Once Luke finally became my official boyfriend, his jealousy went off the charts. If I had dinner with a colleague, he threw a tantrum. If I waved to a neighbor, he started crying. Even when my ex got into a car accident and I went to the hospital to visit, he completely lost his mind. Suffocated by his overbearing possessiveness, I ended up screaming at him right outside the ward. “I literally just came to bring him a fruit basket!” “But that’s exactly how I got you in the first place, by playing the pity card!” His eyes were bloodshot. “Don’t think I didn’t hear him! He just said if he could do it all over again, he’d cherish you and never let me slide into your DMs!” “Mia, if I could do it all over again, I wouldn’t play the side piece either. This guy is keeping his dignity!” And just like that, his wish came true. The next day, everything reset to the very afternoon Tucker first introduced Luke to me. 1 Yesterday, Luke slammed the door and stormed out, his eyes raw and red. I was used to him running away whenever we fought. Figuring he would cool down, talk himself out of his anger, and crawl back on his own tomorrow, I climbed into my king-sized bed and drifted off to sleep. But when I opened my eyes, I was lying in a narrow twin bed in a crowded college dorm. My roommate pulled back my bed curtain and peeked in. “Oh, you’re awake? Your boyfriend said you weren’t answering his texts. He asked me to wake you up.” Completely bewildered, I grabbed my phone. Tucker’s messages immediately popped up. [Still asleep? Get up and put some makeup on.] [My roommate said he’s buying us dinner today.] Staring at the word “roommate,” my heart skipped a beat. The memory of Luke’s tearful, indignant face from the night before flashed in my mind. Mia, if I could do it all over again, I wouldn’t play the side piece either. This guy is keeping his dignity! After a few seconds of silence, I typed back. [Sorry, Tucker. I’m not feeling well today. Tell your roommate I’m really sorry for missing out.] Tucker called almost instantly. I hesitated for a moment before picking up. “Hey, what’s wrong? Where does it hurt?” The younger version of Tucker sounded exactly the same as he did in my memories. I made up a quick excuse and hung up. Lying back down, I tossed and turned, unable to sleep. In our college days, Tucker and I were the golden couple everyone envied. No one could have guessed how toxic and ugly things would get just six months later. With my mind in a chaotic whirl, I finally dragged myself out of bed and took a hot shower. When I got back to the room, my roommate looked up. “Your phone keeps ringing. There’s no caller ID, so I didn’t pick up.” I walked over and picked up the device. Looking at the familiar number, my heart did a violent flip. The phone rang again. I slid the screen to answer. The person on the other end was silent, as if waiting for me to break first. I didn’t say a word either. Finally, after ten agonizing seconds, Luke spoke, his voice dripping with barely suppressed rage. “Mia, you are unbelievable!” The line went dead. I climbed back into bed, rubbing my temples. It was obvious. Luke had reset too. In this timeline, the current Luke shouldn’t even know me, let alone have my phone number. We were supposed to meet for the first time at dinner today, introduced by Tucker. But I hadn’t gone. And now, he was furious all over again. Only this time, I wanted to give him a chance to make a different choice. After all, in our three years together in my past life, he had spent two and a half of them angry. It hadn’t really bothered me, but I used to catch him sitting at the edge of the bed in the middle of the night, quietly crying. I had honestly worried he would give himself a heart attack from pure frustration. The next morning, Tucker called to tell me he was downstairs. I paused for a second before asking, “Did you come alone?” Tucker sounded confused. “Yeah, of course. Why wouldn’t I be?” An odd sensation settled in my chest. Luke hadn’t come with him. It seemed he, too, was letting things slide back into their original, separate tracks. “Thanks for the breakfast,” I said, taking the bag from him. Tucker reached out to ruffle my hair. “Why are you being so polite today?” My instinctive flinch made both of us freeze. A shadow crossed Tucker’s eyes before he quickly masked it with a smile. “I have a basketball game this afternoon. Come bring me some water.” As his girlfriend, showing up to hand him water and mark my territory was practically a given. But back then, Tucker would never let me go to his games. I remembered how I used to tease him, clinging to his arm. “What, are you afraid some other girls will get jealous if they see us?” Tucker would gently push me away, a flicker of guilt washing over his face, though younger me had been too blind to notice. “I…” Now, I didn’t want that role at all. Just as I was trying to think of an excuse to refuse, Tucker leaned in close. I took a sharp step back. The darkness in his eyes deepened. “Babe, what is wrong with you today?” I forced a dry laugh, quickly changing the subject. “What kind of drink do you want me to bring this afternoon?” Seeing me agree, his expression softened a bit. 2 I figured Luke would be at the game. I didn’t plan on hiding from him either. We went to the same university, so encounters were inevitable. Still, the moment I stepped onto the court, a burning gaze locked onto me. It was so intense it made my skin prickle. I looked up, only to find him looking in the complete opposite direction. “Babe, over here!” Tucker’s voice boomed across the court as he waved at me. In my memory, he had never been this loud or public about us. Was that burning gaze actually his? Clutching the sports drink in my hand, I jogged over to him. A few guys on the sidelines started whistling and teasing. “Damn, you’re finally showing her off to the boys!” “No wonder you kept her hidden, she’s gorgeous!” Tucker took the bottle, his eyes shining. “I’m really glad you came.” I couldn’t focus on what he was saying. My back felt incredibly cold. Stealing a glance over my shoulder, I saw Luke standing a few yards away, his face entirely blank. The moment our eyes met, he casually looked away and snatched a bottle of water from a girl standing next to him. “Keep my jacket for me, babe. I’ll take you out to eat after this,” Tucker said, pulling my attention back. I blinked, slightly stunned. Babe? Was Tucker out of his mind? Had he always been this cringey? In my memory, our relationship had been quite distant and cool. “Okay,” I murmured. The moment I agreed, a loud crash echoed from the nearby trash can. Everyone turned to look. Luke was calmly dusting off his hands. “Just throwing away some garbage.” I stared at him. I knew that look all too well. He was throwing a fit. A massive one. But right now, he had absolutely no right to be angry. In our past life, he could scream and shout at me. Now, we were total strangers who hadn’t even been introduced. I didn’t actually understand basketball. Listening to the crowd cheer, I just stared blankly at the court. Tucker was my current boyfriend. Yet, my eyes kept drifting toward Luke. Sighing, I rubbed my temples, feeling a headache coming on, and just kept my head down. After what felt like forever, a pair of sneakers appeared in my field of vision. I looked up to find Luke staring down at me. Compared to the man he was three years later, his features weren’t as sharp yet, but he was still strikingly handsome. His eyes were cold, and neither of us said a word. “Excuse me,” he finally muttered. His voice was stiff and icy. Knowing him, he was probably vibrating with rage but forcing himself to play it cool. Looking at the wide empty space around us, I silently pulled my legs in to let him pass. A familiar, clean scent brushed past me as he walked by. My chest tightened. Luke had never treated me with such cold indifference before, and it stung. But before I could even process the ache, he spun right back around. “Excuse me again.” I was speechless. I watched in sheer disbelief as Luke began moving sports drinks from the left side of the bench to the right side, one by one. He paced back and forth right in front of me. He did this about a dozen times. Until Tucker’s voice broke the silence. “Babe, give me my jacket.” I looked up. Luke’s knuckles were white around a plastic bottle as he watched us. Tucker smiled warmly, taking the jacket and holding it close to his chest. “Smells so good. Since you were holding it, it smells just like you.” The loud pop of a plastic bottle collapsing under sheer grip strength startled us. We both turned to look at Luke. He calmly threw the crushed, empty bottle into the bin. He pulled up the hem of his shirt to wipe his hands, entirely “accidentally” revealing a perfectly defined set of eight-pack abs. “I prefer washing my hands with mineral water. Tap water is too dirty for me.” It was like watching a close friend try way too hard to flex. My lips twitched. I had to force myself not to laugh. Tucker’s smile stiffened for a fraction of a second. He quickly wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “Oh, I forgot to introduce you guys. Babe, this is Luke, my roommate.” I nodded. Tucker patted my head, his tone dripping with affection. “And this is my girl, Mia.” The silence in the air became suffocating. Tucker dropped his hand and took my fingers in his. My whole body went rigid. I felt like Luke’s glare was slicing me into a thousand pieces. “Let’s go get some food,” Tucker said. Before we could even turn around, Luke spoke up. “I haven’t eaten either.” Tucker offered a tight smile. “Then go eat.” Something felt incredibly off. Did Luke and Tucker always have this much tension between them? 3 Luke pressed his lips together. “Let’s go together.” Tucker nodded. “Sure. I’ll call a few more friends then. My treat.” He pulled out his phone to make some calls, but his other hand kept a firm grip on mine. I felt incredibly awkward but didn’t want to make a scene by snatching my hand back, so I just stood there like a statue. I glanced over and saw Luke taking his jacket back from the girl who had been holding it. So, he had let that girl hold his jacket the entire time. I quietly looked away. … “The heater is blasting in here. Want to take off your coat and let me hold it?” As soon as we walked into the private dining room, Tucker slid into the seat to my left, tugging gently at my cardigan. I felt incredibly uncomfortable. Had Tucker always been this suffocatingly clingy? It was honestly exhausting. But before I could even take my coat off, someone slid into the empty seat on my right. Recognizing the silhouette, I froze completely. Tucker grabbed my chair and pulled it closer to his side. “He just finished playing, he’s probably sweating. Don’t want him ruining your appetite.” Before he could even finish his sentence, Luke shot him a freezing glare. “Didn’t you just play too? You don’t sweat?” “My sweat doesn’t smell bad, and my girl would never complain about me anyway.” “People who stink can never smell themselves.” Sitting right in the middle of their crossfire, I felt like a helpless referee. Hoping to defuse the tension, I managed to stammer out, “No, really, neither of you smells bad. You both smell fine.” The room went even quieter. To my right, a girl laughed softly. It was the girl who had been sitting next to Luke. She looked at me with an amused smile. “You’re so cute, Mia. No wonder Tucker fell for you. So, how did you get him? Share some tips.” She leaned in slightly, her eyes flickering toward Luke in a teasing way. Luke’s face darkened even further. This had always been a sensitive spot for him during our relationship. Well, to be fair, he had a lot of sensitive spots. But the fact that I had actively pursued Tucker first was something he could never let go of. To quote his drunken rants from my past life: “I put so much effort into seducing you, but he just stood there and you loved him instantly.” It was incredibly dramatic. But he had been genuinely heartbroken. Tucker leaned his head on his hand, looking at me with a fond expression. “She’s a bit clumsy, she doesn’t even know how to flirt properly. The love letter she wrote me even had typos…” A harsh, scraping sound cut him off as Luke’s chair screeched violently against the hardwood floor. The three of us bolted upright, staring at him. 4 Luke’s expression was terrifyingly dark. For a second, I honestly thought he was going to throw a punch at Tucker. But he just stood up, coldly announced he was going to the restroom, and walked out without looking back. Tucker’s friends gradually trickled in, but Luke didn’t return. Tucker was busy introducing me to everyone with fake enthusiasm. His friends, both in my past life and this one, had never really liked me. Tucker hated me interacting with his social circle, and a chubby guy slid right into the empty seat Luke had vacated. He offered a sly smirk, raising his glass toward me. “Hey, Mia. Didn’t think Tucker would actually bring you to hang out with the boys. Let’s have a drink?” The table went quiet for a second, a few guys exchanging knowing, mocking glances. Tucker stiffened, reaching out to block the glass. “She doesn’t drink. Don’t push her.” Before he could finish, a large, wet hand clamped down on the chubby guy’s head. Luke had just walked back in, water still dripping from his freshly washed hands. He gripped the guy’s head and casually twisted it like a Rubik’s cube, looking completely unbothered but utterly imposing. “Hey, buddy. Get up. That’s my seat.” The guy’s face flushed with anger, and he spun around ready to snap. But taking in Luke’s height and build, he swallowed his pride and slunk away to another seat. Tucker cleared his throat. “They just like to joke around. If you don’t like them, I won’t bring you around them next time.” I knew exactly what he was trying to hide. Tucker had a childhood friend with whom he shared a very blurry line. All his friends knew about her. They claimed it was a pure friendship, but they were basically “friends with benefits” in all but name. The girl had pinned after Tucker for years, playing the victim while being sweet to everyone else, and Tucker’s friends always felt the need to defend her honor against me. But instead of holding Tucker accountable, they threw all their resentment at me. Looking at his guilty expression, I chose to say nothing. Beside me, Luke let out a sharp, irritated click of his tongue. “Does that guy even wash his hair? Disgusting. Mia, give me a tissue.” He nudged my elbow, forcefully pulling my attention back to him. The girl next to him quickly offered a napkin, but he ignored her, staring obstinately at me. I pretended not to notice, and the girl slowly retracted her hand. Left with no tissue, Luke, acting like a toddler, began aggressively rubbing his wet hands against his own shirt. The girl’s eye twitched. She evidently had a bit of a germophobia streak, because she stopped trying to talk to him and turned to the guy on her other side instead. As soon as the first dish was served, Luke frowned and slid the plate away. Then, he reached over and dragged a different dish right in front of me. Within minutes, every single one of my favorite foods was lined up in front of my plate. I kept quiet, though a small smile tugged at my lips. Tucker silently placed a piece of beef into my bowl. “Babe, eat up.” I looked at the meat, then quietly nudged it to the side of my plate. Luke’s chest practically puffed up with triumph. He immediately copied Tucker and dropped a piece of pork onto my plate. The temperature around Tucker dropped to sub-zero. I swept both pieces of meat to the side. Luke’s triumphant smirk instantly collapsed into a pout. Now the air around Luke was freezing too. He was throwing another fit. The entire dinner was a painful display of the two of them passive-aggressively competing. The food on my plate kept piling up, but I didn’t touch a single bite. As the dinner wrapped up, I stood up to help one of the girls pack up some leftovers, since she mentioned she had a dog at home. Tucker, who had drank a bit too much, slurred his words as he grabbed my wrist. “Babe… I love you… I love you so much.” He pulled me down, and caught off guard, I ended up landing right on his lap. The room went dead silent. Luke, who had just stood up, turned pale. He shot me a furious, devastated look before spinning around and storming out. I scrambled off Tucker’s lap, grabbed my phone from the table, and ran out after Luke. The night air was crisp and windy. Luke’s long shadow stretched under the streetlamp. I called out to him. “Luke!” He stopped and turned around, trying to look haughty. “Why aren’t you back there with your boyfriend? Why are you chasing me?” “You forgot your phone…” The moment the words left my mouth, his face fell. I sighed. “What are you actually trying to do? You’re the one who said you didn’t want anything to do with me if we got a do-over, yet here you are, crying…” Luke exploded like a firecracker. “Who’s crying?! Who’s crying?! I keep my word! I said I wouldn’t bother you, and I won’t! I’m not going to humiliate myself like that again! You can be with whoever you want, I don’t give a damn!” 5 Luke marched away, his departure meant to look dramatic and final. Except he tripped over his own feet and almost ate asphalt. Tucker stumbled out of the restaurant shortly after, reaching out to grasp my hand. “Babe, let me call a designated driver to take you back first.” His friends helped him into the backseat of the car, and I slid in next to him. The stench of alcohol on him was thick. In the dim cabin, he slowly leaned in, trying to kiss me. With one hand, I pushed him away. With the other, I fished a sparkly hair clip out of the side pocket of the passenger door. “Stop acting, Tucker.” The air in the car turned heavy. Tucker sat up straight, trying to reach for my hand again. “A friend’s girl must have dropped that the last time they hitched a ride, Mia. Let me explain.” “Let’s break up.” The words hung in the silence. The drunken haze cleared from Tucker’s eyes, and he looked at me with a pained, desperate expression. “Why? I haven’t even done anything wrong yet.” Tucker had retained his memories too. I had figured that out early on. When someone starts acting completely out of character, there is always a reason. “But we both know you did do those things, didn’t you?” In our past life, I had caught them in bed together. The sheer disgust of that moment was something I would never be able to scrub from my memory. “But none of that has happened this time. We can fix this…” He pleaded softly, but I simply pushed the door open and stepped out into the night. I hadn’t walked very far before I spotted Luke, crouching in a dark corner of the sidewalk. Our eyes met, and he awkwardly dropped a brick he had been holding. “Aren’t you guys waiting for a driver? Did you have a fight?” I stared at the brick on the ground. Knowing Luke, if Tucker and I had stayed in that car for more than ten minutes, he would have “accidentally” thrown that brick through the window. How was he still this childish? I sighed, deciding to tease him a little. “I came out to buy something.” He sneered. “Buy what?” I stayed quiet, just looking at him. Luke’s face went pale, his eyes widening in horror. “Buy what?! Tell me what you’re buying!” I didn’t need to say another word. His own imagination was already torturing him to death. I found it almost funny. In our past life, he was the official boyfriend but always acted like a jealous mistress. Now, he didn’t even have the status of a side piece, yet he was still standing here demanding answers. Luke was practically vibrating with rage. “You’re not allowed to buy it! You’re not allowed to go! What if he poked holes in it?! Mia!” I looked at him, completely exhausted. “Can you keep your voice down?” His eyes were rimmed with red. “I’ll yell if I want to, and I’ll whisper if I want to! You’re not my girlfriend, you don’t get to tell me what to do!” My head throbbed. Spotting the driver arriving, I turned back and got into Tucker’s car. The moment I climbed back in, Tucker’s eyes lit up. “Mia, I knew you…” I cut him off. “Cabs are hard to find around here. Sir, please take me back to my dorm first. I’ll pay for the ride.” The light in Tucker’s eyes died instantly. I hadn’t told Luke, but no matter how many times we reset, he was the only one I would ever choose. But this stubborn, short-tempered idiot needed a lesson. In the middle of the night, my phone wouldn’t stop buzzing. Seeing Luke’s name on the screen, I let it ring. When it started up again, I sighed and put the receiver to my ear. “Hello?” Luke’s voice was trembling. “What do you want?” He sniffled. “Where’s Tucker? Is he asleep?” I blinked, suddenly realizing why he was calling. Tucker hadn’t returned to the dorm. No wonder Luke was going out of his mind, assuming Tucker and I had checked into a hotel. But since he had no right to interrogate me, he had to resort to these clumsy, indirect questions. “What does that have to do with you?” He stammered for a while, completely unable to find a valid excuse. “I can’t sleep. Tell Tucker to say goodnight to me.” I almost laughed out loud. He was desperately trying to verify if I was with Tucker. “He’s asleep,” I lied. The next second, I heard Luke grinding his teeth so hard it sounded like they would shatter. “Then you say goodnight to me.” “You’re crazy,” I muttered, hanging up.
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