Ximena's POV
I forced my lips into a smile so rigid it felt like it might crack my face in half.
The hallway buzzed with typical Monday morning energy - metal lockers crashing shut, students calling out weekend stories, rubber soles squeaking against polished floors.
Any other day, I would have ducked my head and slipped through the crowd like a ghost. But not today.
Today, I refused to let a single soul witness my breakdown.
The entire weekend had been spent buried beneath my covers, torturing myself with every excruciating moment from Friday night. Ezekiel's unexpected kiss. Kane's vicious words that cut deeper than any blade.
The way Ezekiel's expression went completely blank when that college recruiter approached him - as if Ximena Garcia had simply vanished into thin air.
The shame still blazed in my ribcage, but I'd be damned if anyone else knew how much it burned.
I was finished being the forgotten, overlooked twin.
