Jace hadn’t spoken to me in three days. Just as I was about to swallow my pride and apologize first, the school’s golden boy confessed his feelings to me. I instinctively looked at Jace. “Do you want me to say yes?” A friend nudged him. “You and Maya grew up together. Don’t say something you’ll regret just because you’re mad.” Jace sneered, looking utterly unimpressed. “She could strip naked in front of me and I wouldn’t feel a thing.” “She can date whoever she wants. I don’t care.” At the same time, a floating comment appeared in my vision: [LMAO, Jace, you look pathetic trying to act tough. Your knuckles are white from clenching your fists, but sure, you ‘don’t care.’] [Male lead is digging his own grave. His eyes panicked just now but he still has to run his mouth.] [Golden Boy, cover our girl’s ears! The male lead’s mouth needs to be sewn shut!] [Girl, just pick the Golden Boy. He saves your doodle-filled scratch paper like it’s treasure. If you beckoned, he’d crawl to you.] I swallowed the bitterness in my throat and looked at the blushing boy in front of me. I smiled. “Okay. Let’s give it a try, boyfriend.” Chapter 1 Jace was giving me the silent treatment again. I gathered a few friends to meet up with him, intending to make peace. After all, since we were kids, every time he got mad, I was the one to back down first. He showed up. But he wasn’t alone. Mia was with him. She was the scholarship student who transferred this semester. She was proud, aloof, and didn’t mesh well with most of the class. She especially looked down on me. She called me a “princess” who only knew how to act helpless and rely on men. Whenever I spoke, she’d cover her ears with a look of disgust. “Ugh, that voice. So fake.” But that was just my natural voice. I looked at Jace, opening my mouth to say something conciliatory. Mia stepped in front of me, chin raised, her voice sharp. “Maya, please control your boyfriend. Stop letting him show up around me. I have no interest in your little love drama. It’s a waste of my time.” I was confused. But my upbringing kicked in, and I politely explained, “You misunderstood. Jace isn’t my boyfriend yet.” She ignored me and continued aggressively. “Why do you have to come to my workplace and bother me?” “Do you rich people just get a kick out of humiliating us poor folks?” I was even more baffled. This coffee shop outside school was our usual spot for homework. I had no idea Mia worked here. There wasn’t a trace of a smile on her face. She acted like our mere presence was an imposition. “It’s my first day, and you bring a whole crowd and order so much.” “Extra syrup, no syrup, oat milk, almond milk. Are you deliberately trying to make my life hard?” Even with my good temper, I was starting to get annoyed. “Ordering based on preference is normal, isn’t it? If you can’t handle it, you can find another job instead of lecturing the customers.” Jace looked at me, a flicker of impatience in his eyes. “Maya, apologize.” I froze, bewildered. My eyes stung. “What did I do wrong? Why should I apologize?” Chapter 2 This was the second time Jace had forced me to apologize to Mia. It was also the reason for our current cold war. Last week, our homeroom teacher held a meeting with the class officers. He mentioned that Mia’s family was struggling—her dad broke his leg and lost their only source of income. He suggested a secret donation drive, emphasizing that we should keep it quiet to protect her pride. As the academic chair, collecting the money fell to me. But when Jace came over to my house to study, he accidentally knocked over the notebook where I was recording the donations. And Mia just happened to see it. She stared at the amounts listed next to everyone’s names. Then she grabbed the notebook, tore it to shreds, and threw the pieces in my face. “Maya, I don’t need your charity!” “My family is poor, but I have dignity!” “Acting all high and mighty like this… it’s disgusting!” She was crying, but she held her head high, defiant. Like I was some unforgivable villain. Even though I had emptied my entire allowance and donated the most. The whole class looked at me, their silent gazes accusing me of hurting someone’s pride. My eyes turned red, and my hands trembled under my desk. I instinctively looked at Jace. I hoped he would say something. Anything. We had grown up together. He always hated seeing me treated unfairly. But this time, he stood next to Mia and frowned. “Maya, apologize.” I turned to leave in anger. He grabbed my wrist. “Be good. Just apologize and it’ll be over.” He gripped me tight, so tight my bones ached. Like he wouldn’t let me go unless I publicly atoned for my sins against Mia. I swallowed my grievance and pain, clenched my fists, and said my first “I’m sorry” to Mia. But she bit her lip and shook her head. “Maya, you’re not sincere. I don’t accept it.” My nose stung. I was on the verge of tears. Jace’s eyes darkened. “Maya, come on. Louder.” My nails dug into my palms. My heart ached terribly. I didn’t want to drag this out. I bowed deeply to Mia. “I am sorry. Is that enough?” Then I ran out of the classroom and took the rest of the day off. I cried my eyes out at home. When my mom asked, she comforted me, saying scholarship kids sometimes just had strong pride. I tried to rationalize it. I tried to convince myself that Jace just didn’t want things to escalate to the teacher and make it awkward for everyone. My friends tried to comfort me too. They said Jace kept staring at my empty seat. That he checked his phone eight hundred times a day, waiting for my text. That he was calling people at 3 AM asking what gifts girls liked, surely for me. They showed me photos. They told me to give him an out. So, that led to today’s attempt at reconciliation. Chapter 3 But here we were again. I hadn’t done anything wrong this time either. Yet he still wanted me to apologize. I suddenly started to doubt… did Jace actually care about me? “I don’t think I’m wrong.” “Jace, I won’t apologize.” Mia scoffed. “You look down on me, of course you won’t apologize.” “I won’t hold it against you. Because I’m different from you. I don’t have the luxury of being willful.” She loved doing this. Using these words to put us on trial. Amplifying her poverty and struggles to stand in opposition to us. But was it a sin that my parents gave me a comfortable life? “Mia,” I clenched my fists, my voice losing its softness. “Poverty isn’t an excuse for you to be unreasonable. I don’t owe you anything. This is your job. If you don’t want to do it, I can ask the manager to cancel the order, and we’ll go somewhere else.” Jace suddenly raised his voice. “Maya!” Mia huffed and walked away. I felt exhausted. The desire to make peace vanished. My friends looked at each other, awkward silence filling the air. Jace stared in Mia’s direction, lost in thought. A moment later, she came back with a tray to serve our drinks. Whether intentional or not, when she placed my cup down, she slammed it. Coffee splashed all over my white pants. I jumped up, grabbing napkins. She glanced at me lightly, muttered “High maintenance,” and turned to leave. I called her out. “Mia, apologize! You ruined my clothes.” She turned around. Jace, who had been silent, finally spoke. “Forget it. It’s just a pair of pants. It’s not necessary.” I looked at him in disbelief. “Not necessary?” Mia lifted her chin. “It’s my first day. You should know I might be clumsy. Why wear white to a coffee shop? Are you saying you’re blameless?” I was trembling with rage at her twisted logic. Jace frowned and pulled me down. “That’s enough. She’s working hard. Stop making a scene.” Me? Making a scene? Why was it that when it concerned her, I had to apologize? But when she messed up, my reasonable request became “making a scene”? I felt like I didn’t know Jace anymore. Seeing our standoff, Mia pulled a bracelet out of her pocket and slammed it on the table, looking at Jace. “I won’t accept your gift. You rich people are too much trouble. Please don’t give me random things in the future.” It was the exact same bracelet my friend had sent me a picture of. So the person he was buying a gift for at 3 AM wasn’t me. My heart sank, bit by bit. I looked up and met Jace’s eyes. He looked displeased. “Maya, can’t you be considerate of others?” “You’ve really been spoiled by everyone! You’ve become so mean!” Bitterness spread through me. I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. Everyone said Jace liked me, that we would end up together eventually. So bowing my head temporarily didn’t mean much. But if he liked me, why was it never him bowing to me? Why did simply wanting fair treatment make me “mean” in his eyes? Just as my emotions were about to explode… The coffee shop door opened. A familiar figure walked slowly toward me. It was Liam, the school’s Golden Boy and top student. In front of everyone, he handed me a letter. He said he liked me and hoped I would consider being his girlfriend. The air went still. Jace whipped his head around to find my eyes, his face turning pale. Chapter 4 It was too sudden. I instinctively asked Jace, “Do you want me to say yes?” I don’t know why that question triggered him again. His expression shifted instantly, becoming cold as ice. My friends started whispering urgently. “Maya, are you kidding? You and Jace have been close since forever. How could you be with someone else?” “Yeah, you like him so much. Just apologize and you guys will make up.” “He’s just stubborn. He’s soft on the inside, you know that.” I stayed silent. I stared stubbornly at Jace. A friend nudged his shoulder. “You and Maya grew up together. Don’t say something you’ll regret just because you’re mad.” Jace sneered, looking utterly unimpressed. “She could strip naked in front of me and I wouldn’t feel a thing.” “She can date whoever she wants. I don’t care.” At the same time, the floating comments appeared: [LMAO, Jace, you look pathetic trying to act tough. Your knuckles are white from clenching your fists, but sure, you ‘don’t care.’] [Male lead is digging his own grave. His eyes panicked just now but he still has to run his mouth.] [Jace only bought the bracelet to apologize to Mia on Maya’s behalf! He doesn’t like her!] [Male lead, speak up! What is your mouth for? You’re gonna be groveling later.] [Golden Boy, cover our girl’s ears! The male lead’s mouth needs to be sewn shut!] [Girl, just pick the Golden Boy. He saves your doodle-filled scratch paper like it’s treasure. If you beckoned, he’d crawl to you.] [I’m a college student, and I support the female lead getting with the Golden Boy.] The sudden text floating in the air confused me. The “male lead” they were talking about was Jace? And Liam… liked me? How could he like me? He sat next to me in class, but I once overheard him telling someone I was “high maintenance” and my voice was annoying. That I looked like a “pick-me” girl. [That’s just jealousy! He’s jealous you follow Jace around and never look at him.] [Yeah, he’s basically crawling on the floor in envy. He pretends to sleep during breaks just to smell your hair.] [Tsk tsk, this creepy shadowy vibe. Love it.] Really? My thoughts slowly returned to reality. But then I heard Jace speak again. “Come on, Maya. Stop playing these games.” “Dragging the Golden Boy into your little drama? Did you pay him?” “What, you didn’t come to me for a few days so you went to seduce him instead?” [Oh no, oh no. Male lead regretted it the second he said it. His hands are shaking but he’s trying to look cool.] [Baby girl, just comfort Jace. He looks like he’s about to shatter.] [Yeah, you came here to make peace anyway. Why make everyone awkward?] [Honestly, the female lead is kinda dramatic sometimes.] [Right? If she just went to him that night, they would’ve made up. But she waited three days. The guy couldn’t sleep waiting for her text. He loves her so much, okay?] [I’m Team Childhood Friend. Don’t let the new guy win! Baby girl, do it for me. Reject the Golden Boy and go hug Jace.]

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During the sign-ups for the collegiate esports league, my boyfriend insisted on adding me to his squad. But his “female bro” wasn’t having it. “Why are you dragging a girl into a guy’s competition?” she snapped. “Is she just here to drag us down?” I let out a soft, trembling sob. “Liam, forget it. Your friend doesn’t seem to like me.” “I don’t need to compete. I just wanted to spend a little more time with you…” Liam was visibly moved. He spent the rest of the time hugging me, kissing me, and doting on me. He didn’t even notice that his “female bro” had muted her mic in a fit of rage. So what if she’s a “pick-me” girl? Has she ever met a strategic manipulator? Chapter 1 Liam was my gaming partner for two months before we started dating online. He had a great voice, cracked skills, and a handsome face. I actually had real feelings for him and agreed to meet up in person. But one day, I checked his match history. Every night at 2:00 AM, he played Elimination mode with a female account named “Jordan.” “Oh, you mean Jordan? She’s just one of the guys! She fights like a dude and always wants to 1v1 me.” “Babe, don’t be jealous. I don’t even see her as a woman!” I obediently expressed my understanding. Then, I acted cute and asked if I could join his team for the upcoming esports league. “Of course! Carrying one person is easy for us.” As soon as I joined the lobby, I heard a sharp female voice teasing him. “Liam, where the hell did you kidnap this little sister from? Be honest, what number is she this month?” “Don’t talk crap! I’m a loyal man now! This is my official girlfriend. We’ve been together for two months.” “Tiffany, these two are my childhood friends.” I greeted them with a soft, gentle voice. Jordan went silent for a moment. Then she let out a weird laugh. “Hey sis, we aren’t Liam. Why are you using that fake baby voice?” The other teammate, Kyle, laughed and tried to smooth things over. “Oh come on, Jordan just speaks without thinking. Don’t mind her, sister-in-law! Your voice is top tier! Liam, you lucky dog.” Liam chuckled. He made his game character perform heart emotes and hugs around me, showing off our love. “Alright, alright, get a room,” Jordan snapped. “You’ve seen her. Now kick her, sis. We need to practice our aim.” Her tone allowed for no arguments. I feigned ignorance. “But… Liam said I could join the competition.” “You’re joking, right?” Jordan turned her rage on Liam. “Liam, you idiot, what do you mean? It’s a serious competition. Why are you dragging a girl along? To be a dead weight?” “Uh, actually, Tiffany’s aim isn’t bad. I taught her…” That seemed to trigger Jordan even more. “You taught her? You taught her. You sure ‘teach’ a lot of people, don’t you?” Oh, is she jealous? I sniffled softly into the mic. “Liam, forget it. Your bro doesn’t seem to like me.” “I don’t have to play. I just wanted to be by your side a bit more…” Liam was touched. We were in the honeymoon phase; any clingy behavior was just proof of love. So, he completely ignored his “bro” who had muted herself in anger. “It’s fine, it’s fine! It’s settled. You’re on the team!” Chapter 2 That night, a WeChat account with a basketball profile picture added me. They didn’t say anything. I checked the profile. Gender: Male. I scrolled down. The posts were… interesting. [Liam’s tolerance is trash. Half a bottle of vodka and he’s collapsed in Daddy’s arms! Hilarious!] The photo was taken from a high angle. Below a very curved tank top, you could see half of Liam’s drunken face. Further down, November 12th. [Carried this son of mine to nine wins in Elimination today! My skills speak for themselves.] [Some girls are such buzzkills. Dragging people out to FaceTime in the middle of a match? Will you die if you aren’t glued to your boyfriend for one minute? The gaming environment is toxic because of people like you!] I remembered that night. I was sick with Covid, lying in bed, unable to sleep, so I video-called Liam. Under that post, Liam had commented: [Okay, okay, I’m sorry. My baby was sick, I had to keep her company. I’ll buy you dinner tomorrow!] She replied with a sneer: [Can you cure sickness? She’s just being dramatic.] I kept scrolling. There were many similar posts. Duo queue records, photos of them kissing as a “truth or dare” punishment at a bar, and videos of her sitting on his lap in a gaming cafe. Doing everything a couple does, all under the guise of “bros.” I was too disgusted to scroll further. Just then, a new post popped up at the top. [I was wondering why he’s simping so hard. Turns out he hasn’t hit it yet. Guess I’ll play along this one time!] The image was a screenshot of Liam’s messages in their group chat. [It’s just the prelims. I’m just coaxing her. I obviously won’t let her play in the finals!] [Be a brother and understanding.] [I’ve already booked the hotel room for when we meet up!] I let out a soft laugh. So that’s the game plan? Chapter 3 A message from Liam popped up. [Hubby <3]: Wifey, what are you doing? I tapped the screen casually. [Me]: Thinking about you, big brother. I attached a photo of myself in a low-cut knit sweater, highlighting my collarbones. Liam video-called me immediately. The background looked like his dorm room. He pulled off his headset, his Adam's apple bobbing. "Babe... why are you teasing me in the middle of the night..." "I didn't mean to~" I pouted, lowered my eyes, and let a hint of unhappiness show. "What's wrong, babe?" He realized immediately. "Is it because of the team thing earlier?" "Look, trust me. Jordan didn't mean it. She's just loud and blunt, but she has a good heart. You'll see when we meet up." "When we meet... she's coming too?" "Yeah, she insisted on checking you out for me! But my wifey is so beautiful, I don't need anyone to check..." I looked up, silent, my eyes red. I stared at him with watery, glistening eyes. Liam couldn't handle it. He swallowed hard, his eyes glazing over a bit. "Babe..." "When we meet... I don't want her there." "Okay, okay. She won't come. Whatever you say, babe..." I had trained Liam well; his willingness to pay up was high. Not long after, two transfers of $520 came through. "Holy crap, Liam, you hoes-before-bros traitor!" The camera shook as Jordan burst into the dorm, jumping onto Liam's back and pummeling him. "I was wondering why you weren't online. You're in here doing 'hand crafts'? Let Daddy check if it's real..." "Get off!" Liam's face turned red as he laughed and wrestled with her. I hung up the video call with a blank expression. This scene was common in Jordan's feed. They had even coordinated to attend this co-ed dorm university together. Their excuse: Continuing the brotherhood. Well, I suppose I should help them out. Chapter 4 I continued to join their pre-match training. During Elimination mode, Jordan deliberately picked the same team as Liam. "Sis, you go to the other team. Liam and I have been partners for a long time, we have better synergy." Kyle groaned. "No way, you two are way better than us. How are we supposed to win?" "Guess you'll just get wrecked then," Jordan grinned. Liam hesitated and tried to comfort me. "Elimination is mainly to practice my synergy with Jordan. During the actual competition, you just follow us, smoke, and loot. Just bear with it for now, babe..." "Okay then," I said, sounding wronged. The match started. Jordan always charged first. And she specifically targeted me. With a Vector SMG, she hunted me down and killed me five times in a row. Kyle tried to block for me but got melted by her hip-fire. He screamed, "Damn, why are you playing so aggressive?" She gloated, "Liam, your girlfriend can't take a hit, huh? Is that it?" "I... I'm sorry, sister..." My voice trembled with tears. "I'm not as good as you. I'm clumsy... I need Liam to protect me..." I dropped my gun and hid behind Liam's character, acting terrified. "Alright, that's enough, you're scaring my baby! Go away!" Jordan choked on her anger. Liam spoke gently, "Babe, you go back to the other team. I'll play against you two. I promise I won't be so aggressive." "O-okay." After two months of sweet duo-queuing, Liam had a conditioned reflex to protect my character. So, for the next few rounds... I would occasionally stop to make heart gestures or hug emotes at him. And he would dutifully run over to hug back. Then Kyle would blast him to death with a full magazine. Jordan screamed in the background, "Liam, you idiot!"

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The air was thick with the acrid smell of sulfur and burnt meat. When the SWAT team kicked down the door, they froze. They stared in horror at the charred remains scattered across the floor. I was sitting on the sofa, calm and collected. Under my feet lay the bodies of Mr. Henderson’s parents. The officers swept the room, checking for secondary devices, before training their rifles on me. “Hands on your head! Do not move!” I slowly raised my hands, my voice steady. “Officer, two of my classmates were in the bathroom when it went off. Can I go check if they’re dead, too?” The veteran detective walked in, took one look at the hellscape, and glared at me. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done? Don’t think being a minor will save you from this.” I shook my head. I never planned on running. Chapter 1 I was taken to the interrogation room. No matter what they asked, I didn’t say a word. Not until a uniformed officer entered to report. “We’ve confirmed forty bodies at the scene.” I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. Forty. I didn’t miss a single one. Perfect. The detective slammed his hand on the metal table. “Julian! You arrogant little psychopath! How can you smile right now?” “Tell me, why did you detonate that bomb? Do you realize you just destroyed over thirty families?” I nodded. “I know. That’s why I didn’t run. I sat there and waited for you. I did it all. I built the bomb myself.” “Wrap it up. There’s nothing else to say.” The high school principal rushed in, trembling as he pointed a finger at me. “Why? Why would you do this?” “If it weren’t for Mr. Henderson, you wouldn’t even be in school! He pulled you out of that abusive house!” “Your classmates… they knew you were the youngest. They pitied you. They took care of you. And you… you’re worse than an animal!” The old principal, nearing retirement, was choking on his rage. Behind him stood Dr. Sarah Evans, the school psychologist. She was the only person, besides Mr. Henderson, who had ever shown me kindness. I looked at her. “I’m sorry, Dr. Evans. I didn’t mean to drag you into this mess.” She looked conflicted. “Julian… your psychological evaluations were always normal. You’re a healthy, brilliant kid. Is there something we don’t know? Please, tell the truth.” “Maybe… maybe it could help mitigate your sentence.” I grinned. Dr. Evans was so kind, trying to save me even now. I shook my head slowly. “There’s no secret story.” I looked back at the detective. “I just wanted to test the blast radius of my homemade explosive. I wanted to see if it really could wipe out everyone in that house.” “I’ve confessed, officer. Anything else?” “You monster!” Chapter 2 The detective roared, looking like he wanted to strangle me right there. I looked at him provocatively. I knew he couldn’t touch me. “The evidence chain is solid. I even kept the receipts for the chemicals. What’s the hold-up?” “Why haven’t you closed the case?” The heavy steel door swung open. A man with an imposing aura walked in. He sat on the edge of the table, staring right into my soul. I straightened up. “You must be the boss. Is there anything left to discuss? I admitted to everything.” The man kept his face stone cold. “I’m Detective Miller, head of Major Crimes. I’m taking over.” His eyes were sharp, like a hawk scanning for prey in tall grass. I nodded. “Ask away.” “Why did you kill them? Your principal and teachers say Mr. Henderson and your classmates treated you like family. You have no motive. Unless there’s something they aren’t telling us.” I shrugged. “No hidden motive. Like I said, I just wanted to test my bomb.” “They were good to me. That part is true.” “How were they good to you?” Miller pressed. I counted on my fingers. “They brought me breakfast. They tutored me. They fought for me to stay in school. The whole class even crowdfunded my living expenses.” “Mr. Henderson contributed the most.” Chapter 3 “So you killed Mr. Henderson and his elderly parents?” “Yeah. I was afraid he’d be lonely in hell.” The officer taking notes in the corner snapped his pen in half. “Captain, this kid is a textbook sociopath. He’s crazy. There’s no point wasting time. Let’s book him.” Miller glanced at the officer. “Is that how you conduct an investigation? Sloppy?” “If you can’t dig for the truth, turn in your badge.” The room went silent. Miller’s authority was absolute. I sat up a little straighter, facing Miller. Miller called Dr. Evans back in. “You said he passed his evaluations?” Dr. Evans looked at me with fear now. I smiled gently. Who wouldn’t be afraid of a mass murderer? “Yes,” she stammered. “His mental health was stable. He showed no signs of antisocial personality disorder. If he had, per school policy, we would have intervened. I was sure he was fine.” Miller frowned, looking back at me. “So, why, Julian?” “I suggest you come clean. If there are extenuating circumstances, it could save you from the needle.” “The needle?” I laughed. It sounded like a joke. “In this state, mass shooters get the chair or the injection. I killed forty people. You think there’s a loophole for that?” “Detective Miller, I’m not a three-year-old. Don’t lie to me.” Dr. Evans stepped forward, desperate. “Julian, you’re a genius. You know right from wrong. How could you do this? Just tell us why. Is there a chance?” I shook my head. “I don’t need a chance.” “If I wanted hope, I wouldn’t have built the bomb in the first place.” Miller gritted his teeth. “What happened today? What made you light the fuse?” Chapter 4 “You’re human, Julian. I don’t believe you did this without a trigger.” I furrowed my brows, pretending to think deeply. I tapped my fingers on the metal table. “Today was college acceptance day. I got into the State Teachers College. We agreed to celebrate at Mr. Henderson’s house.” “When we arrived, Mr. Henderson’s parents had prepared a feast. Better than Thanksgiving.” “I was the youngest, so they sat me right next to Mr. Henderson.” I spoke calmly, pacing the story like I was describing a family movie night. “Someone suggested we needed champagne. They sent me downstairs to the convenience store to buy it.” I smiled, remembering the scene. “I stood downstairs and pressed the button on the remote. The boom… it was beautiful. The windows blew out. Black smoke poured into the sky.” I got excited, gesturing with my cuffed hands. “The whole apartment complex ran out screaming. I walked back up. The room was black.” “Luckily, the neighbors weren’t home. Just my class.” Dr. Evans frowned. The pity in her eyes was replaced by disgust. “Some were in pieces. Some were just charcoal statues. You couldn’t tell who was who.” “When I walked in, Mr. Henderson was still holding his wine glass. He didn’t even have time to scream.” “My bomb froze him in time forever.” Tears of excitement welled in my eyes as I recounted the masterpiece. The silence in the interrogation room was suffocating. Miller slammed the table. “Enough! Tell me why!” “Julian, stop acting. I know there’s a reason!” He was pushing me. Forcing me to say it. I pouted like a petulant child. “Why does there have to be a reason?” “If there isn’t one, do you want me to make one up?” My casual tone, coming from a mass murderer, was terrifyingly innocent.

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My mom’s been acting really cold on text lately. She used to call me her “sweet baby angel.” I had to whine and pout for ages before she finally started calling me “sweet baby angel” again. A month later, I got a friend request from my mom. [Why did you delete me, sweetie?] I stared at the contact in my list—the one with the exact same golden lotus flower profile picture as my mom—and fell into deep thought. If this new request is my mom… then who have I been whining to for the last month? The next day, the campus heartthrob, the icy-cool top student, was waiting under my dorm with a box of cupcakes. “Hello, sweet… baby angel.” Chapter 1 I am a certified mama’s girl. If I so much as stub my toe, I have to tell my mom about it. Today, I ate a life-changing egg tart. I took a selfie with the half-eaten tart pressed against my cheek and sent it to my mom. [This egg tart is literally insane!] The reply was almost instant. [Stella?] I felt instantly wronged. [I didn’t text you for two days and now you’re cold to me? You used my full name!] [Call me baby!] [No, call me sweet baby angel!] The other side was silent for three minutes. [Are you sure you want that?] [With our relationship, you have to ask if I’m sure?] Another three minutes of silence. [Sweet… baby angel.] I sent back a gif of a cat wiggling its butt. [That’s more like it!] My roommate yelled from below my bunk bed. “Stella! Get down here and tell me if this dress is cute!” I pulled back the curtain. My roommate, Chloe, was preening in front of the mirror in a pink slip dress. “I definitely gained weight! A medium used to fit perfectly!” “Stella, you’re skinny. Come try this on. If it fits you, I won’t return it.” I rolled out of bed. “Yes, your majesty.” “If it fits, do I get it for free?” Chloe rolled her eyes. “Keep dreaming. You pay for it!” When I put the dress on, it fit perfectly. The color, the size—it was like it was made for me. I winked at Chloe. “Admit it, you have a crush on me.” She ignored me and held up two fingers. “Two hundred bucks.” I checked my bank balance. Eight hundred left, and the month was only half over. So, I took a picture of myself in the pink dress and sent it to my mom. The creed of a mama’s girl: When in doubt, ask Mom. I sent a voice message: “Does this dress look good on me?” My mom replied instantly. [Looks good. Suits you.] I sent another voice message, whining, “But I’m running low on cash… can I get an advance of two hundred?” Chapter 2 My mom Venmoed me two thousand dollars. I almost jumped through the ceiling. [Is this next month’s allowance too?] [No. Next month is next month. This is for the dress.] I screeched. Mom, I love you! You are the queen of my world! I kissed my phone screen and flashed my balance to my roommate. “See that? Your girl is loaded. Wrap it up!” Chloe did a mock bow. “Yes, your highness. Wrapping it now.” Before going to sleep, I texted my mom goodnight. She replied: [Goodnight.] I sent a sticker of a crying baby. [It should be ‘Goodnight, sweet baby angel.’] [Okay. Goodnight, sweet baby angel.] Just as I was drifting off, my phone buzzed again. [Should I call you sweet baby angel every day?] I was half asleep. [Duh.] You’re my mom, I thought. But I was too sleepy to type the rest. The next morning, my three roommates and I all overslept for our 8 AM class. I ran out wearing mismatched shoes. Just as I sprinted out of the dorm, I crashed into someone from the boys’ dorm across the way. I looked up. It was Liam, the department heartthrob. Liam had the grades, the looks, and the family money. But he seemed to hate me. We were in the same student union department. I asked for his number two days ago. He opened with, “What kind of game are you playing now?” and called me “baffling.” My roommates all said, “He looks cold, but I didn’t expect him to be so rude.” I had planned to confess my crush right there, but his tone forced the words back down my throat. I couldn’t let him walk all over me. So I deleted his number immediately. But today, the way Liam looked at me was weird. His eyes were dark and intense, with a complicated flicker of light in them, contrasting sharply with the warm morning sun. I felt guilty under his gaze. Chloe yelled from ahead, “Hurry up, Stella! We’re gonna be late!” Yeah, he was definitely judging my mismatched shoes. Chapter 3 We had lectures all morning. Bored, I started annoying my mom again. [Miss me yet?] Send. [I do.] I sent a pouting sticker. [What did you forget?] [I miss my sweet baby angel.] Weird. My mom usually calls me that without prompting. Did she stop loving me after I went to college? I decided to win her back. I’d been talking about a spa trip with her forever, but we never had time. Summer break was coming up soon. [When I get back for break, let’s go to the hot springs. I already picked out a swimsuit.] I sent a picture of a hot pink, high-cut, backless swimsuit. [What do you think? I have good taste, right?] My mom stopped replying. She usually loves dramatic swimwear. Liam, who was sitting in the row in front of me, suddenly turned his head stiffly. He gave me a look I couldn’t decipher. He seemed to be biting his lip, which was totally out of character for the Ice King. Bro, is that necessary? I wore the wrong shoes once. Do you have to stare? Or is he holding a grudge because I deleted him? My heart was drumming when my mom finally replied. [Okay.] [It’s a date then!] During the break, Liam’s friend exclaimed, “Dude, your ears are so red! Do you have a fever?” Chapter 4 At lunch in the cafeteria, I snapped a pic of my braised chicken for my mom. [So yummy.] [If only I had a boba tea for dessert.] My mom didn’t reply. Probably eating lunch with my dad. My roommates and I were wolfing down our food when a boba tea suddenly descended from the heavens. I looked up along the plastic bag. Liam, in a black hoodie with headphones around his neck, was looking down at me. His ears were still red. “For you.” He dropped the line and walked away. My roommates and I were stunned. Chloe said, “He probably felt bad about being rude to you before. Since you deleted him, he feels guilty.” I stabbed the straw into the cup and took a huge sip. Even if it was an apology, and even if it was my favorite drink, I wouldn’t forgive him that easily! I texted my mom: [Say there’s a guy who was really rude to me, but now he’s apologizing with gifts. Should I forgive him?] I added: [He’s super handsome and has a great body.] My mom replied instantly: [Of course not. Also, what is this guy’s name? I’m going to chop him up.] Wow, Mom is feisty today. I quickly soothed her. [It’s no big deal, don’t be mad.] My mom was getting weirder. I used to text her nonsense all the time, but she was busy and only replied selectively. Lately, she seemed very free. She replied to everything, even punctuation marks, asking if I was okay.

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During the poorest year of our lives, my mom was identified as the long-lost daughter of a billionaire family. I was obsessed with web novels, especially the “Switched at Birth” trope. I often fantasized about the plot: “If only I were the secret heiress, I’d have endless money.” I wanted to buy my mom a huge mansion and hire five or six male models to wait on her hand and foot. I never expected it to actually happen. Except, the lost heiress wasn’t me. It was my mom. And me? I was just the ordinary, third-generation baggage. 1 I was riding my mom’s coattails to the top! Before I could fully process the reality, we were whisked away to the Sterling family estate. The Sterling mansion was massive, complete with manicured gardens and a fountain that probably cost more than my entire existence. Internally, I was screaming. Even after reading a thousand novels about rich families, my poverty-limited imagination couldn’t have conjured this level of luxury. I held my mom’s hand tightly as I looked around. My mom, the heiress missing for thirty-four years. Overwhelmed by the sudden revelation of her identity, she was understandably nervous. I squeezed her hand, a silent signal that I had her back. “Harper, look at me. Is this outfit okay?” My mom tugged nervously at her thrift-store coat, whispering to me. It was old, smelling faintly of the mothballs from the wooden chest we kept it in. But it was the best—and only—decent coat she owned. She only wore it for holidays. Still, standing in front of this three-story palace, we looked painfully out of place. “Mom, you look beautiful,” I said. To me, my mom was the most beautiful woman in the world. 2 I kept a smile plastered on my face, but internally, I was already singing a funeral dirge. Life in a wealthy family is never easy. The novels had taught me the brutal truth: when the real heiress returns, she doesn’t just face a biased family; she faces a scheming, fake heiress. But I was here. I wouldn’t let my mom suffer. As we entered, a group of people approached. I almost shouted, “Where’s my battle axe?!” But then I saw them. Mr. and Mrs. Sterling, both in their fifties. A beautiful, sophisticated woman in her thirties. And her ten-year-old daughter. I paused. Surely that bratty-looking kid wasn’t the fake heiress occupying the nest? While I zoned out, Mrs. Sterling and my mom hugged, weeping. After a tearful reunion, I quickly assessed the situation. The real heiress—my mom—had returned too late. The story was already in its final chapters. The fake heiress, Vanessa, had already secured the money, married the wealthy fiancé, and had a child. The dust had settled. What now? I thought, looking around for a metaphorical weapon. My mom was sobbing in Mrs. Sterling’s arms, calling her “Mom”… I mentally put down my weapon. Nothing else mattered right now. My mom’s life had been bitter. Her adoptive parents were misogynistic nightmares who forced her to drop out of school to support their family. They abused her regularly. When she grew up, they tricked her into marrying a man just to get the dowry money for their son’s wedding. My mom couldn’t fight fate. She lay on a cot in a cramped room, convincing herself, Maybe life after marriage will be better. But life is cruel. Her husband—my biological father—revealed his true colors immediately. He was a drunk and a gambler. When he lost money or got drunk, he used my mom’s face as a punching bag. She endured it all to give me a “complete family.” Until the day his fist turned toward me. That was when she grabbed me and ran. She refused to let me become the second victim. Raising me alone wasn’t easy. With no degree and few skills, she worked three jobs, taking the dirtiest, hardest shifts. Eventually, she saved enough to open a small sandwich stand near my school. We were poor, but she never let me feel less than anyone else. She gave me a happy childhood. She always said, “Harper, as long as Mom is here, you don’t have to worry about anything.” But now, it was different. She had found her mother. She had found a rock to lean on. She could finally cry. She didn’t have to face the cruelty of the world alone. I knew, better than anyone, how deeply my mother craved a family. 3 To celebrate the reunion, the Sterlings prepared a feast. There were dishes on the table I couldn’t even name. Mr. and Mrs. Sterling sat my mom down between them. I sat next to her. Mrs. Sterling kept piling food onto my mom’s plate, asking about her life with concern. Seeing them tear up again, Mr. Sterling changed the subject. “You must be Harper. This is your home now. We are your grandparents. Isn’t it time to change how you address us? Are you shy? Why aren’t you calling us Grandma and Grandpa?” Suddenly put on the spot, my mind went blank. Honestly, I was still in “protective villainess mode” for my mom. I hadn’t switched characters yet. Everyone laughed to cover the awkwardness, and the atmosphere seemed warm. Clatter! The ten-year-old girl across from me threw her chopsticks. This was Bella, the daughter of Vanessa, the fake heiress. She started wailing. “They’re my grandparents, not yours! You hillbilly! You loser! You don’t deserve to be in our house!” Silence fell over the table. My mom instinctively shielded me, her face flushing red with embarrassment. I looked around. Vanessa, the mother, sat there silently. Her silence was an endorsement of her daughter’s behavior. Mrs. Sterling frowned. “Bella, don’t speak to your sister like that. Harper is family now. She lives here.” The girl cried louder. “She’s not my family! Since she got here, you don’t care about me or Mommy anymore! You never scolded me before! She’s a bad person! Her mom is a bad person too!” “Mommy, do Grandma and Grandpa not want us anymore?” Vanessa pulled the girl into her arms, glaring at us with cold eyes. “Mom, don’t forget what you promised me before they came! You said nothing would change. It’s their first day, and Bella is already crying! Maybe in a few days, you and Dad should just rewrite the will and kick us out!” Small tea, big attitude. This fake heiress was arrogant. She had the inheritance and the powerful Preston family backing her up. She didn’t need to pretend to be nice. Mr. Sterling slammed the table. “Vanessa, look at you! What nonsense are you spouting?” Mrs. Sterling looked pained. She opened her mouth to scold Vanessa but couldn’t bring herself to do it. Instead, she turned to my mom. “Sarah, don’t take Vanessa’s words to heart. I know we owe you, and I will make it up to you for all the lost years!” Translation: Compensation is fine, but re-dividing the assets? Don’t think about it. She added softly, “The maid has prepared a guest room. Don’t go back tonight. Stay here.” Guest room. That confirmed it. The warmth was a mirage. In this house, everything belonged to Vanessa. Even the parents’ hearts leaned toward her. It’s 2025, and people are still this cliché? 4 We stayed at the Sterling estate. The guest room was nicer than our rental apartment, I’ll give them that. I lay on the soft mattress, seething with rage until 3 AM. My mom was asleep, her face peaceful in the moonlight. It made the Sterlings’ behavior seem even darker. I decided to read web novels to calm down. I burned through titles like Reborn to Slap the Fake Heiress, The Real Daughter Returns, and Family Crematorium. After reading hundreds of them, I had a question: What do you do when the fake heiress has already won, got the money, married the guy, and had the kid? The books had no answer. The author of my life gave me a hard problem. Suddenly, I felt thirsty. I crept out of the room for water. Bella appeared in the hallway, wearing a white dress. I thought I saw a ghost. She held a glass of water, looking prepared. “Why did you come back? Why are you trying to steal my grandparents…” Her face twisted. “They’re mine! You and your mom should have died in the gutter. Why did you come back?!” “Go die! Just die!” Before I could react, she threw the water onto her own face. Then, she threw herself backward. The glass shattered on the floor. She planted her hands onto the shards, slicing her palm open. Blood dripped onto the white porcelain. Instantly, the villa lit up. Footsteps thundered toward us. My heart hammered. Bella lay on the floor, screaming at me. “Sister! Mommy and I didn’t mean to steal your things! Don’t hit me! I’ll give you everything, just don’t kick us out! Mommy loves Grandma and Grandpa, I love them too…” She lay pale-faced in Vanessa’s arms, her bloody hand clutching Mrs. Sterling’s sleeve. No one believes a ten-year-old would lie about this. Wow. Just wow. The “manipulative victim” gene is hereditary, and apparently, it gets stronger with each generation. “Harper…” I turned around. My mom stood there, face pale, looking like she might faint.

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My intern asked for time off. I casually told her to submit the request on Slack. She immediately reported me to HR for sexual harassment. Later, while we were shopping, she passed a lingerie store and called the police to report it as a front for prostitution. When the angry store owner confronted us, she pushed me forward to take the blame. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day she asked for time off. This time, I looked at her innocent face and smiled. Obsessed with finding sexual innuendo in everything, are you? Fine. I’ll show you what a truly hostile work environment looks like. 1 “Miss Quinn, I need to take some time off.” The familiar voice made me shudder. I opened my eyes to see Bella, my intern, standing there with her trademark look of wide-eyed innocence. My nails dug into my palms until it hurt. The pain confirmed it: I wasn’t dreaming. I had been reborn. Back to the day this walking nightmare asked for leave. In my past life, this simple request was the beginning of the end. When I told her to “Just submit it on Slack,” she reported me for sexual harassment, claiming I was making inappropriate suggestions. That was just the start. Her delusional accusations piled up until that fateful day at the mall. She reported a lingerie shop for “indecency,” and when the furious owner came out wielding a box cutter, she shoved me right into the blade. I died there on the cold tile floor. Taking a deep breath to steady my racing heart, I kept my voice calm. “Time off?” “Company policy requires you to submit a request through the system.” Bella blinked her big eyes. “What system?” My heart skipped a beat. Here it comes. The trap. In my last life, I said “Slack.” She immediately twisted it into something dirty. This time, I was ready. “The company’s OA system.” She tilted her head, her voice dripping with artificial sweetness. “What’s an OA system? Miss Quinn, can you be more specific?” I knew she wouldn’t let it go. I turned my monitor towards her. “This. The internal management portal. Every employee has a login.” Bella stared at the screen for a few seconds before letting out a giggle. “Miss Quinn, why are you afraid to say the software’s name? Is it because you’re… thinking about something naughty?” The typing in the office stopped. I could feel every ear in the room perking up. 2 In my past life, this accusation caught me off guard. I stuttered, looked guilty, and lost the narrative. But this time? I set down my coffee mug. My voice wasn’t loud, but it was crystal clear. “Bella, can you read?” “The words ‘Internal Office Automation System’ are right there on the screen. Can you not see them?” “Or is your brain wired so uniquely that it automatically filters everything into pornography?” Someone choked on their water in the break room. Shoulders were shaking with suppressed laughter around the office. Bella’s face flushed crimson. “Miss Quinn! How can you say that? I was just joking!” “A joke? It wasn’t funny.” I kept my expression stern. “I told you to use the system. You insisted on knowing which one. I showed you the interface. Then you accused me of being afraid to say its name.” “What, do you think ‘Internal Office Automation’ is too erotic? Do we need to rename it ‘The Pure and Innocent Angels’ System’ to suit your delicate sensibilities?” “What do you mean by sensibilities?” Her eyes widened. I raised my voice slightly. “I mean you have a brain that sexualizes everything.” “Like hearing ‘submit’ and thinking of BDSM. Hearing ‘Slack’ and thinking of… well, I apologize. I forgot you’re just an innocent intern. I shouldn’t be so graphic.” The snickers in the office were audible now. Bella’s eyes welled with tears, her lips trembling. “Miss Quinn, this is workplace harassment! I’m going to tell…” “Tell who? Director Vance?” I nodded toward the doorway behind her. “Perfect timing. She’s right there.” 3 Lydia Vance clattered over in her four-inch heels, looking at me like she was watching a train wreck she had personally engineered. This woman, who started at the same time as me but always treated me like an enemy, had fueled the fire every time Bella attacked me in my previous life. Lydia stopped in front of my desk, frowning. “What’s going on? I could hear you shouting from the hallway.” Bella immediately switched to victim mode, eyes red and teary. “Director Vance, Miss Quinn said my brain is full of… dirty things…” I scoffed. “Is that what I said? Repeat my exact words.” She sniffled. “You said I sexualize everything…” Lydia immediately stepped in front of Bella, shielding her like a mother hen. “Quinn, is this how a supervisor speaks to an intern?” Calmly, I pulled up the chat log on my computer. “Director Vance, do you know the context?” “Bella wanted time off. I told her to use the system. She insisted on knowing which one. I showed her the interface.” “Then she asked why I was ‘afraid’ to say the name of the software. Is that normal behavior?” Lydia paused, shooting a questioning glance at Bella. Bella jumped in hurriedly. “But she was acting weird! Normal people just say the name of the app!” “I’m just a new intern! I don’t know anything! Asking for clarification is normal!” “You call that normal?” I raised an eyebrow. “Okay, tell me. What name would have been acceptable to you? Slack? WeChat? Or…” I lowered my voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “Do you need me to spell it out? S-L-A-C-K?” “Is that clear enough? Or does the spelling trigger some other inappropriate fantasy for you?” “Quinn!” Lydia snapped. “Watch your language!” I spread my hands innocently. “I am teaching an intern how to use company tools. What part of my language is inappropriate?” “Unless you also think the word ‘Slack’ is problematic, Director Vance? Should we petition headquarters to rename it ‘The Work Chat Thingy’?” 4 The office erupted in laughter. Lydia’s face turned a sickly shade of green. She threw her hands up and stormed off. Bella looked like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. Her face cycled through several shades of red and white. Finally, she stammered, “You… you’re all bullying me! I’m going to HR!” I helpfully handed her the employee handbook. “Go ahead.” “While you’re there, ask them if an intern refusing to follow basic leave procedures counts as wasting company resources.” “Oh, and page 38 outlines the leave policy clearly. I suggest you learn how to read first.” Bella snatched the book and ran off, sobbing. Lydia shot me a venomous glare before chasing after her. I sat back down, my fingers trembling slightly. This was just the beginning. I had a whole life’s worth of debt to collect. By afternoon tea, the office gossip mill was churning. I heard several versions of the story. The most ridiculous one was that Bella cried to HR claiming I sent her explicit GIFs. I was speechless. While I was internally rolling my eyes, my assistant, Zoe, leaned over. “Quinn, Director Vance just transferred Bella to her team.” I paused, spoon midway through stirring my coffee. “When?” “Just now. After Bella came out of HR, Lydia took her straight to her department. She said…” Zoe hesitated. “Said what?” “She said she’d mentor Bella personally and wouldn’t let her suffer such injustice.” I almost laughed out loud. Two birds with one stone. Not only did I shut Bella down, but I also got rid of her. And the cherry on top? Lydia Vance took her in. Oh, Lydia. In my last life, you loved watching me burn. Did you ever think you’d be the one holding the match?

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One hundred days before the SATs, my mom stayed up late with me every night, helping me study. But on the day of the test, she blocked my bedroom door like a madwoman, refusing to let me leave. My dad, who usually ignored both of us, shoved her aside and yelled at me to get going. I froze, confused, as they started screaming at each other. “Listen to me, honey!” Mom cried, her eyes wide. “I’ve come back from the future! The highway to the test center is going to collapse! If you go, you’ll die!” “Don’t listen to her!” Dad shouted back. “She’s lying! She just doesn’t want you to outshine her secret bastard child!” Mom’s face turned crimson. She pointed a shaking finger at him. “You bastard! You know that road is dangerous! You’re trying to kill our daughter!” Dad sneered. “Stop twisting the truth! In our last life, you stopped her from taking the test, and she died miserable and full of regret!” I didn’t try to mediate like I usually would. Instead, I let out a cold laugh, walked back into my room, and slammed the door shut. Neither of them knew the truth. I had come back from the future, too. And in this life, no one was going to trick me again. I was reborn. It hit me the moment I opened the door and heard my parents reciting the exact same lies from my past life. I leaned against my bedroom door, my chest heaving, my heart pounding against my ribs. Outside, I heard my mother’s triumphant laugh. “See? She listened to me.” My dad stayed silent, but I knew I couldn’t stay here. I grabbed a few essentials, shoved them into my backpack, and yanked the door open again. My mom’s smug smile froze. “Where are you going with that bag?” I ignored her and looked straight at my dad. “Are you done arguing? If you don’t drive me to the bus station now, I’ll miss it.” Dad paused, the cigarette between his fingers trembling. He tossed it aside and hurried over, shooting a gloating look at Mom as he passed her. I pretended not to see it and followed him out. Mom grabbed my arm, her voice low and threatening. “Honey, think about this. If you go with him, you might lose your life.” I looked at her, my expression flat, and shook off her hand. “I’ve studied for nine years for this day. Even if knives rain from the sky, I’m going.” Mom opened her mouth but didn’t try to stop me again. As I walked out the door, I heard her sigh. “What a pity.” Dad was in high spirits, pedaling his bike furiously as he took me to the station. When we arrived, he gave me a rare piece of advice. “Seven, do well. Don’t disappoint me and your mother, okay?” I suppressed a sneer, nodded, and boarded the bus. The driver was counting heads. I didn’t need to count. Nineteen passengers. All girls. In our town, boys and girls took their exams in different locations. I didn’t know if other places did this, but Mom said it had always been this way here. I stared out the window as the bus started moving. When we approached the stretch of highway Mom had warned about, I stood up and rushed to the driver. “Sir, can we take a detour? My mom says this road is going to collapse today.” The driver blinked, then frowned. “Nonsense. We’ve driven this road for decades. It’s never collapsed.” I bit my lip, my fists clenching nervously. “But my mom was so sure…” He cut me off impatiently. “So sure? Is your mom psychic or something?” “She… she says she’s from the future.” My words were met with a wave of laughter from the bus. Only the driver didn’t laugh. “Kid, who are your parents?” I hesitated, then answered truthfully. “My dad is John Miller. My mom is Willow Miller.” The driver let out a strange hmph and glanced at me sideways. “Alright, go sit down. I guarantee you won’t die today. Relax.” The bus was already on the highway. I had no choice but to return to my seat. Despite the driver’s confidence, the atmosphere grew tense. Everyone stared ahead, watching the loose gravel sliding down the mountainside in the distance. Chapter 2 The driver slowed down, inching toward the middle of the pass. Suddenly—CRASH! A massive boulder slammed onto the road from the cliff above. The driver slammed the brakes. The bus screeched to a halt, the bumper just inches from the rock. He wiped sweat from his forehead, glanced back at me, and got out to clear the road. The rock was moved quickly, but when he got back in, the silence in the bus was deafening. But we had made it. The collapse didn’t happen. I sat back, pretending to check my bag. After rummaging for a while, I looked up in panic. I had “forgotten” my pencils. I walked up to the front again, hugging my backpack. “Sir, I forgot my pencils. Can we stop at the next town so I can buy some?” He glared at me. “Why are you so much trouble? Everyone else is prepared, but you’re a mess.” seeing my eyes well up with tears, his tone softened. “Fine, fine. I’ll take you to the store when we get to town. Make sure you get everything this time, got it? I’m not stopping again.” “Okay.” I whispered my thanks and went back to my seat. The bus stopped in front of a small convenience store. The driver led me inside. While I was picking out pencils, the class president, Chase, walked in. He looked surprised to see me. “Seven? What are you doing here?” An idea sparked. I shoved the two dollars I was holding back into my pocket and approached him shyly. “I forgot my pencils. Um, Chase, could I borrow some money?” Chase was the rich kid of our class. Good grades, well-behaved, spoiled by his family. His allowance was legendary. His ears turned red as he dug into his bag. He pulled out a crisp hundred-dollar bill and handed it to me. “Is this enough?” Before I could answer, someone yelled his name from the door, telling him to hurry up. Chase blushed even harder, shoved the bill into my hand, and ran out. “I—I gotta go! Seven, see you at college!” I looked at the hundred-dollar bill in my hand and felt a pang of mockery. College? Would I even get the chance? When I put the pencils on the counter, I looked up at the driver. “Sir, can I buy a case of soda?” The driver and the shop owner paused their conversation and stared at me. “What do you need all that soda for?” “It’s so hot, and everyone had to wait for me. I want to treat the class.” The driver raised an eyebrow but didn’t speak. The shop owner leaned in. “You got money for that?” “I do.” I held up the hundred-dollar bill, smiling innocently. “My mom gave it to me before I left. Just in case.” The driver and the owner exchanged a silent look. The owner took the money and pointed to the corner. “Water’s over there. Grab it yourself.” I shook my head. “Sir, can I have a cardboard box? I want to buy the cold ones from the fridge.” The owner tossed me an empty box. I thanked him and ran to the fridge, filling the box with an assortment of drinks. As I packed them, I overheard their hushed conversation. “Think the girl is just being nice, or…” The driver lit a cigarette and chuckled. “Who knows? Every year someone tries to pull a fast one. In the end, it’s always a waste of brainpower.” They laughed. My hand paused for a second before I tossed the last two sodas into the box. Chapter 3 Back on the bus, I handed an ice-cold soda to the driver. “Sir, thanks for stopping for me. And for driving us.” He glanced at me, ignored the drink in my hand, and reached into the box to grab a different one. I smiled awkwardly and passed the rest of the drinks out to the girls. The ride was smooth until we neared the testing center. Suddenly, the driver’s face went pale. He slammed on the brakes. A girl in the front row asked worriedly, “Sir, are you okay?” He gritted his teeth, unable to speak for a moment. “I’m fine.” He hit the gas again, but two minutes later, he pulled over sharply. Clutching his stomach, he unbuckled his seatbelt. “Stay on the bus. I need to… go.” He jumped out and ran into the woods. I glanced at the digital clock on the dashboard. 8:20 AM. He got back on the bus. Perfect timing. We entered the city limits and turned onto Cloud Road. The traffic lights flashed. The driver kept a steady pace. I gripped the seatback in front of me, my eyes glued to the seconds ticking by on the clock. … Here it comes! A red sports car screamed out of a side street, T-boning the bus. Tires screeched. Glass shattered. Even though I was braced for it, the impact threw me hard against the seat. My head rang. I gasped for air, waiting for the world to stop spinning. When the noise settled, I stood up and walked to the front. The driver was slumped over the steering wheel, blood dripping from his forehead. I shook his arm. No response. I quickly slid his phone out of his pocket. The girl next to me, Lily, clutched her arm, looking at me in terror. “Seven, is he dead? What do we do?” I sneered. “Better off dead.” The chaotic whimpering in the bus stopped instantly. They all stared at me, eyes wide with shock. I ignored them. I pushed past Lily, opened the window, and climbed out. The crowd gathering to help didn’t question it; they helped me down and set me aside. “Kids! Jump out! We’ll catch you!” they yelled to the others. I backed away from the crowd, typing a message on the stolen phone as I walked quickly toward the edge of the scene. I heard sirens. I knew if I waited for the police, they would take me to the testing center. I looked back one last time at the faces in the window, threw the phone into a sewer grate, and ran. I had limited time. I had to leave this town before anyone realized what was happening. I hailed a cab with the change from Chase’s money. The driver eyed my clothes and smiled. “Heading to the SATs, kid? I’ll get you there.” My hand froze on the door handle. I looked at him, then bolted. He chased me for a few steps, yelling, before realizing he left his car running and turned back. “Damn it,” I cursed under my breath, diving into an alleyway. Hiding behind a dumpster, pretending to be a beggar, I overheard passersby talking. “Did you hear? A student went missing on the way to the exam. Police, fire department, volunteers—everyone’s looking for her. Huge search.” “Missing? Kidnapped? These traffickers are getting bold.” Chapter 4 The town was being swept. I kept moving, narrowly avoiding detection several times. I knew I couldn’t stay in the city. I headed for the mountains. Shadow Creek was surrounded by eighteen villages and endless, dense forests. They reacted fast. Within three hours of me entering the woods, I saw flashlights. Looking down at the snaking line of lights, I pulled a small penlight from my bag and carefully made my way back down. While they searched the mountain, I slipped back into town. Garbage cans are gross, but I needed food to survive. Just as I pulled a half-eaten bagel from a bin, a familiar voice froze my blood. “Seven?” I turned slowly. Lily stood there, eyes wide with shock. I grabbed her and dragged her into the shadows. She had hurt her leg; she was limping badly. Once we were safe, I let go. “Why are you here? Shouldn’t you be taking the test?” The timid Lily I knew seemed different. She wasn’t crying. She bit her lip, looking at me with a mix of fear and accusation. “What about you, Seven? Why did you run?” I didn’t answer. She grabbed my arm, her grip surprisingly strong. “Do you know they arrested your parents and mine?” “They said… they said it’s all because of you. You stole the driver’s phone. You took his things…” “I didn’t.” I pushed her hand away. “Lily, they are lying to you.” She stared at me, tears welling up. I sighed. I couldn’t send her back now. “Lily, do you trust me?” We grew up together. She relied on me. We had no secrets. But now, I hesitated. Should I tell her the truth? I stared into her eyes. The silence stretched until sweat trickled down my back. Finally, she nodded. I exhaled, gripping her hands. “The people we call Mom and Dad… they aren’t our real parents.” “And this test? It’s not the SATs. It’s a trap. A cage built just for us.” “Lily, I’m going to take you away. We’re going to escape.” Lily’s face went pale in the moonlight. “Seven, what are you saying? Are you sick? My parents…” “Lily, trust me.” I cut her off, my eyes burning with intensity. My conviction reached her. She quieted down, then nodded slowly. We sat in silence against the wall. My stomach growled. I reached for the bagel, but Lily knocked it out of my hand. “That’s dirty, Seven.” “I have money. I’ll go buy food. Wait here.” I tried to grab her, to tell her no, but she was already running. I watched her enter the convenience store across the street, helpless. Simple, sweet Lily. When she gets back, we have to move immediately. Minutes later, she ran back with a bag of bread and two cheap bottles of water. She handed me the bread, twisting the cap off a water bottle. “Seven, where do we go next?” My throat was parched. I grabbed the water and gulped it down. “We hide for two days. They’re coming.” “Who?” I started to answer, but the world spun. I looked at the water bottle, then up at Lily in disbelief. She stepped back, biting her lip. “I’m sorry, Seven. I have to save my parents.” I collapsed. Through fading vision, I saw shadows running toward us. I smiled bitterly. Lily, do you know how horribly you died in the last life?

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Before high school graduation, the class’s airheaded “prom queen” volunteered to hold onto everyone’s exam admission tickets for safekeeping. As the class president, I firmly refused. This annoyed my childhood friend, Carter: “You’re targeting her again.” I ignored him. On the day of the SATs, I personally checked everyone’s IDs and tickets one by one to make sure there were no issues. But the moment the prom queen got her hands on the tickets, she turned around and cried that I had lost hers. Carter snatched my own admission ticket from my hand and tore it to shreds. Before I could even get angry, I ran until my legs gave out, managing to get a replacement ticket printed just seconds before the bus left for the testing center. But my classmates kicked me off the bus. “You lost Bella’s ticket. You don’t deserve to take the test.” Using the study guide I had prepared for them, every single one of them got excellent scores. I had no choice but to repeat the year. I became the top scorer in the state. When the news interviewed me, Carter and my former classmates—now successful students at top universities—returned to our high school. They presented fabricated evidence that I had cheated. I couldn’t defend myself. A student who had failed because of the cheating scandal poured gasoline on me and lit a match. Carter watched me burn in agony, shielding Bella behind him. Years later, after graduating from an Ivy League school, he gave Bella a multi-million dollar wedding. The whole class fought to be their groomsmen and bridesmaids. When I opened my eyes again, I didn’t hesitate. I handed all the admission tickets to the clumsy prom queen. Except for mine. 1 “I just gave the protein bar you brought me to Bella. Do you have to target her like that?” Carter’s annoyed voice rang in my ears. “Bella is frail. With exams coming up, she needs the nutrition more than I do. “You call yourself fair? Then let Bella hold onto the admission tickets! Stop being such a control freak!” My hand tightened around my own ticket. In my past life, Carter had backed Bella just like this. I had fought with him, even dragging the homeroom teacher in to mediate so the tickets wouldn’t fall into Bella’s hands. But my classmates immediately accused me of bullying Bella, saying I wasn’t fit to be class president. They isolated me. I had to beg them, one by one, to use the study guide I spent sleepless nights creating. Those very questions helped students who were barely passing get into state universities. But they didn’t thank me. Instead, when the failed student doused me in gasoline, they deliberately called my parents to watch. My parents watched me burn alive. Carter shielded Bella, laughing. My parents couldn’t take the shock and ran into the fire with me… “Samantha, don’t be too much…” “Here.” I shoved the stack of admission tickets into Bella’s hands, cutting Carter off. Then I grabbed my backpack and turned to leave. I didn’t want to look at these people for a second longer. I wouldn’t step foot in this school again until exam day. Bella gasped, clearly surprised that I had handed the tickets over so easily. But just as I stepped out of the classroom, Carter grabbed my backpack strap and yanked me back. “Wait. Where’s your ticket?” “I’m keeping it.” I pushed Carter away impatiently, but he wouldn’t let go. “No. We agreed everyone’s tickets go to Bella for safekeeping. Yours too.” “Why?” I clutched my ticket, putting distance between us. “You guys want Bella to hold yours, I won’t stop you. But I don’t want to. Is there a problem with me keeping my own property?” “Jesus, Sam, can you stop being jealous for five seconds?” The gym rep, Mike, stepped up and grabbed my arm. Other class officers joined in: “Yeah, Bella is our class mascot. She just wants to do something nice. Why do you have to be so difficult?” “As class president, you should trust your classmates. If we say Bella holds them, she holds them all. No exceptions!” Mike snatched my ticket from my hand and tossed it to Carter. I lunged for it, but the boys played keep-away, tossing my ticket back and forth over my head. “Come on, Prez! Jump for it!” “Haha, look at her hopping around like a dog!” “Serves you right! Always bossing us around!” I slammed my backpack onto the floor with a loud thud and stormed out the door. Carter’s smile froze. Someone whispered, “Is she crying?” Carter frowned, looking in the direction I had gone. I washed my face in the bathroom, hiding any trace of tears. It didn’t matter. I looked at myself in the mirror. If the ticket was gone, it was gone. I didn’t want it. There was still time to get a replacement. But when I returned to the classroom, the first thing I heard was the sound of cards shuffling. I rushed in and saw my classmates sitting in a circle, playing poker with the admission tickets. 2 The game was intense. Several tickets had fallen onto the dirty floor, but no one cared. “Bella’s a genius! Exactly 54 people in class, perfect for a deck of cards!” “School banned poker, and Sam watches us like a hawk. Good thing Bella has the tickets. Let’s see Sam confiscate these! Haha!” “I play this one! Who dares to beat it?” “I dare! I have Carter!” “Then I play Bella!” Tickets were slapped onto the desk. When they saw me, they frowned. “What are you looking at? You gonna manage the tickets too?” “Exams are in two days. You aren’t studying?” I asked, genuinely curious. They scoffed. “What’s there to be afraid of? Didn’t you say you made a study guide for us?” I paused. In my last life, I stayed up all night analyzing past exams. They scoffed at my guide, and I had to beg them to use it. So they knew how important it was all along? Bella’s eyes darted around. She smiled and played my ticket. “I play the Class President. Who can beat her?” “The Prez?” Everyone’s attention snapped back to the game. “I play Jerry!” “Ooh! Even the class clown beats the President?” “Tsk! Sam, looks like anyone can beat you, huh?” “Wow, deep meaning there. I play Kevin!” “Josh!” Tickets piled on top of mine. The boys whose faces were played groaned. “Hey! I don’t want to be on top of her! Gross!” The room erupted in laughter. Bella giggled, covering her mouth. “Oh stop it, you guys are so mean. Someone might think you’re talking about a toilet.” Slap! A hand struck Bella across the face. Carter had gone looking for me, hadn’t found me, and came back just in time to see this. “Samantha!” He grabbed my wrist. “What are you doing!” The class immediately started shouting, accusing me of being jealous of Bella. “Carter!” I pointed at the pile of tickets on the desk. “They’re using my ticket like a piece of trash to be stepped on. Am I supposed to applaud?” Looking at the thick stack pressing down on my face, even Carter couldn’t miss the implication. “Carter…” Bella tugged at his sleeve, her voice soft and pitiful. “We were just joking…” But Carter looked at my red eyes and hesitated. For the first time, he didn’t immediately side with Bella. “Pack it up.” “Aw, Carter…” “I said pack it up!” Carter frowned. The class shut up and started gathering the tickets. He looked at me, wanting to say something, but I grabbed my bag and walked out without looking back. 3 I didn’t go back to school, but Bella made sure to update me on their situation. In a karaoke room, the whole class was celebrating a “Prez-free” pre-exam party. Carter had his arm around Bella’s shoulder, grinning as he interrogated the Arts rep: “Letting Bella take the tickets today, was that to show Sam who’s boss? Speak!” The room erupted in cheers. In front of everyone, Carter tore my admission ticket into pieces, smiling at Bella. “Believe me now? Princess?” “Carter’s the man!” “Carter and Bella, power couple!” Beer sprayed into the air. Amidst the cheers, a voice message from Bella popped up on my phone: “Oops, sorry. I was just joking. I didn’t think he’d actually tear up your ticket just to prove he doesn’t care about you~” I forwarded the video to Carter. He replied the next day, after his hangover cleared. “Oh, drank too much last night. Forgot to tell you. Go get a replacement.” I gripped my phone. “Carter, if I hadn’t messaged you, were you going to wait until the exam started to tell me?” He choked, then got annoyed. “Can you stop being so jealous?” He hung up. I used to want to take the exams mainly to go to the same college as Carter. But not anymore. I dialed my aunt’s number at the Research Institute. “Auntie, I finished the code for the project. I accept the offer. I’ll join the Institute early.” “Oh my god, Sam! You finally agreed! What about your little boyfriend? Is he coming to the capital too?” I shook my head. “We’re done.” My aunt’s institute had some coding problems that only I could solve. With my memories from my past life, the project was a breeze. Without the pressure of exams, I focused on packing for the capital. But the day before the exam, my classmates started spamming me. “Prez? Where’s the study guide you promised?” “Exams are tomorrow!” “Are you for real? I need to sleep by ten!” They were frantic. But when I begged them to study before, they had scoffed: “Trying to get attention because Bella is the favorite now?” “Lol, your guide is for dogs.” I replied in the main group chat: [No guide. You’re on your own.] The group exploded. “What do you mean! You said you’d do it!” “I haven’t studied at all waiting for this! You did this on purpose!” “Fine, fine! We apologize for liking Bella more. Just send the guide!” I couldn’t help but laugh. “Who said my guide was for dogs? Since you don’t trust me, why didn’t you study? “Idiots who can’t take responsibility for themselves deserve to fail!” I had never been this blunt. The class lost their minds. Just as I was about to turn off my phone, Bella sent a zip file to the group. [Even though I’m not as smart as the Prez, I organized some practice questions. Hope it helps~] I opened it. Every single question perfectly avoided the actual exam topics. But the class was ecstatic. [Bella is the best! Keeping our tickets AND helping us study. Unlike a certain useless president.] [Lol, besides being jealous, what can she do?] A notification popped up— I had been kicked from the group chat. I wasn’t angry at all. They probably hadn’t noticed yet. During their little party, several admission tickets had slipped out of Bella’s bag and into the trash can. 4 On the day of the exam, I went to the school gate to soak in the atmosphere. From a distance, I saw Bella surrounded by a crowd. “What’s going on? Did you leave them in another bag? They can’t be lost!” Bella’s eyes were red as she frantically dug through her backpack. “Impossible… I checked last night, everyone’s was there…” I knew she was lying. Tickets fell into the trash the night they got drunk. How could she have checked? The students looked nervous, glancing at the exam hall while trying to be patient. “It’s okay, look again. We have thirty minutes…” But ten minutes passed. The bag was turned inside out. No tickets. “You didn’t actually lose them, right?” Mike, the gym rep, snapped first. He rushed forward and grabbed the bag, shaking it out. “Holy sh*t! You lost them?!” “No way!” The class swarmed her, searching her pockets, her jacket. “Bella, you said you’d keep them safe! Where are they! You lost 54 tickets!” “I… I…” Bella hugged herself, looking pitiful. But she wasn’t the class mascot anymore. “Find them now or we’re dragging you to the police station!” Some girls collapsed on the ground crying. “How could this happen! We should have let Sam keep them! She’s responsible!” Carter stepped forward, looking conflicted. “Bella, think hard. If they’re at home, there’s still time.” But the police had already checked her house ten minutes ago. Nothing. “Bitch!” Mike tore her bag in half. “I stayed up all night studying that guide! Now you tell me I can’t take the test?!” Parents were losing it too. “What is going on! Aren’t you the class president? I thought you were reliable!” When they found out Bella was just “helping,” the parents had a meltdown. “You idiots! Your president is so responsible! Why give them to her?!” Bella was surrounded. Just as the mob was about to turn violent, she pointed a finger at me. “I remember! It was Sam! She didn’t trust me yesterday, so she forced me to give her the tickets!” Everyone turned to look at me. I looked at the parents. “I think you all know my character.” The parents hesitated. They knew how diligent I usually was. Seeing them waver, Bella tugged on Carter’s sleeve. “Carter… you know, right? Sam took them…” Carter stiffened. He looked at me, hesitating. “Carter…” My voice was raspy. He hardened his gaze. “Yes. I saw her take the tickets last night!” The parents snapped. They rushed me, patted me down. One slap landed hard on my face. “Scum! Where is my son’s ticket!” “And my daughter’s!” I ignored the pain and pulled out my phone. “I didn’t take them! Bella lost them and framed me!” Bella started wailing. “Sam, how can you lie like that! I might make mistakes, but I would never joke with everyone’s future! You’re the one who promised a study guide and then bailed. Now you’re framing me!” Mike was furious. He slapped the phone out of my hand. “She definitely lost them! She bailed on the guide, and Bella sent us the real questions. “Why would Bella help us study if she wanted to sabotage us? It has to be Sam!” Students and parents swarmed me, pulling my hair, tearing my clothes. “Bitch! Where are the tickets! Tell us or I’ll strip you right here!” “If my son can’t take the test, you’re going to the hospital!” They were so angry the police couldn’t hold them back. I looked at Carter. He instinctively shielded Bella, frowning at me. “Stop it! Just give them the tickets!” My mouth tasted like blood. I used all my strength to grab my cracked phone from the ground and hold it up. “Who lost them? Watch the video and see!” Bella’s face went white.

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My husband fell in love with an intern at his company. There was no cheating, no ambiguity, no homewrecker label. He gave me the cars, the house, and all the money. He walked away with nothing but a divorce certificate. He said, “Alice, I can’t let Emily down, and I don’t want to let you down either.” I looked at this man, the one who once shared instant noodles with me in a cramped rental, who promised to spend his life with me. I wiped the corner of my eye and whispered, “Okay.” 1 Hearing my answer, Jason froze. It seemed he hadn’t expected me to agree so easily. He thought, at the very least, I would cry, scream, and refuse to let go. After all, he was prepared for a war of attrition. He had the resolve to sue, to fight, to endure the cold shoulder. That was Jason. Once he set his mind on something, he never looked back, regardless of the cost. Just like when he loved me. He fought for me, took me away from that suffocating home. He had said, “If you want to bully Alice, you have to go through me first.” A beer bottle smashed over his head, glass shards scattering everywhere. His fierce glare made those thugs back down. They swayed, then slowly released me and retreated. They only wanted me to pay my father’s gambling debt; they didn’t want a murder charge. I cried, covering his wound, heartbroken. Yet he managed a smile, hugging me triumphantly. “Alice, I told you. I like you, and I won’t let anyone bully you.” But now, he doesn’t like me anymore. He likes the new intern. 2 Jason opened his mouth, guilt finally flickering in his eyes. “Alice, I’m sorry for this. But I love Emily. I can’t let her bear the stigma of being the ‘other woman.’ I want to be with her openly and cleanly.” He was so upright, so noble. Even nearing thirty, he still had that youthful righteousness. How noble. Who wouldn’t praise the power of true love? “But I just have one question.” I wiped my eyes, looked up, and smiled. “Just one small question.” “Did your Emily only find out today that you aren’t single?” At first, he frowned and complained that the new assistant was clumsy, timid as a kitten. He wasn’t satisfied. Later, he pointed at my Valentine’s Day gift, annoyed. “How did Emily choose this gift? Who gives a giant capybara plushie for Valentine’s Day?” Yet, the assistant being scolded just blinked her innocent eyes and said, “But… I think it’s cute.” Jason laughed in exasperation, but I saw the helplessness and affection in his eyes at that moment. In the end, he said Emily truly loved him. That kind of pure, innocent girl deserved the best. It was only right that he regain his freedom so he could stand beside her in the sun. But Jason said he didn’t want the innocent Emily to bear the homewrecker label. So, before their feelings deepened, did she not know Jason was married? Hearing my question, Jason’s expression went blank for a second. He turned his head away. “Alice, we… we couldn’t help ourselves.” “But I promise you, before this, we never crossed any lines. We have a clear conscience toward you.” Indeed. Laughing in the office isn’t cheating. Helping an assistant out of a jam and driving her home isn’t cheating. Seeing her cry and standing up for her isn’t cheating either. I smiled bitterly and nodded. “Okay. Let’s divorce.” 3 After all, Jason gave up everything. The house, the cars, the money—he gave it all to me. He left with nothing but a divorce certificate. What more could I ask for? Jason finally let out a sigh of relief, looking at me happily. “Alice, I knew it. You understand me best. You would definitely want us to be happy.” Of course he knew. From eighteen to twenty-eight, I walked every step of the way with him. We knew each other for a year, dated for four, and were married for five. My personality is gentle; I dislike conflict, especially when I was younger. So much so that in the beginning, Jason often complained that I didn’t like him at all. Otherwise, why wouldn’t I show even a hint of jealousy? He got so mad he disappeared for three days. Three days later, he came back, head hung low, looking defeated. He gritted his teeth. “Alice, you win. I really like you. Even if you don’t care, I’m willing to be your lapdog.” It was when I heard him say that that I threw myself into his arms. He didn’t know that for those three days, I went everywhere looking for him. I almost had a breakdown. Hugging him, I whispered fearfully, “You said it. Don’t leave. I’m scared.” He stiffened, then hugged me back joyfully, like he had won a great victory. The corners of his mouth lifted high. “I thought you really didn’t care.” “You… you’re just like a cat.” 4 From then on, we went to the same college, graduated, and squeezed into a rental apartment eating instant noodles. When the company was just founded, we braved the elements to get business. Later, when things were on track, he proposed. The wedding was grand because he said: “I love Alice. Alice deserves the best.” Now, with everything settled, he held the divorce certificate and said: “Alice, don’t blame me. Emily deserves the best.” The intern was waiting not far away. She looked pure and innocent, glancing at me timidly as if I had bullied her. Jason noticed and pulled her into his arms protectively. “Emily is shy. If you’re upset, take it out on me. Don’t scare her.” Emily blushed, whispering apologetically to me. “Mrs. Sterling… I mean, Ms. Vance, please don’t mind him. He just has a bad temper, he doesn’t mean any harm.” Her tone was so familiar, one might think she was the one who had been with Jason for ten years, not me. I was just an outsider. And indeed, I was. Looking at the scene before me, the bitterness in my heart had long turned to numbness. I raised the divorce certificate and smiled. “It’s fine. We won’t be in contact anymore anyway.” For some reason, Jason frowned, hesitating. “Alice, even though we’re divorced, we’re still friends. If you need anything in the future, you can come to me.” Beside him, Emily’s smile froze. I had no reaction. I shook my head. “No need.” I wouldn’t need anything, and even if I did, I wouldn’t go to him. After all, he left with nothing. No money, no power. Finding him would be useless. Moreover— “I don’t have a habit of bothering married men.” That sentence successfully changed both their expressions. As if guarding against me, Emily eagerly tried to pull him back into conversation. She sat in the passenger seat that used to be mine and asked kindly: “Where are you going, Ms. Vance? Should I ask Jason to give you a ride?” Husband divorced, took the b*tch, tears soak the Mercedes-Benz. I tearfully refused, then drove my Mercedes to the hospital. The doctor had been waiting for me for a long time. He handed me a new report. “Ms. Vance, the situation is this: the fetus is very stable.”

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During my senior year, when I was at my most arrogant, I got reported for dating. The punishment? Read a self-criticism essay in front of the entire school. The next speaker was the valedictorian—the number one student in our grade. Having just stepped down from the podium, I turned around and walked right back up under the gaze of hundreds of students. I looked down at the person who reported me, smiled, and introduced myself: “Hello, everyone. I’m Maya Sterling, the number one student.” 1 “First place will probably be Maya again this month, right?” “Maybe it’ll be Chloe. She was only five points behind last time.” “Chloe’s been number two forever. I bet it stays that way.” “Shh! Keep it down.” It was the last study hall of the day, and whispers filled the classroom. Monthly exam results were coming out in two days, and everyone was placing their bets. I sat at my desk, working through a practice test. Hearing the gossip, I glanced up at Chloe, who sat diagonally in front of me. The knuckles of her hand gripping her pen were white; she had obviously heard them too. The dismissal bell rang, and the room emptied like a flock of startled birds. I didn’t rush. I stayed seated, solving problems. Half an hour later, even the cleaning crew was leaving. My phone buzzed with a message from Liam, my childhood friend and neighbor. He sent a location pin, asking to meet up. I finally packed my bag. As I stood up, Chloe turned around. We didn’t get along, so our exchange was nothing but blank stares. Just as I reached the door, she spoke. “Maya, you know there’s only one guaranteed admission spot for early entry, right?” I turned back. She looked me dead in the eye. “I won’t lose to you forever.” 2 I arrived at the meeting spot. Liam was leaning lazily against a tree, kicking at the fallen leaves. When he saw me, he straightened up immediately, his eyes crinkling into a smile as I approached. I wasn’t dense. I knew what was coming. Under the oak tree, Liam looked down into my eyes and confessed: “Maya, I like you.” His varsity jacket puffed in the breeze, his dark hair brushing against his forehead. The sunset cast a warm glow on his face, lighting a spark in his eyes. Before I could respond, a harsh voice cut through the air. The Dean of Students, Mr. Henderson, marched toward us, his keys jingling ominously. “Seniors! Instead of studying, you’re out here dating?” “Both of you, call your parents. Now.” 3 In the faculty office, Liam and I stood side by side. I denied everything. “Mr. Henderson, I wasn’t dating.” Liam backed me up. “Sir, really, we weren’t.” Henderson pointed a finger at us, eyes bulging. “Then what were you doing behind the gym after school? Standing that close? If I hadn’t shown up, were you going to kiss?” “Another student reported you two for inappropriate conduct. Don’t try to lie your way out of it.” Liam’s expression turned cold. “Who said that?” Henderson didn’t name names. He just stamped us as guilty. Not wanting to involve my guardians, I bowed my head and apologized, hoping for leniency. In the end, Henderson ordered us both to write a 3,000-word essay on our “misconduct.” We had to read it in front of the entire school during Monday morning assembly. As a warning to others. Walking out of the office, Liam whispered my name. “Maya, I’m sorry.” “It’s my fault. I told someone I was going to confess to you. I didn’t think they’d use it against us.” His voice hardened. “I’ll find out who snitched and make them pay.” “No need,” I said, stopping in the hallway. “I know who it was.” My gaze landed on a figure by the flowerbed on the first floor. The girl wore an oversized uniform jacket buttoned all the way up. Thick black-rimmed glasses perched on her nose. A bright, out-of-place red hair clip pinned back her short hair. She looked up and met my eyes. A smirk tugged at the corner of her lips before she turned and walked away. “Chloe,” Liam muttered, following my gaze. “That’s low. Just because she can’t beat your test scores, she tries to sabotage your admission chances?” Chloe. The eternal number two. And me? The number one she could never overthrow. 4 On the walk home, Liam was miserable. He blamed himself for dragging me down. He trailed behind me like a kicked puppy. We were neighbors, friends since diapers. He had crushed on me for years, only gathering the courage to say it today. Honestly, even without the confession, we both knew. At the entrance to our alley, Liam grabbed my hand. His palm was hot, his gaze intense. “Maya,” he said softly. “You haven’t given me an answer.” The sunset couldn’t reach into the narrow alley. We stood in the shadows. I turned back to him. Even in the dim light, his eyes were clear and hopeful. I smiled. “Get into a four-year university, and I’ll give you an answer.” The light in his eyes died instantly. “A four-year college? That’s impossible for me, Maya.” I tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “Liam, I only look forward. If you like me, you have to catch up.” He stared at me, struggling internally. After a long moment, he looked down, his voice turning whiny. “Can you tutor me then?” I nodded slightly. “Okay.” Liam had always been my escape. Living with my aunt and uncle after my parents died meant being careful, obedient, and quiet. Solving math problems gave me control; Liam gave me relief. I cared about him. But his grades were abysmal. He never took studying seriously. If he didn’t shape up senior year, I would leave him behind. Looking at his dejected face, I smiled. I stepped closer until the toes of our sneakers touched. As the last light of day faded, I stood on my tiptoes and kissed his cheek. Liam froze. He reached out to hug me, but I stepped back immediately. “That’s a down payment,” I whispered. “From now on, every time you hit the rank I set for you, you get a reward.” Fire reignited in his eyes. “I…” He started to speak, but stopped when he saw my gaze shift past him. Liam turned around. Standing at the mouth of the alley was a boy in our school uniform. Buzz cut, broad shoulders, long legs. Probably 6’1″. His eyes were sharp and cold. Caleb. He lived in the neighborhood too, but we didn’t run in the same circles. He watched us, his expression unreadable in the dark. I pulled Liam out of the alley. Caleb stepped aside as we passed, giving me a fleeting glance. It was faint, but it felt… strange. We were in the same homeroom. He was popular, top ten in grades, athletic. I’d seen him a thousand times growing up. But weirdly, we had never spoken. I watched his retreating back and frowned.

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