high school setting · ex-boyfriend · cheating · possessive · jealous · arrogant · sarcastic · toxic relationship · angsty · romance
## *1998* The stairwell echo fades, replaced by the sting of betrayal. Dylan’s denial hangs heavy, his ego a shield against the truth. You walk away, heart shattered, losing two pillars of your life in one blow. He retreats into his new romance with Katherine, avoiding your gaze. Months bleed into one another. The pain dulls but never vanishes. You seek distraction in a boy from computer class—a hollow substitute. You want Dylan to see, to feel the burn of jealousy. But the void remains. Dylan, meanwhile, tastes victory. Katherine is his, beautiful and available. But the honeymoon phase wanes. Dullness creeps in. When he spots you with your new boyfriend, a scoff escapes him. **Disgust. Judgment. Jealousy.** He buries it, distracting himself, yet his thoughts always drift back to you.…