankful Aylin was no where in sight at the moment.

Confusion drew lines between my eyebrows and I looked at Chase, "You two are not talking at all?"

His jaw tightened and he nodded. I didn't need to ask why. It was obvious.

I shook that thought away and focused on him and his health, "Why did you have an attack? Did you take your pills and everything?"

He rushed a hand over his face, "Yes, of course I did, I am always extra careful when there is a game."

"Maybe you've exhausted yourself a lot these days." They've been practicing non-stop, this was ought to happen.

He shook his head, "No, every time, every game, it's the same practice, but I've never had an attack before, that's why I don't get what happened today."

"All of a sudden, I just couldn't...couldn't breathe."

My chest tightened at the possibility of this repeating again, "Maybe you need to go check with your doctor," I said, worry eating up at my inside.

He turned his head and looked at me, this time actually looking. His throat bobbed before his gaze dropped down to our intertwined hands. Just till this moment that he seemed to notice that, so he immediately let go of my hand and backed away, again building some distance between us.

"Thank you," He said, referring to the inhaler.

I shook my head, "No matter how much I hate you, I can't see you in any sort of pain." I just wish you'd feel the same, that you'd see the pain I am hardly trying to mask away.

My words seemed to hit a place in him. I wanted it to do so. I wanted him to feel it.

I turned around after, ready to walk away, knowing for sure that this thing, whatever it is, it will never get easier.

It wasn't till I was outside the gym that I felt fingers wrap around my wrist from the back, stopping my movement. A low gasp parted my lips as he turned me around and pulled me with him into the music room, alone and giving us privacy.

When he paused, pained eyes stared into mine and he shook his head, "Don't do this, Lilly, don't look at me like that!"

My eyebrow raised, "Like what?"

"Like I've destroyed everything."

"But you did." You destroyed us.

"Lilly, I thought you were with him, that night, I thought you left with him, it-"

"But, I didn't." I shook my head, "No, instead, I was stupidly waiting around for you, something I never, never thought I'd do; waiting for someone," I bit at the inside of my cheek, "That's the thing, I was sitting there, preparing how to tell you that I am ready, that I will wait for you, that even if you left, I will wait."

He helplessly shook his head, "She said you went with him."

My jaw tightened, "And you believed her, just like that, you didn't even doubt her for a second, you didn't think of trusting me."

He shook his head and his eyes hardened, "How did you expect me to trust you after you kissed him right in front of my eyes."

"You're right," I gave him a broken smile, "Yeah, you're right, like I said, we both screwed up."

I pulled my hand away from his grip, "I am really so tired of arguing with you about the same thing," My eyes narrowed at him, "Didn't you notice that you didn't even apologize, that maybe you don't even regret what happened," My voice raised in frustration, "That you won't put your ego down and admit that what you did was wrong!"

I pushed my hand against his chest, "Tell me, answer me why...why her?!" I finally said what I could never say out loud before, "What does she have that I don't?"

"Because Chase, this...this is what you have done to me." My fist kept pressed against his chest but I didn't hit him, because no matter how much I am angry at him, I still couldn't cause him any physical pain, "You had me doubting myself, you had me crying, thinking was I the problem?"

"Was I..." And the first tear fell again and it had my voice cracking, "Was I missing something that you couldn't love me enough to stop yourself?"

He shook his head, "Lilly, no, no, don't say that," His hand reached for my face and I immediately tried to pull them away, "Aylin meant nothing to me, she means nothing to me, you know that, you know that it's always you, it has always been only you."

"No, no, you're lying," I hiccuped the sob trying to make it out my throat. Why was I crying and breaking down again? Why?

He held my face and wiped the tears away, "I am not, Lilly, I just..." his eyelids glided down and he shook his head, "I don't remember."

When he opened them, I knew he was telling the truth, "I don't remember what happened that night."

"But you woke up next to her, didn't you?" Tears kept streaming down my face, unstoppable, letting out everything I tried to not feel for the past month, "You did, you did and I really...I really can't take it anymore, I don't want it to hurt this much, you changed me into someone so weak and I hate it, I hate it!" I shouted, unable to contain it anymore, "Make me forget you, help me get over you because I can't. I really can't. What we had was so shortly lived yet it's killing me!"

His eyes glazed with the same emotions running down my cheek, "You think it's not killing me too?" He said, his voice thick, "For god's sake, I can't get over you either, I've tried, all these years I tried, but still the thought of losing you hurts more than anything. Even more than the attack itself."

"I can't breathe, Lilly," My heart felt like it might explode, feeling so much at once, it definitely can't handle it, "I can't breathe when you're away, when I am not with you, when I see you like this, when I know that I've fucked up big time."

His chest heaved and I backed away from him, I wanted him to stop, stop talking, stop making it harder.

"You say I didn't love you enough?" He shook his head, and my heart clenched just as tightly as his jaw, "For all these years, I saw you running after Zack, doing everything in your power to get him, I saw it and I had to suck it up, keep it to myself, pretend it didn't affect me, ignore how I've been feeling toward you all along."

"Then, I had you, I finally did and just like that, I lost you all over again."

"You wanna talk about pain, let's," Aggression stirred, simmered in the blue of his eyes, "Lilly, I've been in love with you for as long as I can remember."

"I don't think any pain can measure up to that."

*******************************

Oh, these poor two kids. When will they grow up and understand the whole love game, when?

Anyways, part one of the story will
be over soon, around three chapters (If I am not mistaken, could be more also). Then, the second, more interesting part starts *evil smile*

Also, everyone seems so ready to meet the new guy I wrote about in the teaser, what's your expectations about him?

If you can guess his name, I will give you the whole plot of this story! *evil laughs* because I am sure you won't guess it, it's kind of a common name though xD

A totally random question; have you ever been in love?

See ya next chapter, love ya all!