June walked across campus with a heavy heart, her thoughts swirling like leaves in a storm. She felt trapped in a relationship that had become a maze of confusion and hurt. The memories of their shared laughter and sweet whispers felt tainted by Rowan’s recent behavior, and she yearned to understand what had changed.

As she approached the quad, the sun hung low in the sky, casting golden hues over the scene. Groups of students milled about, laughter and chatter filling the air, but June felt disconnected, as if she were watching from behind a glass wall. Her feet led her toward the familiar fountain, a place where she had often shared stolen moments with Rowan.

But as she rounded the corner, she heard a voice that made her stop dead in her tracks. It was Rowan, surrounded by his friends, leaning casually against a bench. They were laughing, and the sound sent a pang of unease through her. She should have walked away, but curiosity rooted her in place.

“Dude, I can’t believe you’re still with her,” one of his friends, Jake, said, his tone half-teasing, half-serious. “She’s so inexperienced. It’s like you’re teaching a kid how to ride a bike.”

June felt her breath hitch in her throat, the words slicing through her like a knife. She wanted to turn and leave, to shield herself from the truth that lay beneath their playful banter. But her feet remained glued to the ground.

Rowan laughed, but it was devoid of warmth. “I know, right? It’s frustrating sometimes. But when it comes to bed, she’s surprisingly good.” His voice dripped with a mix of amusement and condescension.

A sick feeling twisted in June’s stomach. The intimacy they had shared felt like a weapon turned against her, the very moments that had brought her joy now being reduced to a point of ridicule. How could he speak about her like that?

“She’s cute, though,” another friend chimed in. “But honestly, it’s like you’re babysitting. What do you see in her?”

Rowan shrugged, a dismissive gesture that sent a chill through her. “She’s beautiful, I’ll give her that. But she’s so naïve. Sometimes I wonder if she knows how the real world works.”

June’s heart raced as the laughter echoed in her ears. It felt as if every word was a direct attack on her, stripping away the small amount of self-confidence she had left. “Naïve” and “inexperienced” echoed in her mind, drowning out the warmth of their past moments.

“I think you’re just into the challenge, man,” Jake replied, nudging Rowan playfully. “You’re probably just bored and want to see if you can mold her into something more interesting.”

The air felt thick with disdain, and June's hands clenched into fists at her sides. The frustration in their voices echoed her own fears, magnifying the doubts she had been trying to suppress. Was she just a project for Rowan? A challenge he felt compelled to conquer?

“I don’t know, maybe. It’s just easy to manipulate her,” Rowan said casually, and those words pierced through June like a shard of glass. “But I can’t help but enjoy the ride.”

In that moment, she felt everything she had built with Rowan come crashing down around her. The vulnerability she had shown him, the trust she had given so freely, felt like a fool’s gamble. It was as if she had been played, a pawn in a game she never agreed to participate in.

With her heart pounding in her chest, June took a step back, her mind racing. She needed to leave, to escape this moment that felt like a betrayal. The laughter of Rowan and his friends faded into a dull roar as she turned, her legs moving before her brain could catch up.

As she hurried away, tears stung her eyes, and she fought to maintain her composure. She didn’t want to cry, didn’t want to give them the satisfaction of knowing how deeply their words had affected her. But it was hard to breathe, hard to think beyond the hurt that had lodged itself in her heart.

Once she was far enough away, she found a secluded spot beneath a tree, its branches providing a shield from the world around her. She sank onto the grass, her knees pulled to her chest, and let the tears flow freely. The betrayal felt suffocating, and she wondered if she had misread everything about Rowan.

Had their moments together all been lies? Had she truly been nothing more than a bet, an inexperienced girl in a game she never wanted to play? The thought twisted in her gut, leaving her feeling hollow and exposed.

She wanted to be angry at him, to confront him and demand answers, but the fear of what he might say held her back. She had trusted him, had opened herself up to him in a way she never had before, and now it felt as if that trust had been shattered.

After a while, she wiped her tears and took a deep breath, steadying herself. She couldn’t let this define her. June knew she had to stand up for herself, to reclaim the parts of her that had been buried under the weight of his manipulation.With newfound determination, she rose to her feet and brushed off the grass clinging to her clothes. She would confront Rowan, not as the vulnerable girl he had painted her to be, but as someone who deserved respect and honesty

She would no longer be a pawn in his game.with her heart still heavy but her resolve strengthened, June headed back toward the dorms, ready to face Rowan. Whatever conversation awaited her, she would meet it head-on. No more hiding. No more allowing him to define who she was. It was time to reclaim her narrative, and she wouldn’t let anyone take that away from her.