Chapter 2

Lydia came into our lives in the fall, three years ago.

She was the daughter of one of Charles's mother's friends. She'd returned from overseas to study here for a while and was staying at his house.

She was beautiful, with naturally curly hair and a soft, almost sing-song way of speaking.

On her very first day, Charles brought her along when he came to pick me up from school.

The moment Lydia saw me, she smiled.

"Oh my God... So you're Tanya? You're adorable! You're dressed in pink from head to toe. Seriously, you're in college and still this girly? How old are you, Tanya? Doesn't anyone at school give you a hard time about it?"

My face went bright red.

I loved pink. I really, really loved it.

My clothes, water bottles, hair clips, jewelry, phone case—even my manicures—were all pink.

I'd been teased about it plenty of times.

When I was little, some people called me spoiled, while others thought it was cute.

But no one had ever mocked me in such an exaggerated, over-the-top way.

I was so embarrassed that I couldn't think of a response.

"Ha-ha! Sorry, I'm just blunt. Don't be mad, okay, little princess?"

Lydia winked at me with a smile.

"That's enough. Give it a rest," Charles said impatiently.

I turned. He was frowning at Lydia, clearly displeased.

Lydia raised an eyebrow and stared at him.

"Oh, look! The little princess's knight in shining armor is here. What, I'm not allowed to tease her?"

"What's wrong with you? Worry about yourself."

Charles's expression hardened.

When we got home, he told both families what had happened. His mother quickly smoothed things over, asking Lydia not to make fun of me again.

She also suggested that Charles take the two of us out that weekend so we could get to know each other better.

After that, Lydia began showing up around us all the time.

I didn't know when she'd gotten so close to Charles.

I only noticed one day that the jasmine-and-guava milk pudding drink he used to bring me whenever he came to campus had been replaced by an iced Americano.

"I hate coffee. You know that, don't you?"

I stared at the iced coffee in my hand, annoyed.

"Come on. You only liked that pink guava drink because it was pink. Milk tea isn't healthy, anyway. You should cut back."

Charles patted my head.

Lydia was holding an iced Americano, too. She turned to me with an apologetic smile.

"Sorry, little guava. I like coffee, so I asked Charles to bring me this."

"Besides, milk tea is so sweet. It gets sickening after a while. Do all girls your age like that stuff?"

I set the coffee down and looked at her.

"Do you always give people nicknames?"

She blinked, then put on a surprised, wounded expression.

"Ha-ha... Why make it sound so serious? I was just joking. You're way too sensitive."

"Whether I'm sensitive or you're doing it on purpose is something you know perfectly well."

"That's enough, Tanya."

Charles cut in, looking as if he had a headache.

"Lydia just got back from overseas. Sometimes she... doesn't think before she speaks. Don't take it personally."

I was so angry my eyes burned. I shoved Charles hard.

"If you can't speak without being rude, then don't speak!"

Charles jumped, then quickly caught me by the wrist.

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry. Don't be mad. I'll bring you milk tea next time, all right? Strawberry, maybe? I'll get you a strawberry milk pudding. How's that, princess?"

At that, Lydia's expression changed.

She stared at me.

From that day on, she started picking on me.

Whenever I pulled out a packet of pink tissues, she'd make a big show of it.

"Wow! Even your tissues have to be pink? Are you trying to turn yourself into a Barbie doll?"

At meals, if I used a wet wipe to clean my chopsticks, she'd exchange a knowing look with Charles.

"Princess syndrome strikes again."

Whenever school let out for summer or winter break, I'd carry my luggage downstairs and stop to rest. Lydia would laugh from the side.

"Oh, the princess can't carry her own bags! Someone call her knight to help!"

Her friends always joined in, laughing louder than anyone.

At first, Charles seemed uncomfortable and would tell them to stop. But Lydia would wave it off.

"I'm only joking! Tanya's always so uptight. I'm just helping her get along with people."

Charles would consider that for a moment, then nod.

"Tanya can be a little spoiled. Are all girls these days like that?"

Lydia punched him lightly on the shoulder.

"Hey, Charles, I'm not like that, okay? Don't lump me in with girls like her."

Charles gave her an indulgent smile.

A sour feeling settled in my chest.

I'd always known Charles thought I was spoiled and moody.

Maybe to a lot of guys, liking pink, being particular about cleanliness, and not being very strong all counted as princess syndrome.

Finally, one day, I couldn't take it anymore.

That summer, I'd gone to the beach with my parents and gotten a lot tanner.

It had happened before. Usually, I'd spend a month or two back home and my skin would lighten again, so I hadn't worried about it.

One day, I went to a friend's birthday party at a karaoke lounge, wearing a pink shirt over a white camisole.

Lydia raised her voice the moment she saw me.

"Oh my God! Tanya, you're this tan and you're still wearing pink? Don't you look ridiculous?"

"No, seriously—I'm dying! How can you still call yourself a princess? Have you ever seen a princess that dark? You look more like a little black puppy!"

She and several guys who'd teased me since childhood burst out laughing.

Charles seemed to find it funny, too. The corner of his mouth lifted.

In that moment, humiliation and helplessness washed over me. I felt the blood rush to my head, and my hands curled into fists.

Over the sound of their laughter, I picked up my drink and threw it straight into Lydia's face.