12. Wrong Turn

His apology had been hollow, a string of words that didn’t align with the truth she saw in his eyes. It wasn’t just the heartbreak—it was the confusion, the annoying sense of dissatisfaction that there was more he wasn’t telling her. But the days that followed brought no clarity, only more pain. Each passing moment seemed designed to torment her. She watched him from afar, surrounded by his friends, laughing, practicing, and carrying on as though nothing had happened. Meanwhile, his absence in her life became a suffocating weight. Memories of their shared moments haunted her mercilessly. Rose knew she was in love—deep, unshakable love—and moving on felt like an impossible task. But what clawed at her most wasn’t just the heartbreak; it was the senselessness of it all. His explanation didn’t add up. Something about his words felt rehearsed, distant, as though he were building a wall between them. Deep down, she was certain that Jayden’s eyes had told a different story that night. They h