Filed to story: Katy and Brayden Cooper Novel
“I’ll come with you,” she says, slinging an arm around my shoulder. “And you don’t have to worry. It’s totally normal to kiss a guy you don’t have feelings for and still enjoy it. I mean, it’s Braydon.
KATY’S POV!
No one tells you the cost of being popular until you actually are and then it hits you like a hangover you didn’t sign up for. Everyone wants a piece of you, and suddenly, you can’t even breathe without someone knowing.
Take me, for example. I’ve been avoiding Braydon since last night. It’s not like something tragic happened between us, but… let’s just say I lost control a little.
Yes, I kissed him. Because of Bryan. But somehow, it turned into something that had absolutely nothing to do with Bryan and everything to do with him. And now I can’t even look at him without replaying it in my head like some embarrassing movie trailer.
Still, because of the whole party buzz and people suddenly talking about me nonstop, Braydon somehow knows my every move.
HIM: Where are you? We need to talk.
ME: I’m busy.
HIM: Doing what?
ME: Something important.
A few minutes later, my phone buzzes again.
HIM: Sends a photo.
I open it and freeze. It’s me, sitting on a bench at the quad, mid-bite into my sandwich.
HIM: You don’t look that busy to me.
My head snaps up. I scan the area, but he’s nowhere in sight and my heart starts doing weird gymnastics. How did he get this photo?
Then like he’s reading my mind, another text pops up.
HIM: You’re so popular now. I can get a live update of your location anytime.
Great.
I grit my teeth and let out a long breath. This is infuriating. Braydon’s officially on my nerves and under my skin. I shove what’s left of my sandwich into my bag and take off before he somehow materializes out of thin air.
Thanks to him, I’m heading to debate practice earlier than usual. But maybe it’s a good thing because I can use the extra time to read up on the Blackrock Grant. Zhao Lan probably already has a full presentation and color-coded notes about it and I refuse to let him beat me just because I’ve been too distracted by Braydon.
As I round the corner to the debate hall…..
“I prefer Katy with Bryan.” a voice says.
I stop mid-step and ease back against the wall slowly, my heart thudding in my chest. Miley and Sam, both from the debate team, are standing by the notice board, talking like it’s national gossip hour.
“Yeah,” Sam says, flipping her hair. “She’s totally switched up since Braydon started showing interest. She used to be chill, now she’s just… everywhere.”
I swallow hard, heat rising to my neck. It’s one thing for random people to talk about me, but them?
That stings.
“I heard Bryan cheated on her,” Miley says, and my stomach drop’s so fast it almost hits the floor.
How the hell did they find out?
My brain flashes back to that stupid truth or dare at the party, and I groan quietly. Great. One game and now my life’s public property.
“Is that why she’s dating his brother?” Sam asks. “I didn’t think she was that crazy.”
“I know, right? Passing herself between two brothers is disgusting,” Miley says.
I flinch like she slapped me.
“Well, they’re stepbrothers,” Sam adds, lowering her voice a little,
“Still doesn’t change anything,” Miley replies. “And Braydon’s way worse than Bryan. She’ll make a fool out of herself soon.”
My hands curl into fists at my sides.
“I can’t wait,” Sam says, almost gleefully. “She always acts like she’s perfect.”
I swallow hard, my throat tight with anger. Who are they to talk about me like that? Who gave them permission to pick apart my choices? Bryan cheats, and somehow I’m the one everyone’s dissecting? The double standard burns. I’m the victim, but he gets to walk around smiling like the sun still shines for him.
And these girls, my own teammates, are not even on my side.
I inhale sharply and march up to them before my courage decides to bail. The moment Miley spots me coming, her eyes widen and she nudges Sam. Both of them spin around, plastering the fakest smiles I’ve ever seen.
“Hey, Katy!” they chorus like they’ve rehearsed it.
“That cardigan is so pretty,” Miley adds, her voice a little too sweet.
I roll my eyes. “Such sweet words for someone you were just gossiping about.”
Their smiles falter and Miley’s lips part, but no sound comes out. Sam blinks rapidly, trying to recover.
“Us?” Sam stammers. “We weren’t-“
“I heard everything,” I cut in, staring at both of them.
They exchange a quick glance, one of those silent, what do we do now looks before they both straighten their backs like they’ve suddenly found confidence.
“We would’ve still said those things to your face,” Miley says, forcing a shrug. “So technically, it wasn’t gossiping.”
I let out a dry laugh. “Oh, that’s what you tell yourselves? To justify your disgusting pretense?”
Sam crosses her arms. “You don’t have any right to eavesdrop on our conversation and then blast us for it.”
My eyes narrow. “I don’t have a right to eavesdrop? On a conversation about me?”
“It wasn’t entirely about you,” Miley says with a little shrug that makes me want to scream. “We were majorly talking about Bryan and Braydon. We only mentioned you when we said Bryan’s better than Braydon.”