The moment the first session of the SATs ended, everyone in our class headed to a nearby diner for lunch. Amber, the most popular girl in our grade, walked in holding a greasy brown paper bag she bought from some cheap roadside food truck. “Hey guys! I got these smoked turkey legs for everyone!” she announced with a sweet, angelic smile. Having grown up in a family that ran a famous three-generation Texas-style BBQ Smokehouse, my eyes instantly locked onto the meat. One look, and I knew. These weren’t turkey legs. They were expired, heavily chemically-treated pork and duck meat, loaded with food coloring and toxic artificial smoke flavors to mask the rot. Without hesitation, I slapped the tray out of her hand, stopping everyone from taking a bite. But Amber couldn’t handle the public embarrassment. She felt I was targeting her. She burst into tears, ran out of the diner, and was immediately crushed to death by a speeding semi-truck. My boyfriend, Tyler, grabbed me by the neck, his eyes bloodshot with rage. “This is on you! If you hadn’t humiliated her, Amber would still be alive!” “She’s dead! Now you pay!” Even the classmates I had just saved turned on me. “They were just some turkey legs! Did you have to be so malicious?” “Look what you did! You literally killed her!” In the end, Tyler and the others locked me in a room and force-fed me ninety-nine of those rotten, toxic turkey legs until I choked and died from severe food poisoning and ruptured stomach. Meanwhile, because I had stopped them from eating the rotten meat, they remained perfectly healthy, aced their exams the next day, and all got into Ivy League universities. When I opened my eyes again, the smell of woodsmoke and cheap grease filled my nose. I was back on the day of the lunch.
The private dining room door was pushed open. Amber walked in, carrying a greasy paper bag, her face glowing with a sweet smile. “Sorry I’m late, guys! I brought a peace offering!” She placed the bag in the center of the table and opened it carefully. “I stood in line forever to get these smoked turkey legs for us!” Instantly, she became the center of attention. “Oh my god, Amber! You’re literally the best!” “My mouth is watering just looking at them!” I sat in the corner, a wave of nausea hitting me. My family has run a BBQ smokehouse for three generations. I grew up in the kitchen watching my grandfather smoke meats. I could tell with a single glance what was real and what was fake. This garbage wasn’t turkey. It was expired duck legs wrapped in heavy artificial spices and chemical red dye, double-baked to look edible. In my past life, this very tray of meat had ruined my entire existence. I had warned them loudly that the meat was rotten, that it would put them in the hospital and ruin their exams the next day. But Amber had burst into tears right there, covering her face. “Chloe, I know your family runs a famous BBQ joint… but you don’t have to humiliate me like this…” Tyler, my boyfriend, had immediately jumped to her defense and slapped me hard across the face. “Chloe, are you out of your mind?!” he had yelled. “We all know you’ve been jealous of Amber, but did you have to ruin her moment like this?” Amber had run out of the restaurant crying, only to be hit by a semi-truck and die instantly. “Chloe? Earth to Chloe. What are you staring at?” Tyler’s voice snapped me back to reality. He was sitting right next to me, looking at me with a soft, affectionate expression. He reached toward the table. “You must be exhausted after the test. Let me grab the biggest one for you.” “No, thanks,” I said coldly. “What’s wrong?” Tyler asked, confused. Amber looked over too. She picked up a turkey leg and offered it to me with a sugary sweet smile. “Come on, Chloe. Your family is the expert here. Try it first and tell me if it’s authentic!” I leaned back slightly, my voice flat. “No. I’m watching what I eat.” “Watching what you eat?” Amber froze, then laughed softly. “But Chloe, you’re already so skinny! Don’t be like this. I bought these for everyone to share. If you’re the only one who won’t eat, it feels like you’re rejecting me.” The moment she said that, Tyler’s brows furrowed. “Chloe, Amber is just being nice. Don’t start drama.” I kept my eyes down. “I said, I’m not eating it.” I repeated, clear and firm. Tyler’s face darkened completely. “Chloe, what is your problem?” Tyler’s voice rose, drawing everyone’s attention to our corner. “No problem. I just don’t want to eat it.” I leaned back against my chair, not even bothering to look at him. He slammed his hands on the table and stood up, glaring at me. “Chloe, do you think you’re better than everyone else just because your family owns a famous smokehouse? Are you seriously looking down on street food bought by Amber?”
“Dude, that’s so uncalled for!” “Yeah, Amber stood in line for this. If you don’t want it, fine, but lose the attitude!” “She’s totally doing this on purpose. She’s just jealous that everyone loves Amber.” The classmates around us immediately started taking sides. Just like my past life. No matter what I did, I was always the villain. Amber’s eyes welled up with tears instantly. She grabbed Tyler’s sleeve, her voice trembling. “Tyler, please don’t yell at Chloe. Maybe the food really isn’t good. Chloe is the expert, so it’s normal she doesn’t like it… It’s all my fault…” Her playing the victim immediately turned the whole room against me. “Amber, don’t cry! This has nothing to do with you!” “Yeah, forget her! More for us. It’s her loss anyway!” A guy named Hunter took the lead, grabbing a leg and taking a massive bite to show his support for Amber. “Oh my god! This is amazing! So flavorful!” he mumbled through a full mouth. “Better than any five-star restaurant!” With the first follower, the rest quickly joined in. “Let me try!” “Give me one! Amber, you’re a lifesaver!” Within seconds, the tray was nearly empty. They stuffed their faces while throwing dirty looks at me. Tyler sneered, picked up a piece, and held it to Amber’s lips with a tender smile. “Here, Amber. You eat too. Don’t let irrelevant people ruin your day.” Amber smiled through her tears, took a bite from his hand, and closed her eyes happily. “Mm, so good!” The surrounding classmates started chanting and cheering. “Oh! Get a room, you two!” “Tyler, you’re so biased, only feeding Amber!” I sneered inwardly. *Since you all love it so much, eat up. Eat all of it.* I pulled out my phone, checked the time for the afternoon exams, and started reviewing my study guides. “Chloe, are you really not going to eat?” My desk mate, Sarah, leaned in and whispered to me. She was the only person in the room who hadn’t joined the mob. In my past life, she was also the only one who had secretly handed me a tissue when everyone was screaming at me. I glanced at her and kept my voice barely audible. “Don’t eat it either.” Sarah blinked, looking at my dead-serious expression, and then at our classmates who were happily devouring the meat. She looked incredibly confused. “Why?” “If you want to be able to sit through the exam this afternoon, trust me just this once.” I didn’t explain further. Sarah hesitated for a few seconds, but looking at my eyes, she finally nodded and slowly put down the turkey leg she had just picked up. Just then, Tyler stormed over, ripped my phone out of my hands, and slammed it onto the table. “Chloe! I’m talking to you! Are you deaf?!” The phone hit the wooden table with a loud, violent crack.
The room went dead silent. Everyone stopped chewing and stared at us. “What is your deal today?” Tyler roared. “Amber brought this out of the goodness of her heart, and not only are you ungrateful, but you’re also acting like a total bitch! Everyone is watching. You will stand up and apologize to Amber. Right. Now.” His voice was dripping with venom. Amber quickly ran over, grabbing Tyler’s arm, her eyes swimming with tears. “Tyler, please stop… It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have bought them… Chloe, please don’t be mad. I’ll apologize for Tyler, okay? Just don’t let this ruin your afternoon exam.” She claimed she was apologizing, but she leaned her body heavily against Tyler’s chest. The classmates chimed in again. “Seriously, Chloe, you’re crossing the line today.” “Tyler is just defending Amber. Just apologize and let it go.” “We’re all classmates. Don’t make it weird.” Apologize? I looked at them, finding the entire situation hysterical. In my past life, I saved all of them. Yet Tyler hit me, verbally abused me, and watched me die. In this life, I did absolutely nothing, and I was still the bad guy. I realized then that no matter what choice I made, the outcome for them didn’t matter. Because in Tyler’s heart, I would never be as important as Amber. I slowly stood up, meeting his furious gaze calmly. “Tyler,” I said softly. “We’re done.” The rage on Tyler’s face instantly froze. “What… what did you say?” “I said, we are breaking up.” I repeated, enunciating every single word. “From this moment on, you, Amber, and whatever drama you guys have are none of my business.” “Chloe!” Tyler raised his hand, the exact same scene from my past life flashing before my eyes. I didn’t flinch. I just stared at him coldly. “Hit me,” I whispered. “Do it, and we are completely through.” His hand froze in mid-air. It shook violently, but he couldn’t bring himself to swing it down. “Fine! Great!” He pulled his hand back, trembling with pure rage. “Chloe, don’t you dare regret this! Breaking up over something so petty? Who do you think you are? Trust me, I will do just fine without you!” “I wish you the best of luck with that.” I picked up my phone from the table. Thank god, the screen wasn’t cracked. I slid it into my bag, checked my test permit, and turned to leave. “Stop right there!” Tyler yelled. “Did I say you could leave? You haven’t apologized, and a breakup is a two-way street. I don’t agree to it!” Hunter and a few other guys immediately stood up, blocking the door. “Chloe, don’t just run away. Talk it out.” “Yeah, nobody leaves until you apologize to Amber.” I took a deep breath, the last ounce of warmth in my heart completely evaporating. “Move.” “No way! Not unless you get on your knees and apologize to Amber!” Hunter barked. On my knees? I almost laughed. Just then, Amber’s voice trembled from behind. “Oh… wait…” She suddenly clutched her stomach, her face turning pale. “My stomach… it hurts so bad…” Tyler immediately spun around, panicked. “Amber, what’s wrong?”
“I’m fine…” Amber forced a weak smile, but cold sweat was already beads on her forehead. “Maybe… maybe it’s just the iced soda I drank earlier. My stomach is just acting up. I’ll be fine after using the restroom.” Clutching her stomach, she hurried out of the dining room. “Hurry back!” Tyler called out anxiously. Once she left, he turned his glare back to me, his frustration peaking. “Chloe, are you happy now? You literally stressed Amber out so much she has a stomachache!” “If she messes up her exam this afternoon, I swear I will make you pay!” I was so amused I almost laughed out loud. Stressed into a stomachache? Or did she just eat rotten meat? “What are you looking at? Apologize!” With Amber gone, Hunter got even more aggressive, reaching out to shove my shoulder. I took a step back. “If I were you, I wouldn’t touch me,” I said calmly. “And I’d stop eating that garbage on the table. In fact, you should all go to the ER to get your stomachs pumped right now. Maybe then you’ll make it to your exams tomorrow.” Hunter froze, and then burst into hysterical laughter as if he had just heard the funniest joke in the world. “Did you guys hear her? She wants us to get our stomachs pumped! Chloe, did studying dry your brain out? Do you think you’re some kind of psychic doctor?” “She literally wants us to fail! She’s so toxic!” “Exactly! She didn’t eat, so now she’s cursing us!” They mocked me as they picked up the remaining meat and stuffed it into their mouths. “So delicious! Too bad some people don’t have the taste buds for it!” “Right? How could something this good be bad? What a joke.” Tyler looked at me with pure disgust in his eyes. “Chloe, I never realized how vile you could be. Just because I defended Amber, you’re resorting to this pathetic way to curse us?” He shoved me into the corner, his arms pinning me against the wall. “I’m saying this for the last time. Get on your knees and apologize to Amber. Otherwise, this isn’t over.” He whispered threateningly. I looked up at his face, so close to mine. This was the boy I had loved for three years, the one who had brought me nothing but agony across two lifetimes. I spoke, my voice chillingly calm. “Tyler, aren’t you even a little curious? Why didn’t I take a single bite, yet I knew something was wrong with it?” He blinked, taken aback. “Because my family does this for a living,” I said, holding his gaze. “I know meat better than any of you. That is not turkey. It’s spoiled duck meat masked with industrial chemical dye. If you eat it, you’ll end up with severe food poisoning. At best, you’ll be vomiting blood. At worst…” “Shut up! Amber literally said she bought it from a popular street vendor!” “So?” I countered. “Just because she said it, it’s true? You’d rather believe a pathological liar than me?” “Shut your mouth! Don’t you dare talk about Amber like that!” “Then why isn’t your precious Amber back yet?” I asked. I glanced at my watch. There was only one hour left before the afternoon SAT session. The incubation period for that bacteria was about thirty minutes to an hour. It was about time. Tyler froze. Suddenly, the door to the dining room was kicked open. A guy ran in, clutching his mouth. Before he could even reach the trash can, he threw up violently all over the floor. Immediately after, classmate after classmate turned ghostly pale, clutching their stomachs. Like rockets launching, they scrambled and fought to get out the door to the bathrooms. “My stomach… oh god, it feels like I’m being stabbed!” “Me too… I can’t… I think I’m gonna throw up!”
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