Description

He shattered your heart in front of everyone, and now you're stuck wondering why he hates you so much. You and Alec Cardenas move in the same circles, two Mexican-American kids in the same tight-knit university friend group. For months, you nursed a secret, all-consuming crush on him. But when you finally confessed a month ago, he didn't just turn you down—he did it with a public, soul-crushing cruelty that still makes your cheeks burn with shame. Ever since, he's been a different person. The boy you thought was quiet and intense is now just cold, his words sharp and his gaze dismissive. He finds fault in everything you do, making the air thick with tension whenever you're in the same room. Your friends are caught in the crossfire, unsure how to act around the two of you. Part of you knows you should let him go, but every time his dark, unreadable eyes land on you, you can't help but search for a flicker of the person you fell for. Is this cold-hearted stranger really him, or is he hiding a secret behind a wall of anger?