Elena’s POV

My stomach growled for what felt like the hundredth time that day.

I pressed a hand against it and sighed.

“Please, just be quiet.”

It was useless.

My mother had left early that morning to work at the Darlington mansion, and there was barely anything left for me to eat at home. I had searched the kitchen twice, hoping to find something I had somehow missed.

Nothing.

So when I heard there was a huge party at the Darlington mansion, I knew exactly where I was going.

Food.

I didn't care about the expensive decorations, the beautiful dresses, or the wealthy people who would be attending. I just wanted something to eat.

When I arrived at the mansion, I immediately felt out of place.

The house was enormous. Perfectly trimmed gardens surrounded it, sparkling decorations covered every corner, and there was more food than I had seen in weeks.

My eyes landed on a table overflowing with different kinds of dishes.

My mouth watered.

I slowly walked toward it.

Before I could take anything, a man stepped in front of me.

“Excuse me. What are you doing here?”

I looked down at my clothes. They weren't beautiful or expensive, but they were clean.

“I came for the party,” I said quietly.

He looked me over from head to toe before laughing.

“You?”

A few people around him laughed too.

My face burned.

“I just wanted some food,” I admitted.

His expression changed immediately.

“This isn't a place for people like you. Go home.”

I stared at the food behind him.

There was so much of it.

And yet, I couldn't even have one plate.

I swallowed my embarrassment and walked away. I didn't want them to see me cry.

I wandered toward the garden, wiping my eyes with the back of my hand.

That was when I heard something.

A rustling sound.

I stopped.

The bushes moved.

I stepped closer.

Suddenly, a boy emerged from behind them.

I jumped.

“What are you doing here?”

He looked at me suspiciously.

“I could ask you the same thing.”

I frowned.

“I came because I was hungry.”

He stared at me for a moment.

Then he laughed.

“That's the most honest answer I've heard all day.”

I couldn't help smiling.

“What about you?”

He glanced toward the mansion.

“I came because I hate these people.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“You don't even know me. Why are you telling me this?”

“Because you look like you hate them too.”

I laughed.

Maybe he wasn't so bad after all.

His name was Jayden.

And somehow, within minutes of meeting him, I felt like I'd known him forever.

Jayden told me that the people inside treated anyone who wasn't wealthy as if they were nothing.

I told him what had happened to me.

His expression hardened.

“They shouldn't have treated you like that.”

I shrugged.

“I'm used to it.”

“No.”

He looked directly into my eyes.

“You shouldn't have to be.”

Before I could respond, he suddenly smiled.

“I have an idea.”

I immediately became suspicious.

“What kind of idea?”

“The fun kind.”

A few minutes later, I found myself following Jayden around the garden while he explained his ridiculous plan.

I should have walked away.

I should have gone home.

But something about him made me want to stay.

And that was how I ended up helping him ruin the Darlingtons' perfect party.

The garden turned into complete chaos.

People screamed.

Food went everywhere.

Guests ran around trying to protect their expensive clothes.

Jayden laughed so hard he could barely stand.

For the first time that day, I laughed too.

I had forgotten that I was hungry.

I had forgotten that I was embarrassed.

I was simply happy.

Then Jayden grabbed my hand.

“Run!”

“What?!”

“Just run!”

We sprinted through the garden, laughing as we tried to escape before anyone caught us.

When we finally stopped, we were both breathless.

Jayden reached into his pocket and pulled out an apple.

He held it toward me.

“For you.”

I stared at it.

“You had an apple this whole time?”

He shrugged.

“I was saving it.”

“For yourself?”

He smiled.

“Not anymore.”

I took it from him.

“Thank you.”

I took a bite.

It was probably the best apple I'd ever tasted.

Maybe because I was starving.

Or maybe because it was the first time someone had willingly shared something with me without making me feel like I wasn't good enough to have it.

I looked at him.

“I'm Elena.”

“Jayden.”

I smiled.

“Nice to meet you, Jayden.”

“Nice to meet you too, Elena.”

Neither of us knew it then, but that day would change both of our lives.

YEARS LATER

Jayden and I became inseparable.

We grew up together.

Whenever I had food, I shared it with him. Whenever he had food, he shared it with me.

We had one thing in common.

We hated people who thought money made them better than everyone else.

Especially the Darlingtons.

As the years passed, Jayden's mother met a man named Stephen.

Stephen worked as a gardener for the Darlingtons.

Eventually, they got married.

I watched Jayden slowly grow closer to Stephen, and I could tell that he finally had someone he looked up to.

Jayden admired him.

And I was happy for him.

But Jayden never changed.

He was still the boy who hid in the bushes.

Still the boy who hated injustice.

Still the boy who would stand up for me whenever someone tried to make me feel small.

As we grew older, though, something inside me began to change.

Jayden was no longer just my best friend.

I started noticing little things about him.

The way he smiled.

The way his eyes lit up whenever he talked about something he loved.

The way he always seemed to know when something was wrong with me.

I tried to ignore it.

I couldn't.

I was falling for my best friend.

And I was terrified that if I told him, I would lose him.

So I kept my feelings to myself.

Until high school.

One afternoon, I brought Jayden his favourite food during lunch.

I spotted him sitting with some girls.

They were laughing and talking.

I stopped walking.

One of the girls noticed me.

She looked me up and down.

“Is that your friend?”

Jayden looked over.

“Yeah.”

The girl laughed.

“You're actually friends with her?”

I frowned.

Before I could say anything, another girl spoke.

“Jayden, you should be hanging out with girls who actually look good.”

My heart sank.

I looked down at the food in my hands.

Maybe I should just leave.

Maybe I had been foolish to think I belonged beside him.

Then Jayden stood up.

He walked toward me.

I looked at him, confused.

Without saying a word, he placed his arm around my shoulders.

My heart began beating wildly.

“What's wrong?” I whispered.

He looked at the girls.

Then he looked at me.

And with the most casual expression in the world, he said—

“She's my girlfriend.”

I froze.

My eyes widened.

Girlfriend?

I slowly turned to look at him.

Jayden only smiled.

And suddenly, I didn't know whether to laugh, scream...

or confess that I had been in love with him all along.