Disguised As A Boy To Attend Belmont High School
Chapter 177: Have I Lost Him Forever?

Chapter 177: Have I Lost Him Forever?

Noticing the curious stares of passing students, Lucas frowned and gently took Olive’s hand. "Come on, let’s go somewhere private," he murmured, leading her away from the crowd.

He led her to the swimming pool, locking the door behind them before turning to face her. His hands rested gently on her shoulders as his worried gaze searched hers. "Now tell me, sweetie. What’s wrong? Why are you crying?"

Olive met his gaze, hastily wiping her tears away with trembling hands. "Uhm... I think we should stay away from each other," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Lucas blinked, confused by her words. A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips, though it did little to mask his concern. "What are you saying?" he asked softly. "I know you’re upset right now, and that’s probably why you’re saying this. I’ll let you be for now and won’t press for answers. But whenever you’re ready to talk, I’m here, okay?" He gave her a warm, reassuring smile.

"I’m not joking, Lucas," Olive said, her voice firmer now, though her eyes glistened with fresh tears. "We need to stay away from each other. I mean it. I don’t want to see you, and I need you to act like you don’t see or know me either."

Lucas’s expression darkened, the smirk disappearing as her words sank in. "Olive," he said, his tone more serious. "If something’s wrong, just tell me, and I’ll fix it. If I’ve done something to hurt you, I’m sorry, truly. But I don’t understand why you’re pushing me away like this." His hands tightened slightly on her shoulders, his voice filled with frustration and worry.

"You didn’t do anything," Olive replied, her voice breaking. "It’s not you, Lucas. It’s me. I shouldn’t have agreed to date you in the first place. I shouldn’t have gotten involved with the 3RM. I should’ve known my place." Her words came out in a rush, and her eyes refused to meet his, focusing instead on the ground.

Lucas’s brow furrowed as he stared at her, utterly puzzled and hurt. "What are you talking about, Olive? Stop this nonsense," he pleaded.

"Let’s break up," she said suddenly, her words cutting through the air like a blade. She swallowed hard, forcing herself to meet his eyes. "I got close to you because you’re the school heir, Lucas. I don’t love you. I never loved you. I only cared about the money. The gifts you gave me, the money you sent, they were enough. I don’t want to keep using you anymore."

Lucas took a step back as if her words had physically struck him. His eyes searched hers, desperate for any sign that she was lying. "Are you serious right now?" he asked, his voice barely audible. "You’re telling me everything between us was a lie? That you never loved me? All the moments we shared...they meant nothing to you?"

"Yes," Olive said, though her voice trembled despite her effort to keep it steady. "You don’t honestly think I could fall in love with someone like you, do you? It’s impossible."

Lucas let out a bitter laugh, his hands falling to his sides. "You’re lying," he said, shaking his head. "I don’t believe a word you’re saying. Is this about Anabella? Did she say something to you? Even if she did, none of this makes sense."

"Leave Anabella out of this," Olive snapped, her voice cracking. She turned away, trying to hide the tears streaming down her face. "Just go, Lucas. Walk away and pretend I never existed."

Lucas stood there, his fists clenched at his sides, his jaw tight with emotion. "You’re really enjoying this, aren’t you?" he asked, his voice low and trembling. "Watching me get hurt, watching me try to make sense of this...is that fun for you?"

Olive turned back to him, her eyes blazing. "I’m not enjoying anything," she said fiercely. "I’m being realistic. We come from different worlds, Lucas. It’s time we stopped pretending this could ever work."

"Different worlds?" Lucas repeated, his voice rising. "You didn’t care about our ’different worlds’ when we were together, when we were happy. So what changed, Olive? What’s really going on?"

Olive took a deep breath, forcing herself to remain composed. "What changed is that I need to focus on my future," she said coldly. "And being with you is holding me back."

Lucas stared at her, his face a mixture of pain and disbelief. "You’re lying to me, Olive," he said quietly. "But fine. If this is what you want, I’ll give you the space you’re asking for. But don’t expect me to just forget about us. I’m not walking away because I don’t care. I’m walking away because I care too much to keep fighting you on this."

With that, he turned and walked to the door, his footsteps heavy with heartbreak.

Olive stood frozen in place, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. As the door clicked shut behind him, she finally let out a shuddering sob, knowing she’d just shattered both their hearts. But she had no choice. Anabella’s threat loomed over her future like a dark cloud, and she couldn’t afford to take the risk. She had to survive the next few weeks, no matter how much it hurt.

She stared at the rippling water of the pool, biting her lip to keep from crying. She had hurt him deeply and part of her wanted to run after him, to take it all back. But she knew she couldn’t. She had made her choice. Now she had to live with it.

______________

The moon hung high in the night sky, its pale glow illuminating the quiet grounds of Belmont Academy. Olive stood by the large window overlooking the swimming pool, her arms wrapped around herself as the cold seeped into her skin.

The memory of her argument with Lucas earlier that afternoon played over and over in her mind, like a broken record she couldn’t turn off.

The school was silent, as still as a graveyard, with only the faint rustle of the wind disturbing the peace. It was well past midnight, and most students had been asleep for hours.

She sighed heavily, her breath fogging up the glass. "Judging by the fact that Lara, Mark, and Aiden didn’t come to confront me, it seems Lucas hasn’t told them anything," she murmured.

Her voice sounded hollow in the empty space, and she hugged herself tighter. "Did I really hurt him that much? Did I make a mistake? Have I lost him forever?" Her whispered words carried the weight of her uncertainty, and a single tear escaped, rolling down her cheek.

She wiped it away quickly, shaking her head as though trying to rid herself of the emotions threatening to overwhelm her. Slowly, she turned and walked out of the pool area, her footsteps echoing softly in the stillness.

When she reached her dorm, it was empty...Lucas wasn’t there. Without even changing out of her clothes, she climbed into bed and pulled the blanket over herself. She closed her eyes, hoping sleep would claim her quickly.

"Maybe I’ll wake up and find that this was all just a bad dream," she whispered to the darkness. But deep down, she knew it wasn’t.

___________

The next day arrived at Belmont Academy, the campus buzzing with activity as students gathered for the morning assembly. Afterward, everyone dispersed to their classrooms, settling in for revision exercises in preparation for exams.

Olive sat at her desk, staring blankly at the open textbook in front of her. The words blurred together, her mind unable to focus.

"What’s going on with you and Lucas?" Lara’s voice came from behind, soft but tinged with concern. "We greeted you both this morning, but neither of you responded. We thought maybe you went on a date yesterday since you disappeared after lunch. But now..." She trailed off, her voice barely above a whisper.

Olive turned slightly in her seat, her eyes flicking to Lucas, who was sitting beside her. His gaze was fixed on his own textbook, but the pages were upside down. It was clear he wasn’t reading, his clenched jaw and tense shoulders revealed the storm of emotions brewing within him.

"It’s nothing, Lara," Olive said finally, her voice heavy with exhaustion. She sighed and turned her attention back to her book, even though she wasn’t absorbing any of the material.

Before Lara could press further, the classroom door opened, and Mr. James strode in. The chatter in the room ceased instantly as the teacher’s voice boomed, "Good morning, students. We have a new addition to our class."

All heads turned as a tall, dark-skinned boy stepped into the room. He had short, curly black hair and tattoos running along his forearms. His piercing green eyes sparkled with a hint of mischief, and his athletic build was evident beneath his crisp uniform. In his hand, he held a basketball, twirling it absentmindedly.

"Please introduce yourself to the class," Mr. James prompted with a nod.

The boy stepped forward, flashing a dazzling smile that revealed deep dimples. The girls in the class collectively leaned forward, their interest palpable.

"Oh my goodness, he’s so hot!" one girl whispered excitedly.

"I have to talk to him," another murmured, her eyes wide.

The boy’s voice was smooth and confident as he said, "Hi, everyone. My name’s Ethan Blaze. I’m a transfer student. My family relocated here recently, and I’ll be finishing my senior year with you all. Looking forward to getting to know everyone."

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