The rumors didn't disappear.
They simply became quieter.
Not because people stopped believing them—but because they had already decided what the truth was.
Andrea could feel it everywhere.
In the hallway when conversations suddenly paused.
In the cafeteria when people looked at her and whispered.
In the classroom when someone laughed and she couldn't tell if it was about her.
She stopped checking the class group chat.
There was no point.
Instead, Andrea did what she always did when things got worse.
She built walls.
Thicker ones this time.
But one thing bothered her more than the rumors.
Matthew Neyman.
He hadn't spoken to her since the night at Unico.
Not a single word.
And somehow that silence hurt more than Samuel's gossip.
A few days later, Andrea was standing by the lockers after class, stuffing books into her backpack.
She felt someone stop next to her.
She didn't need to look.
She already knew.
Matthew.
Her hands froze for a moment.
"Hey," he said quietly.
Andrea slowly closed her locker.
"What?"
Matthew rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.
For once, he didn't look confident.
"I just… wanted to talk."
Andrea crossed her arms.
"About what?"
Matthew glanced around the hallway.
Students were passing by, but no one seemed to care about them.
Still, he lowered his voice slightly.
"About that night."
Andrea's stomach tightened.
She looked at him.
Really looked at him.
Matthew looked tired.
Uncomfortable.
Like this conversation was something he had been avoiding.
"Well?" Andrea said.
Matthew took a breath.
"You were drunk."
The words landed like a slap.
Andrea blinked.
"What?"
"That night," Matthew continued carefully. "You weren't thinking clearly."
Andrea felt heat rush into her face.
"So that's what you came to say?"
Matthew frowned slightly.
"I'm just saying—"
"That it didn't mean anything?" Andrea finished.
Matthew hesitated.
"That's not what I meant."
Andrea laughed bitterly.
"But that's what you're saying."
Matthew didn't answer immediately.
His silence was enough.
Andrea shook her head slowly.
"Wow."
"Andrea—"
"No," she interrupted. "You're right."
Her voice was calm now.
Too calm.
"I was drunk."
Matthew watched her carefully.
Andrea looked away.
"Don't worry," she added coldly. "It won't happen again."
Matthew looked like he wanted to say something else.
But Vanessa's voice suddenly echoed down the hallway.
"Matthew?"
She was walking toward them.
Matthew stepped back slightly.
Andrea noticed it.
Of course she did.
Vanessa reached them and smiled.
"Oh, hey Andrea," she said politely.
Andrea forced a smile back.
"Hi."
Vanessa slipped her arm through Matthew's.
"You ready?"
Matthew glanced at Andrea one last time.
"Yeah," he said quietly.
Then they walked away together.
Andrea stood there alone.
Her chest felt tight again.
But this time…
She refused to cry.
Instead, she grabbed her backpack and walked out of the school building.
The cold air outside felt refreshing.
Almost freeing.
Maybe that was the truth.
Maybe Matthew was right.
Maybe that kiss meant nothing.
Maybe she had only imagined that it meant something more.
Andrea shoved her hands into her jacket pockets.
She had spent years thinking about Matthew Neyman.
Years.
And now the answer was simple.
It didn't matter.
He had his life.
His girlfriend.
His world.
Andrea wasn't part of it.
And maybe she never had been.