My Best Friend's Dad Is Irresistible

Aurora's POV

The hall buzzed with excitement. It was boyfriend's night, the result of years of hard work. But instead of feeling excited, I felt discomfort in my stomach. This wasn't about the food I ate before coming here, it was because of the way my heart was pounding. I wasn't sitting as planned. Eric was supposed to sit close to me. But now, I was sitting between my mum and Ella, my best friend. I could hardly see Eric. Just when I was thinking about Eric, out of nowhere, Eric stood in front of me and he nervously adjusted his tie. When I saw him, my beating heart gradually came down. My next thought was to ask Ella to shift a little so that Eric could sit down close to me.

Suddenly, Eric's hand clasped mine, and I tensed. "Get up, Aurora! We need to talk," he whispered urgently, sending a shiver down my spine. His brown eyes, usually warm and inviting, were full of panic.

"Eric, what are you doing?" I whispered back, trying to pull my hand free. "They're about to announce your award. Can't this wait?"

"No, it can't wait," he insisted, his voice sharp with urgency. "Please, come with me now."

Without letting me protest, he pulled me up, weaving through the throngs of students and parents. I shot a glance back at Ella, who looked as confused as I felt, her brow furrowed in concern. My mum, happily unaware, looked forward to Eric's success, as if nothing could spoil this perfect night.

As we moved through the crowd, the announcer's voice resounded behind us, calling out award categories one by one. Eric was about to win Best Athlete of the Year, a title he had fought for through blood, sweat, and tears. I had spent countless evenings helping him study for his exams, cheering him on at every game, and dreaming with him about his future. But none of that seemed to matter now. Not when he was dragging me toward the restroom at the back of the building.

When we finally stopped, the flickering fluorescent lights above gave off an uneasy glow. The smell of disinfectant and the cold tiles beneath my feet seemed to mock the celebration outside. When he finally released my hand, I stumbled back.

"What's going on, Eric?" My voice trembled as I leaned against the cool tiles. "You're about to go on stage!"

He didn't answer straight away, staring at the floor as he fidgeted with his hands, gathering the courage to confront whatever fears were haunting him. The silence stretched, heavy and taut, and the dread in my chest swelled with each agonizing second.

Finally, he looked up, and the look in his eyes sent chills through me. "I've made a mistake, Aurora."

"What mistake?" I asked almost immediately.

He took a deep breath, running a hand through his messy blond hair, revealing his struggle. "I... I've been lying to myself for too long. About us."

My heart dropped. "Lying? What are you talking about?"

His gaze fell again, avoiding mine as if the truth burned him. "I don't think we should be together anymore."

The ground beneath me felt like it was crumbling, each word knocking the breath out of my lungs. "What?" I choked out, disbelief flooding my mind. "Eric... what are you saying?"

He stepped closer, but the distance between us felt insurmountable. "It's not you, Aurora. You've done nothing wrong. You're too amazing, honestly. That's the problem."

Tears pricked at my eyes. "Too amazing? What does that even mean?"

He searched my face, his expression a mix of regret and sorrow. "I'm always behind, Aurora. I feel like I can never catch up to you. You're smart, driven, beautiful... and I'm just me. I don't want to hold you back."

I shook my head, the reality of his words cutting deep. "You're breaking up with me because you think I'm... better than you?"

His silence was the cruelest confirmation.

"You're really doing this now?" My voice trembled, hurt threatening to spill over. "Right before your big moment? Right before you get the award we've been celebrating for weeks?"

His face filled with guilt, but he nodded, resolute. "I have to. I can't keep pretending everything's okay when it's not."

My heart was broken. I couldn't breathe, couldn't think. The young man I had supported, who had been my anchor through his struggles, was throwing it all away. And for what? Some twisted sense of inadequacy?

"Why now, Eric?" I whispered, my voice cracking under my emotions. "Why are you doing this now? What will I tell my mum? You knew how it took me days to convince my mum to come here after my dad got missing?" I raised my voice.

He reached for me, his hand brushing against mine, but I recoiled, unable to bear his warmth while my world crumbled. "I'm sorry, Aurora," he murmured, his voice thick with some fake emotions. "I wish things could have been different."

Before I could reply, the announcer's voice broke through the hall, sharp and clear.

"And now, the winner of Best Athlete of the Year... Eric Anderson."

His head jerked toward the door, and for a brief moment, hope sparked within me. Maybe he would reconsider, realize what he was about to lose. But he didn't.

He turned and walked out, leaving me alone in the restroom, tears streaming down my face, feeling utterly forsaken.

With shaky breaths, I wiped my cheeks and forced myself to move. I couldn't just stand there. Not when everyone outside expected me to be the supportive girlfriend I had always been.

As I re-entered the hall, I caught sight of Eric on stage, basking in the spotlight, accepting his trophy like a king. The crowd roared with applause, but I felt detached, like I was watching a stranger.

His speech I helped him composed flowed over me, words of gratitude coming from his lips, but all I could hear were his confession in my mind. 'I don't think we should be together anymore.'

Then he said something that froze my blood. "I want to dedicate this award to someone very special-my dearest friend, Tasha. Someone I can't live without."

Tasha. My heart clenched painfully. My eyes darted through the crowd, landing on her as she stood and beamed, as if she shared in this moment. The girl I had always suspected, who had lingered too closely to Eric, always texting him, her laughter too bright.

Before I could process it, she ran to the stage, and Eric stepped down to meet her, enveloping her in an embrace. That could have been me as planned.

"Aurora!" Ella's distant voice cut through the haze. "Isn't that your boyfriend?"

I couldn't answer, couldn't move. Tears came down my cheeks, finally bursting free as I briskly walked out of the hall. I didn't stop until I was back in the restroom, the very place where it had all begun, where Eric had shattered my heart into pieces.

As the sounds of celebration outside increased, I pressed my back against the wall and slid to the floor, burying my face in my hands. How could I have been so blind? How could he do this to me?

Just then, I heard footsteps approaching the restroom. I quickly wiped my eyes, panic rising in my chest. Who would come in now? Would it be Eric, returning to take back what he had said? Or Tasha, ready to gloat?

The door creaked open, and my heart raced. I held my breath, preparing for the worst. Would this be the end of everything I thought I knew? And as the door swung wide, revealing a figure in the doorway, I realized I had no idea what would happen next.