Chapter 250: I want to date Dylan.
Ava’s jaw clenched as she bit down on her lip to keep from shouting. The truth was, jealousy burned fiercely in her, knotting her stomach and clouding her thoughts. She never imagined that one day she might have to guard her love from her best friend.
Lola’s gaze softened but remained defiant. "I think you’re holding onto the past too tightly. Maybe it’s time to let go."
Ava felt her heart twist painfully. "If you even think about him, you won’t be my friend anymore," she warned. "Stay away from him."
"Uh..." Lola’s breathing hitched, her expression morphing from shock to disbelief. Her jaw hung open for a moment before she narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing Ava with a piercing gaze. "You’d throw away years of friendship just because I want to date Dylan?"
She paused, her mind working through the situation. "You are not upset because you are worried about me." Her tone turned accusatory. "You are jealous—one hundred percent jealous. You still love him, don’t you?" She tugged at her arm and exclaimed, "Why are you pretending as if you don’t like him?"
Ava flinched, her facade cracking. She tugged her arm free and turned her face away. "I—I... It’s not like that. I’m just worried about you. I don’t want you to get hurt." Her lips pressed into a tight pout, but her eyes betrayed the storm of emotions she was trying to suppress.
"Oh, really?" Lola could see through her pretense. ’You are a terrible liar, Ava,’ she thought smugly. ’Let’s see how long you can keep this up.’
"Don’t worry about me," Lola said aloud as she forced a wide grin. "I can handle myself. Even if he flirts with me and moves on, I won’t mind. Honestly, just being the girlfriend of someone as handsome and successful as Dylan feels like a privilege." Her eyes sparkled with feigned innocence, but the undertone of challenge was unmistakable.
Ava’s heart clenched as she watched Lola’s dreamy expression, feeling as though the ground beneath her was slipping away. She wished she could knock her head.