Boyfriend Snatcher

Chapter 1

“I did it!” Skye longed to say those words when she graduated and when her boyfriend finally allowed them to take the relationship public, but no. Jonas wanted to wait for the right time.

“You have to trust me, Skye. There is a perfect time, and we just have to wait for it.” Jonas cooed on the other side of the phone.

He had called her earlier while she was stressing over the final year photography project that will enable her to graduate.

Her voice softened. "We've been together for almost a year," she continued. "And I know your career is important, but..." She swallowed. "I just don't understand why we still have to hide."

The silence on the other end lasted a few seconds, then Jonas sighed. "Skye." She hated when he said her name like that. "I'm not hiding you because I'm ashamed of you."

"I just mean..." She struggled to explain. "Everyone is announcing their relationships now. Your teammates do it. Other athletes do it. People aren't even paying that much attention anymore."

Jonas was quiet for a moment, then his voice softened. "The point is that what we have is ours." Skye listened. "I don't want strangers online deciding what our relationship should look like. I don't want people judging every picture, every argument, every moment we have together."

"Jonas..."

"I love you."

Those words always worked, because Skye loved him too. "I love you too."

"Then trust me."

Her fingers tightened around her phone. "I do." She forced a small smile even though he couldn't see it. "I love you. Whenever you're ready then."

The relief in his voice came immediately. "Thank you."

Those two words should have made her happy. Instead, for a strange moment, Skye wondered why she was the one being thanked for waiting.

But the thought disappeared quickly, because she loved him… and love meant patience, right?

***

The next morning, the photography department was louder than usual and Skye’s hope of achieving either of the two things that mattered was thinning, at least until the Professor announced that she was going to be the team lead for the most important project.

The students were gathered in the main hall, waiting for Professor Weber to make an announcement. 

Everyone started whispering. The charity calendar was one of the biggest projects for graduating students. A successful result could attract attention from galleries, magazines, and agencies.

Professor Weber announced. "And this year, I have chosen someone to lead the photography team."

Skye looked down, she wasn't expecting anything, even though she had always been good, but she wasn't the loudest person in the room. She wasn't the type professors noticed first.

"Skye Hart." Her head lifted and the entire room turned. "Congratulations. You will be the main photographer and project coordinator."

For a moment, Skye forgot how to breathe. Her? She was chosen?

After the announcement, Lena, her best friend, immediately grabbed her arm. "You realize what this means?"

Skye shook her head and raised a brow, "It means you're finally getting noticed." Lena cheered for her best friend. And for the first time in weeks, Skye felt excited. This was her chance.

"We also have several confirmed participants already," Professor Weber added. "Including professional athletes."

A familiar name appeared on the screen.

Jonas Keller.

The room immediately reacted. Of course, everyone knew him.

Skye's classmates looked at her and started asking multiple questions. "Wait. You got Jonas?"

"How?"

"That's incredible."

Skye smiled awkwardly, she didn't tell them the truth, she couldn't tell them he was her boyfriend.

It was their secret.

***

The afternoon had been going better than Skye expected.

After Professor Weber's announcement, everything suddenly felt real. The charity calendar was no longer just an idea written down in her notebook; it was now her responsibility. Every decision, every photograph, every model choice would have her name attached to it.

And for the first time in a long time, she felt like she was moving toward something instead of simply waiting for life to happen.

The photography studio was filled with voices as Skye stood in front of her team, explaining the concept she had spent the entire night working on.

"The theme is about showing people beyond their public image," she explained while pointing at the mood board on the screen. "I don't want the photos to feel staged. I want every person to look like themselves when nobody is watching."

A few students nodded while taking notes.

"The lighting for each shoot will be different depending on the person's personality. For the athletes, something stronger and more dynamic. For musicians, something more emotional. The goal is to capture their real identity."

Beside her, Lena leaned against the table with her arms crossed. "See?" Lena said. "This is why you were chosen. You actually know what you're doing."

Skye smiled slightly, but, before Skye could respond, the door to the studio suddenly opened.

Nobody paid much attention at first.

A new face entering the room wasn't unusual. Students, assistants, and professors moved in and out constantly. But the woman standing in the doorway wasn't looking around like she was lost.

She was looking for someone, and the moment her eyes landed on Skye, her expression changed.

The confident smile disappeared and anger replaced it. The entire room went quiet as the woman walked directly toward Skye.

Skye lowered the papers in her hands. "Can I help you?"

Skye didn't get an answer, because the next thing she felt was the sharp sting across her cheek as the sound of the slap echoed through the studio.

For a moment, Skye couldn't move. Her hand slowly lifted to her cheek as she stared at the stranger in disbelief.

Nobody spoke or knew what to do.

Then the woman pointed at her. "You boyfriend snatcher!" The words shocked everyone.

Skye blinked. "What?"

"You know exactly what you did." The woman's voice was filled with anger and pain.

Lena immediately stepped forward to defend her friend. "Excuse me? Who do you think you are?"

But before Lena could get closer, Skye reached out and grabbed her arm and looked back at the strange woman standing in front of her. "Who are you?"

The question only seemed to make the woman's anger grow. "You don't even know who I am?" The woman laughed bitterly. "Of course. Why would you remember me?" She reached into her bag and pulled out her phone. "My name is Mara Vogel."

A few students immediately recognized her, she was the fitness influencer, the one with millions of followers.

Whispers started spreading, Skye looked between them, still confused.

Mara stepped closer. "I'm Jonas Keller's girlfriend."

The entire room froze.

Skye's face lost all color. "What?"

"You heard me.” Mara's eyes were cold. "Jonas. The man you've been seeing behind my back."

"No." The denial left Skye instantly. "You're lying."

Mara's expression hardened. "Am I?"

She tossed her phone onto the table between them. The pictures appeared on the screen, pictures of Jonas and Mara together, looking so in love with each other as their lips almost touched.

Skye’s fingers trembled as she looked at the time stamps. The dates she couldn't ignore, the dates when Jonas had told her he was busy or that training was exhausting… when he said he missed her.

The room around her started to blur.

"He told me he loved me," Mara said, her voice shaking. "He told me we were going to move forward together."

Skye looked up slowly, because those were the same words Jonas had given her.

"He told me I was the only one." Mara continued.

That’s when Skye’s classmates began the gossipping.

"So she really was the other woman?"

"I can't believe it."

"She got him for the calendar too."

"That's probably why he agreed."

Every whisper felt worse than the slap as Skye looked around the room. People who had been listening to her presentation minutes ago were now looking at her like they knew everything about her. Like they knew the truth, but nobody asked. They had already decided.

Lena stepped forward again. "This is ridiculous. None of you even know what happened."

Mara crossed her arms. "Then explain the picture, or my pain or the heartbreak of knowing that this bitch is sleeping with my boyfriend."

Lena opened her mouth, but even she couldn't explain something Skye herself didn't understand.

Skye looked back at the photos, and suddenly, she wondered if she had only been protecting his secret.

Mara picked up her phone. "I'm glad I came here." Her voice sounded satisfied. "At least now everyone knows what kind of person you are." Skye flinched as Mara turned away.

The door closed behind her, leaving Skye standing in the middle of the studio surrounded by whispers and judgment.

***

Hours later, Skye found herself walking through the streets of Düsseldorf without knowing where she was going.

The rain had started falling lightly, soaking through her hair and the sleeves of her jacket, but she barely noticed.

Her mind was still stuck inside that classroom.

The slap, pictures and whispers. The way everyone had looked at her like she was guilty before she even had a chance to explain.

Her phone kept lighting up in her hand, it was Jonas trying to get in touch with her again, and again. She stared at his name on the screen, but she couldn't bring herself to answer.

What was she supposed to say? How was she supposed to ask him why he had another girlfriend when she wasn't even sure if she had ever been his girlfriend in the first place?

For months, she had believed she was protecting their relationship by staying quiet. She had believed waiting was proof that she loved him.

But now she couldn't stop wondering if she had simply been waiting for someone who never planned to choose her.

Lost in her thoughts, Skye stepped forward without looking, she didn't notice the traffic light or the sound of the approaching engine from the black motorcycle speeding down the wet street.

Not until a loud horn ripped through the air. Her head snapped up as the motorcycle was right in front of her.

Everything happened too fast. 

The rider reacted immediately, turning the bike sharply. The tires screamed against the pavement as the motorcycle slid sideways, stopping only inches away from her.

Skye froze.

For a few seconds, there was nothing except the sound of her own heartbeat and the rain hitting the ground. The rider remained on the motorcycle, one hand gripping the handle, his entire body tense.

Then slowly, he removed his helmet, dark hair fell slightly over his forehead, he had a sharp jaw and cold blue eyes.

Skye barely had time to process him, because the next second, his anger exploded.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" he shouted directly in her face.

The sound of his voice snapped her back to reality, and suddenly the entire day became too much.

Before she could stop herself, before she could even think…

Skye screamed.