Fated to the Triplet Alphas-Chapter 33: Not a Bad Girl

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Chapter 33

~Jade’s POV~

I kept thinking about Xavier that morning—how he hadn’t said a word about me being with Xade or what he felt seeing his brother and me kissing the day he dropped me off.

I’d almost asked in the car, my heart hammering in my chest, but the moment I opened my mouth, he told me we had arrived.

I had looked out the window to see Mum’s house and sighed. Just like that, my chance was gone.

I thanked him quietly, highlighted the car, and waited while he drove off without a word or a glance. I couldn’t tell if it was relief or frustration that settled over me.

When I got home, of course, my mother was there. Her eyes lingered on the driveway in a way that made me uncomfortable, and her comment about "the new hottie who dropped you off" didn’t help.

"Mum, not now. He is just a friend. I had a stressful day," I lied, hoping she bought it.

Clearly, she noticed the cars were different. "I wish I had rich hotties like them," she stated with a wink.

How did she know they were hot? I tried not to explain anything and slipped past her, escaping before she could pry further.

I thought I had shaken off the awkwardness, but then... ouch! A sudden pinch on my arm made me jolt.

I looked up and froze. Xavier was staring straight at me in class with that cold look of ’you’ve jst been caught.’ My stomach sank. I blinked and glanced to the side, catching Isadora giving me an apologetic smile.

She mouthed something I couldn’t read fast enough before Xavier’s voice cut through the silence in class.

"Since you have enough time to daydream in my class, Ms. Snow, I bet you’d be able to answer these questions."

My chest tightened, and my mind froze. The questions were advanced—way beyond what I had prepared for.

I tried to answer, stumbled over the first, blanked on the next, and failed miserably. By the end, I had detention waiting for me after school. My cheeks burned as I collected my things, wishing the floor would swallow me whole.

A few of my classmates whispered behind my back.

"How can she concentrate in class when her nudes went viral?"

"Such a whore. I bet Professor Xavier must be disappointed."

"Hush, you do not want to be another scapegoat like Troy."

I ignored them and headed to my next class.

By the time it was lunch break, my phone wouldn’t stop buzzing. I didn’t even need to check the name. I already knew it was Isadora.

I sighed and finally unlocked the screen. Messages flooded in, one after another.

Isadora: Jade, I’m so sorry.

Isadora: Please don’t ignore me. I swear I didn’t mean to hurt you.

Isadora: I saw the news, and I thought you already knew. When I realized you didn’t, I panicked. I just... I didn’t want you to feel bad. Or worse, think your mates would look at you differently.

Isadora: I was trying to distract you. I know it was stupid. Please forgive me. I never meant for any of this to happen.

I stared at the screen, my chest feeling oddly tight. My fingers hovered over the keyboard, but I didn’t type anything yet.

Javelin’s voice slid into my mind. "She didn’t plan to hurt you, Jade. She just handled it badly. She was trying to protect you in her own way."

I exhaled slowly. "She still should’ve told me," I muttered under my breath.

"Maybe. But she was scared for you," Javelin replied. "You know how people get when they think they’re helping."

Before I could answer, another message popped up.

Isadora: I’m really, really sorry. Please don’t hate me. I can’t bear to have my bestie hate me. It’s been you and me against the world.

I chuckled a bit at the use of the weeping emoji, then closed my eyes for a second, then finally typed back.

Me: Forgiven.

Almost immediately, my phone buzzed again.

Isadora: Thank you. I swear I’ll make it up to you.

I locked my phone and slipped it back into my bag. Even though the post had been taken down, the whispers hadn’t. I could feel them everywhere, in the hallways, in the classrooms, in the way some people looked at me like they were trying to piece together a story that wasn’t theirs to tell.

I didn’t want to deal with the cafeteria. So I took my lunch and went to the garden instead. The same place where Xade had met me yesterday.

I sat down, set my food beside me, and stared at it without really seeing it.

My traitorous mind went straight back to Xade. To his lips, the first kiss. Then the second one, deeper, more urgent, like he couldn’t stop himself.

My stomach fluttered, and warmth curled low in my body. I shifted uncomfortably and scowled at myself. "Stop it, Jade," I whispered. "This is not the time."

"And yet here you are, thinking about it anyway," Javelin teased.

I reached for my fork just as my phone buzzed again.

Trainer.

I still hadn’t changed the name since Ms Rowan gave me his contact. I hesitated, then answered. "Hello?"

"Where are you?" Xander asked without responding to my greeting.

"In the garden," I enunciated quickly. "The same place as yesterday."

"Okay. I need to meet you."

My heart skipped in a way I didn’t appreciate. "Okay?"

Just before he hung up, his voice came again, much lighter and amused than before. "So you couldn’t get enough of yesterday, huh? You went there to refresh your memory?"

My face burned with embarrassment. "Xander!"

The line went dead before I could blurt out my frustration. I snapped my phone on my thigh, glaring at it while Javelin laughed mercilessly in my head.

"Oh, come on, you’re blushing like a schoolgirl," she teased. "It’s obvious what you were thinking."

I curled my fingers around the edge of the bench. "Shut up," I muttered.

"Really? You think it’s wrong to notice him? To feel... that?" Javelin purred. "It’s normal, Jade. Bodies react, hearts race, thoughts wander. You’re not a bad girl for having naughty thoughts about someone, especially your mate."

I crossed my arms, still glaring at the empty air. "Seriously, Jav, I don’t need a running commentary on my brain."

"Oh, you do. Admit it," she shot back. "Every time you think of him, your cheeks flare, your stomach flips, and don’t even try to lie, you can feel that warmth, can’t you?"

I groaned and buried my face in my hands. "You’re impossible."

"Impossibly right," she said smugly. "It’s natural, Jade. You like and want him. Nothing to be ashamed of."

I peeked through my fingers, my heart thudding. "It’s... complicated."

"Complicated is fine," Javelin reasoned. "It doesn’t make it wrong."

I sighed, dropping my hands. "To be honest, I liked the kiss, but... Xander and I had almost had the same too. I—I don’t even know how I’m supposed to choose among them."

"One problem at a time," she said gently.

Footsteps approached before I could reply. I looked up to see Xander standing there.

And wow.

He was dressed in all black leather, confidence written into every step, looking unfairly breathtaking. My breath hitched before I could stop it.

"Why..." I swallowed, clearing my throat while trying—and failing—to sound casual, "why did you want to see me?"

He stopped in front of me, all seriousness now. "Two reasons."

My stomach tightened. "Two?"

He nodded. "First, the culprit behind the incident was traced to a student named Adrian in the senior class."

I stared at him. "What?"