Chapter 1

The day SAT ended, my class decided to throw a party.

At one point, someone suggested we play a "love compatibility game."

When it was Liam's turn, the party room went quiet for a moment.

Four words flashed across the screen: "Total softie for love." The entire class erupted.

Someone joked,

"I always thought Liam was a total ice-king, but he's actually a softie for love?"

Liam was my secret boyfriend of three years.

I was about to open my mouth and say Liam was anything but a softie for love, but Chloe spoke first.

"You guys found out."

She said, then linked her arm through Liam's.

"He really is a softie, so clingy. He even insisted on going to the same university as me."

Liam smiled gently and tightly clasped Chloe's hand.

Chloe smiled, looking around.

"I didn't mean to keep it from you all, but before the SATs, I was worried it would affect Liam's studies if we went public."

She leaned her head on Liam's shoulder. "And our families have known each other forever. We're childhood sweethearts. My mom said as soon as the acceptance letters come in, she's throwing us an engagement party!"

Liam didn't push her away. He just took a sip of his ice water, his face devoid of expression.

The whole room was silent.

Someone in the corner whispered,

"I won! I told you Chloe and Liam were a thing, and you guys didn't believe me."

"Seriously? They kept it so quiet!"

"Didn't you notice? Liam only ever lent his study notes to Chloe. When he played basketball, Chloe was always in the front row handing him water. Even for college applications this time, Liam applied to the same city as Chloe!"

Everyone exchanged glances, cheers rising in waves.

I sat in the farthest corner, holding a glass. My fingertips felt numb with cold.

All those details they talked about made me incredibly uncomfortable.

He didn't have time to organize his study notes; I stayed up three nights copying them for him.

The soda he drank during basketball games? I saved half a month's breakfast money to buy cases of it and had someone carry them to the court.

Even college applications...

He had said, "Aurora, romance affects studies. We'll talk after the SATs."

He had said, "Aurora, I want to go to New York with you."

Because of that sentence, I gave up my original college applications.

It turned out he wasn't cold to everyone.

I thought we'd meet at the top together. It turned out he was just enjoying having an all-in-one caretaker manage everything for him, and the only person he truly loved was his childhood sweetheart.

The students' cheers grew louder: "Liam, say something! Is that a yes?"

Liam finally moved.

Not only did he not deny it, but he clasped Chloe's wrist, lowering his voice, "Stop it."

His tone was full of indulgence.

Then, he looked up, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, landing on me.

But it quickly moved away, as if I were just an insignificant passerby.

Chloe smiled even sweeter, adding, "Our families have even picked out our wedding home. Everyone has to come to our wedding, okay?"

The entire room erupted again.

I suddenly felt it hard to breathe, as if all the air had been sucked out of the party room.

I stood up, not looking at anyone, and walked straight to the door.

"Hey? Where's Aurora going?" someone asked.

"To the restroom," I said, without turning my head.

The moment I closed the party room door, I heard someone inside say,

"Aurora's been chasing Liam relentlessly. She's getting what she deserves now!"

"Please, with her pathetic, desperate act, does she even deserve him?"

I rushed into the restroom, locked myself in a stall, covered my mouth, and silently cried.

Three years of hidden devotion, three years of a secret relationship — in his eyes, it wasn't even worth a joke.

My phone vibrated in my pocket.

It was a message from Liam: "Let's talk later, don't throw a tantrum."

I forced a smile, typing a few words on the screen: "Liam, we're over."

A hot summer breeze hit me, but I shivered from cold.

When I reached the intersection, I turned my phone back on to call a ride.

The screen lit up. There was no plea from Liam, only a text from an unknown number:

"Aurora, right? I want to talk to you about your college applications. I'm Liam's mom."