Ariel glanced over, a flicker of something unreadable crossing her face. Then she leaned in closer to Lucas and said, “You know what, Lucas? You’re really nice. But did you honestly think someone like me would actually be interested in someone like you?”
Ariel’s words hit him like a punch to the gut. His face turned pale as realization dawned on him. This had been a cruel joke all along, a prank at his expense. The room seemed to spin, and the laughter of her friends grew louder, echoing in his ears. Lucas felt his eyes burn with unshed tears, humiliation washing over him in waves.