Chapter 3

The slap echoed sharply through the metal lockers.

Hunter clutched his cheek. Shock lingered on his face for barely a second before being swallowed by pure fury.

"Are you crazy? Why the hell did you hit me? You said we're done? Say that again, I dare you!"

I lifted my chin, no longer the timid girl who used to look up to him in fear.

"I said, we're done. Is that so hard to understand?"

He froze. He was too used to my submission, too used to me doing his homework and handing him water from the bleachers.

"Say it one mo—"

"Well, well, what kind of drama is this?"

Serena pushed her way through the crowd. Wearing her tight cheerleader uniform, she had a mocking, theatrical smirk playing on her lips.

"Chloe, you didn't actually take that forum post seriously, did you? Hunter was just joking with the guys, saying you were 'easy to string along.' What, you can't handle it? Or are you just playing hard to get?"

A burst of laughter erupted from the crowd.

Serena suddenly stepped into my space, dropping her voice to a vicious whisper:

"Hunter said the way you strip naked for him in bed is so cheap it's disgusting. You slept with him once, and you actually think you're his official girlfriend? Wake up. You're nothing but a free lay."

Instinctively, I raised my hand and pushed her. I barely used any force at all.

But Serena let out an exaggerated shriek, throwing herself backward and crashing heavily to the floor.

"Oh my God! Why are you attacking me?!" Tears instantly welled up in her eyes.

"Are you done acting crazy?!"

With a furious roar, Hunter shoved past me to help Serena up. He glared at me like I was a psychopath. "You are unbelievable! Apologize to Serena, right now!"

Watching him play the protective hero, I only felt absurd. "Why should I apologize?"

"Because you shoved her! You're embarrassing the hell out of me!" Furious and humiliated, Hunter stood up and gave me a violent shove.

I was still running a fever. Losing my balance, my back slammed hard against the metal fire alarm box.

A sharp, blunt pain exploded up my spine. My vision quickly blurred, black spots swallowing my sight, before I collapsed straight to the floor.

When I woke up, the acrid smell of hydrogen peroxide hit my nose. I was in the nurse's office.

"You're awake?"

Hunter sat by the edge of the bed, scrolling impatiently on his phone. "Enough is enough. Slapping me, pushing people, and now playing dead? Are you having fun?"

He stared at me, flashing a smug, arrogant smirk. "No matter how much of a fit you throw, once we get to State U this fall, you're still gonna cling to me anyway. These little tricks of yours don't work on me."

Before I could even open my mouth, his phone rang.

"Serena💖" flashed across the screen.

Hunter's expression instantly softened. He hit accept, his voice dropping into a gentle whisper. "What's wrong? Okay, I'm on my way."

Hanging up, he stood and glanced condescendingly down at me.

"Cool off. Stop acting crazy and embarrassing me."

With that, he walked out without looking back.

Over the next few days, I booked my flight and packed my bags in my apartment, getting ready for Yale.

I dug out that old photo album from my storage bin. Cheering for Hunter by the pool at summer camp, linking arms with him at senior prom... I had once been so sure that was forever.

Until I saw Serena's Instagram story—her Corgi was wearing a dark blue hand-knitted scarf. The exact scarf I had stayed up three consecutive nights to make for him.

And right now, on my wrist, was the silver bracelet Hunter swore was "custom-made just for me." Yesterday, an identical one had appeared on Serena's wrist, flaunted for the world to see.

Finally, the cruel truth crashed over me.

In Hunter's heart, I was never anyone special.

A single tear slipped silently down my cheek.

I wiped it away fiercely.

Unclasping the bracelet, I threw it, along with the entire photo album, straight into the trash bag.

Grabbing my phone, I pulled up Hunter's contact info.

Without a second of hesitation, I tapped: Block. Delete.

From this moment on, his world and mine were severed forever.

On opening day, I arrived at Yale.

"Chloe!" Lily ran over, waving an orientation pamphlet. "Hurry up! I'll take you to meet the captain of the Academic Decathlon team!"

In the distance, a guy in a tailored wool coat was standing on the stone steps, chatting with a professor.

He turned his head.

Deep brown eyes and a flawless build. When he saw me, he froze for a split second before a warm smile rippled in his eyes.

"Chloe?" He strode over, his voice deep and gentle. "I never expected to see your name on the orientation list, little neighbor."

I looked at this familiar face, and dusted-off memories instantly flooded back. "Julian?"

The boy who moved away when we were twelve, the only one who ever wanted to sit on the porch steps and discuss logic with me.

"Looks like winter at Yale won't be so boring after all," Julian smiled, effortlessly reaching out to take my luggage from my hands.

Right then, my phone started vibrating furiously.

It was a video call from Hunter's friend, William.

I hit accept.

"What the fuck are you playing at?!"

Hunter's enraged, panic-stricken voice crackled through the speaker. "You blocked my number on everything?! I had to borrow a phone just to get through! I showed up at State U today—why the hell aren't you here? You're not even on the freshman roster! Where the fuck are you?!"

My tone was completely deadpan. "Where I am is none of your business."

Sensing something was off, Julian stepped beside me. He leaned in slightly, his tall silhouette reflecting in the front camera of my phone.

On the screen, Hunter's facial muscles contorted violently in shock. His voice pitched up, completely losing its composure:

"Chloe... why the hell are you with my stepbrother?!"