COURTNEY's POV

I love you.

How could these three words be so difficult to say when I had said it so many times in my life? Maybe it has something to do with the person I was about to say it to?

And how much these words meant.

"Make a wish and blow your candles before it ran out." He said in a soft tone. His breath tickled on my skin that left a shiver down my spine.

Hesitantly, I pulled myself out of that embrace and looked at him. He was staring at me with that heart-stopping smile on his face.

You already made my wish come true by coming here.

I wanted to say it out loud, but my lips were stuck in a wide grin as I stared back at him. Funny that with just one look, this guy could make me feel a million feelings I haven't felt before. He could make my heart race faster than the speed of light, and slower at the same time.

How he'd made me sound so poetic was beyond me.

Tearing my gaze away from him, I blew out the candles. Silently thanking the divine above for sending this human being in front of me to fix my deluded-perfect-life.

This was probably the best birthday I ever had.

I guess him coming in late was a blessing in disguise. This could be a perfect opportunity for us to talk, and who knows? This could finally be the day I summoned all the courage I have in me to confess my feeling for him.

But then again, would I be ready for his answers? His rejection?

Based on his actions for the past few days, I was so certain that I shouldn't expect him to feel the same way as I did. But would it really hurt to try? Or even to assume that he at least like me, even a bit? But then again, would it matter?

As of this moment, no matter what his answer would be, I just wanted this strong feeling to get off my chest. That would be enough, I guess.

Oh how the mighty has fallen.

Gone was the girl who was so certain and confident that she could make any guy fall for her. Actually, I didn't care about any guy. I just wanted Chad, but it was indeed too much to ask. How could someone so vile and mean like me deserve someone so gentle and sweet?

"So..." I started, there were too much words that wanted to come out of my mouth, that it was so difficult where to begin. "What's the flavour of the cake?"

I almost kick myself for being a coward and asked the thing that wasn't even in my list.

What happened to how you've been? What have you been up to lately? Why did you suddenly stop talking to me? Why you haven't been to our secret place? And, why do I feel that you're keeping your distance from me?

Well, I guess a part of me didn't want to ruin what was happening at this very moment when both of us were looking so happy, and me being so contented that he was here.

Maybe for me, that was enough for me.

A hearty contagious laugh escaped his lips, but before he could even answer my question, he was already interrupted by someone who called out his name.

"Chad."

I turned around to see the owner of the voice. He looked quite familiar that I swore I had seen him before.

An obvious confusion crossed my face when I saw him glaring at me in a manner that as if I had done something so horrible to him. His strides were slow, and his cold stare left me wondering about this unusual behavior of his.

"Jackson." Chad blurted out without any hint of surprise, as if he was expecting him to come. "Courtney, this is my friend, Jackson." Chad introduced him the moment he reached his side.

"Best friend." Jackson corrected.

Best friend? I didn't know Chad has a best friend. A relief washed over my face when I knew who this person was. I was so ecstatic to meet him! Of course a friend of his is a friend of mine as well!

"Hi, Jackson. It's nice to meet you." I extended my hand to greet him in my friendliest manner, but only to be left hanging. Bewildered with the fact that he purposely ignored my greetings, I pulled my hand away and just gave him a small smile.

He quirked his brow up and sneered. "Funny how you're acting so friendly to me now when before, you don't even have the decency to shake my hand back."

"Jackson." Chad's voice was controlled, but commanding. It was as if he knew the reason why this Jackson was being like this to me, but not having any of it. There was a tension for a brief moment, but Jackson backed down right away.

Jackson's statement made me wonder if I had done something so bad for him to despise me like this. Did I bully him before? Did the football team made fun of him?

With this brief interaction, a realization dawned into me. Did I do something so bad to Jackson that made Chad thought differently of me now? Once you get on the best friend's bad side, you're doomed forever.

But the problem would be, I couldn't put my finger into what I had done with him. I wasn't even sure what I did so wrongly for him to act this way. Yes, given that I had seen him before but no recollection of it, I wasn't so sure if that had left a traumatising effect to him!

"We have to go." Chad announcement made me out of my reverie. I wanted to protest, insist that he should stay because there were a lot of things I wanted to ask him, but there was something about Jackson that made me think otherwise.

I knew no matter what, he wouldn't leave. He wouldn't give me the chance to be alone with Chad. Not today, not now.

"Happy Birthday again, Courtney." Chad said with a smile as he hand me the cake. "That's strawberry short cake. I hope you will like it." I took the cake from him and thanked him for dropping by and for the effort.

He didn't make an elaborative response, he simply nodded and started walking away with his friend.

Chad didn't turn around like what I had hoped he would do, he just carried on walking away, while his friend, Jackson, looked back quickly to give me his final glare.

I wanted to be mad at him for ruining this day for me, for screwing that one chance I have with Chad. I wanted to tell him he was so rude, but then again, who was I to talk? I didn't even remember the guy.

And knowing the old me, I must have done something so unforgivable to him that this action of his was already a given.

I guess no matter how much you want to change to be a better person, it's still not enough. All the horrible things you've done to people before wouldn't go without paying off the price, and that's how karma works.

It will get you no matter what.

* * * * * 

The girls visited me the next day, to help me open the tons of presents I received from the people at school from yesterday's party. But if I was being honest, they were here mostly for the scoop and the cake.

All of them rushed to my place when I told them that Chad showed up last night with a cake.

"This cake is so good!"

"It is so unbelievably good!"

"I can't believe a guy can even bake!"

"You must have done something honorable in your past life to deserve great things like this!"

They've been gushing over this for a while now, what they didn't know is, I haven't told them the whole story that has transpired last night yet. I left out the part where Jackson arrived and how it changed the mood, and the potential confession that I was about to make.

"What's with the long face?" Terry asked the moment she finished the final piece of her cake. The rest of the girls turned to me and waited for my answer.

"Do anyone of you know Jackson? Apparently he is Chad's best friend."

Their lack of response surprised me. I kind of expected them to know him, especially Terry since she was the one who has lots of connections, and also for a fact that she knew the dirty secrets of half of the people in our school.

"What about him?" Lucy inquired, waiting for me to elaborate it further like the other girls.

I looked at them one-by-one, all were waiting intently. I furrowed my brows and told them the feeling that was bugging me up to this moment. "Last night, it seems like he hates me. Loathes me even." I added the last one with conviction.

"That's impossible, Court. Nobody hates you, everyone likes you!"

"Loves you even, especially after inviting everyone last night to your party."

"Yeah, one of the many comments in school portal even suggests that they should crown you as the prom queen now!"

Fiona, Jenny, and Terry said in a way to debunk my theory about Jackson, and assure me that it wasn't the case. I almost dropped the subject, but then my attention zeroed in to Lucy.

She was deeply engaged on her phone as she was chewing her lips. I knew that expression very well, and if my hunch were right, she would be my key to this Jackson mystery.

"I found him." Lucy announced proudly.

Before I could even force her to spill out the things that she found out about him, she was already on her feet--ready to leave. "Give me three days tops, Court. Consider this as my birthday gift."

"Don't yo u dare threaten or bully him." I reminded Lucy

"Oh please. Like I could even..." Lucy responded with a quick laugh before she turned her attention back to me. "I can't promise that." I was about to protest, but she already left not without giving me her devious wink.

Lucy was a charmer. While Terry's expertise was blackmailing, Lucy could make one confess without breaking any sweat. She was like a siren, she could lure any man with her soft voice and charisma.

I was almost afraid of the things she could do to Jackson, and the danger that this could lead into something worse. But then again, I thought to myself, it's better her than Terry right?

I just have to trust the process.

I do hope that Lucy would give the answers that I needed before it's too late because at this very moment, I was so convinced that Jackson's behaviour has something to do with Chad's sudden avoidance towards me.

The sooner I know, the sooner I'd finally let these feelings out of my chest.

I'm counting on you, Lucy. 

-- END OF CHAPTER 33 --

Hello, TeamGeek! Sorry for the late upload. I got so busy with my holiday with family and fell ill as well when I came back to work. But despite all this, one thing is for sure, you wouldn't have to wait for years again for a chapter to be uploaded. It will come in again once a week.

Soon, this story will be uploaded in my Patreon account with at least 3 Chapters ahead and twice weekly update. Don't worry, this will still be available in wattpad for free with once weekly update. More stories will be uploaded there that I have been working on for the past few months. Hopefully you will support it as well like how you have supported me here. 

Thank you again for your wonderful comments, they inspire me to write more! Love you all my teamgeeks :)