From His Puppy to His Brother's Diamond

Claire's POV

I promised Ethan Caldwell, the boy I grew up with, I'd give up the top schools to attend some mediocre college with him.

On the final day of application submission, I brought homemade soup to his studio.

Outside the door, I heard him bragging to his friends: "Claire Bennett's like a damn puppy. I tell her to come to NYU with me, and boom, she changes her whole application to NYU. Lily's grades are shit. If Claire doesn't go for that full scholarship, Lily's got it in the bag. And Claire's so whipped, even when she finds out, she'll just suck it up like always."

The thermos in my hands feels cold now.

The studio door's cracked open. Inside, guys are laughing loud, cigarette smoke hanging in the air.

"Dude, that's brutal," Jake says, his voice dripping with amusement. "Claire's the architecture genius at our school. She's ditching USC's top program for you? What'd you say, like two sentences, and she just switched everything to NYU?"

Ethan sits at his easel, twirling a pencil. His voice carries that nauseating confidence: "She's been following me around since we were kids. I say jump, she asks how high. Besides, her grades are insane. Doesn't matter where she studies, right? She's better off at NYU with me anyway. Lily's had it rough, health problems and everything. That scholarship was meant for her."

"But what if Claire finds out you lied?" another guy cuts in.

Ethan scoffs. "So what if she does? She's too attached to leave. I'll just say I want us at the same school, you know, together. She'll fall in line. You guys don't get it. This is called control."

Outside the door, I listen to every word. The air around me freezes solid.

This is the boy I protected my whole life. The one I fought with my parents to protect.

Ethan's a bastard child. The Caldwell family never wanted him. I felt sorry for him, shielded him, gave him everything I had. Lily Morgan transferred here this semester, always crying, always trailing behind Ethan, talking about how poor she is, how people bully her.

Ethan started ignoring me to take care of her. Said he needed to protect the weak one. When I confronted him, he looked at me like I'd disappointed him. Said I'd become unreasonable. Said Lily had nothing while I had everything.

Turns out, in Ethan's eyes, everything I gave him was just something to show off to his friends. Proof that I'd follow him like a puppy. He even lied to me about my future for Lily's sake.

Pain shoots through my chest, so sharp I can barely breathe. The ache lasts maybe a few seconds before cold clarity sets in.

I look at the soup I spent three hours making. The whole thing suddenly feels absurd. I don't storm through the door. Don't demand answers. I know better than to waste words on trash. It only drags you down to their level.

I turn and walk to the trash can at the end of the hall. Open my hand.

The thermos hits the bottom with a dull thud, soup and all.

I pull out my phone and log into the Common Application system. Two hours until the deadline.

I stare at my first choice, the one I personally changed to "NYU." I let out a cold laugh.

My fingers fly across the screen. Change password. Resubmit.

First choice: USC, University of Southern California. Five-year combined bachelor's and master's in architecture.

Los Angeles is twenty-eight hundred miles from New York. It's the top architecture program in the country. It was my dream before Ethan. Since he thinks I'll give up everything for him, I'll show him exactly how high I can fly without him.

I hit submit. The system confirms the change.

When it's done, I exhale. My whole body feels lighter. The hurt, the frustration, the blind devotion I carried for so long disappears in that moment.

My phone lights up. A text from Ethan.

Claire, where's the soup? I'm dying here. Been drawing for hours.

I look at the message. My mouth curves into something bitter.

Dumped it. Buy your own medicine.

I send it, silence my phone, and walk out of the building. Harsh summer sunlight hits my face. I walk toward it without looking back at that studio.

The next few days are oddly calm. I don't tell anyone about the application change. Just pack my things, handle graduation paperwork.

Ethan seems to notice I've gone cold, but he assumes I'm throwing a tantrum. In his mind, I'll never actually leave him.

Three days later, I'm in my room packing books when my door flies open.

Ethan walks in with Lily trailing behind him, all timid and fragile.

"Claire, what the hell is your problem? You've been ignoring my calls and texts for days. Do you know how worried I've been?" Ethan comes in like he's ready for a fight, acting like he's the one who got hurt.

I don't even look up. Just keep shoving books into boxes.

"Get out of my room."

"Claire, don't be mad at Ethan." Lily peeks out from behind him, eyes already going red, her voice so soft a breeze could knock her over. "It's my fault. He was helping me study, that's why he hasn't had time for you. Please don't let this come between you two. You're both going to NYU together soon. Can't we all just get along?"