𝗞𝗜𝗦𝗦 𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗧 // mcyt apply fic // ᶜˡᵒˢᵉᵈ

⁰²⁶·⁵ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏɴғʀᴏɴᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴ

𝟶𝟸𝟼.𝟻. [𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗.]

𝚔𝚊𝚛𝚕 𝚓𝚊𝚌𝚘𝚋𝚜.

-

Karl hates her. He hates her more than anything.

In the quiet of his own bedroom, he still loves her. He sobs for her, sobs for his mistakes. But he still hates her, with balled fists rammed into his pillows, with wet, angry tears.

But in daylight, his indifference is forced, a thick display to anyone who glances his way.

Maybe that's why he's so quick to break when he sees them leaving the party together, because of all the pent-up emotions. Maybe it's because deep down, no matter how much he denies it, he knows that this is the last breakup, that when she said she was done with him, for real this time, she meant it.

But God, seeing her in his arms hurts.

It hurts because the wound is so fresh, because after four years she wound up in someone new's arms only three weeks later. It hurts because it's him, because she promised Karl that he had nothing to worry about when he asked, because she told him they were just friends, and he definitely didn't think about her like that.

He wants to punch that smug little smirk right off the punk's face every time he sees him parading her around the school like an award that he won.

Karl would never label himself a confrontational person. So maybe it's the heartbreak that does it, or maybe the jealousy, or maybe even the alcohol, but as soon as they return to the party strangely wet and they split up, Karl marches right up to Wilbur and socks him across the face.

It's a bad move, quite honestly, because despite Karl's popularity status, Wilbur's 6'7 and a possessive asshole who could kick his ass blindfolded.

"The fuck was that for?" Wilbur cries, one hand clutching his nose as he uses the other to shove Karl away from him.

"You know," Karl spits.

Wilbur laughs coldly. "Oh? You mean Flora?" He grins. "It's none of your business, because last I heard, she broke up with you. She did, didn't she?"

His tone is condescending, smug. Karl hates it. Hates him. He'd punch him if he hadn't already done that.

"Yeah, but you knew it wasn't over. I mean, everyone knows," Karl replies, struggling to control himself. "It's me and Flora, we're never really over."

Wilbur raises an eyebrow and cocks his head to the side. "Really?" Mock surprise coats his voice, arrogance drips thick from his words — he's going to win this argument and they both know it. "That's not what Flora told me."

Karl hates how he knows it's not a lie. They'd broken up and gotten back together dozens of times before, but this — this was different.

"If you've got nothing to say, piss off,"

Karl's jaw tightens. "Fuck you,"

Wilbur laughs coldly, then takes a step forward. He's towering over Karl now. "Anything else I should keep in mind?"

Karl has the urge to punch him again.

"Yeah, actually. Do me a favor and stop showing her off like a fucking trophy,"

Wilbur cocks his head innocently, and that's when Karl finally let's go of the secret he has while his fist flies out.

The second punch leaves a blossoming bruise around Wilbur's eye.

"By the way," Karl spits, "She's only using you for the kiss list."

"What?" Wilbur says, his tone sharp through a clenched jaw.

"Oh? Haven't heard of it?" Karl grins coldly, happy to finally have the upper hand. "Well," He doesn't try to fight the smug smirk off as he leans close to Wilbur's face. "She made a bet. She has to kiss three people by Valentine's Day." His sickly smile only widens as he watches the anger in Wilbur's face slowly slide into a mix of confusion and heartbreak.

"One of them being me," he says, pointing his thumb into his chest. "And another one being you," He stabs his finger into Wil's chest.

Wilbur stumbles back from him, head shaking.

"Nothing to say now, lover boy?" Karl taunts Wil to his back as he walks away.

Wilbur just flips him off over the shoulder. Somewhere, deep down, Karl feels bad for him, for what he just did.

That doesn't stop him from sauntering back into the house to grab a drink and play some beer pong, though.

Maybe he'll go find Cora, she always seems to distract him from the guilt. 

-

[𝟶𝟼.𝟶𝟾.𝟸𝟹]