Chapter 2
Friday afternoon brought a senior assembly.
The vice principal took the stage to announce the change regarding the direct admission nomination.
"Luella Sutton has voluntarily withdrawn her nomination for Ashbourne University due to personal reasons. Following administrative review, that spot will transfer to the runner-up candidate, Winnie Clayton," he said.
All eyes in the room swung my way first, then shifted to Winnie.
Winnie sat in the third row, her face flushing crimson.
I was in the second-to-last row by the window, fingers tight around my pen.
Beside me, Freya was wound up like a tight coil.
The vice principal continued, "Let's give Winnie a round of applause and wish her all the best at Ashbourne University."
A few scattered, polite claps echoed across the auditorium.
Winnie stood up and bowed toward the stage.
Someone handed her a microphone.
"I want to thank Luella," Winnie said, turning back toward me, her voice trembling slightly. "Without her stepping aside, I wouldn't have this chance. Ella, thank you."
The room went dead silent for a second before erupting into loud applause.
Some people turned around and smiled at me, giving me that "you're such a good person" look.
Freya trembled with rage, hissing under her breath, "She's thanking you? She takes what belongs to you and makes a public show of thanking you? What, you're supposed to smile and say 'you're welcome?'"
"Keep it down," I said.
"I can't!" Freya nearly shot out of her seat before I grabbed her sleeve. "Luella, you've lost your mind. That was Ashbourne. Three years of blood, sweat, and tears down the drain."
I didn't say a word.
Down in the third row, Ethan glanced back over his shoulder at me.
His eyes were calm, carrying a trace of relief.
The spot was locked in. Winnie was safe. In his script, order had been restored.
I looked down, twirling my pen between my fingers.
After the assembly, students spilled out of the auditorium. A crowd gathered around Winnie with congratulatory pats on the shoulder, while others shot me sympathetic looks as they walked past.
Ryan Davis, one of our classmates, walked over.
Scratching the back of his neck, he hesitated before speaking, "Luella, did you seriously back out voluntarily? The whole thing feels off. Ashbourne was always your dream school."
Freya leaned in close, hanging on every word.
I offered a smile. "People change. So do dreams."
Ryan opened his mouth to press further, but the hallway rush shoved him forward.
As soon as the crowd cleared, Freya yanked my arm, pulling me outside to the quiet courtyard behind the academic wing.
"Give it to me straight, Luella. Did someone push you into this? Was it Ethan?" she demanded.
I looked at her and gave a firm shake of my head.
"No. It was my own choice," I said.
Freya's eyes were rimmed with tears.
She blinked rapidly, trying to hold them back, and turned her face away.
"When you end up regretting this, don't come crying to me," she said.
She marched off with stiff shoulders, her backpack strap warped from how tightly she was gripping it.
Standing alone by the flower bed, I listened to the class bell ring.
I wouldn't regret it.
The mistakes that haunted my previous life would never repeat themselves in this one.
*****
After dinner, I logged onto a library computer to draft an email to the Byrne Research Institute.
I accessed the academic account I'd registered back when I published my previous life's papers.
The message was concise: [This is Luella Sutton, Applicant 73146. I am writing to confirm whether the fellowship invitation extended to me three years ago remains valid.]
I hit send.
As soon as the progress bar hit 100%, someone cleared their throat behind me.
I closed the window and turned to look.
It was Ethan.
He leaned against the stacks holding a thick literary classic he wouldn't touch on any ordinary day.
"What are you doing in the library?" he asked.
"Looking up some references," I replied.
"On what?"
Grabbing my backpack, I brushed past him without a word.
He didn't follow up, but the weight of his stare tracked me all the way to the exit doors.
*****
That weekend, Tiffany invited me over to the Lincoln house for dinner.
I had spent countless days at their place. From age seven to eighteen, that was practically my home.
In the living room, Tiffany was arranging a fruit platter. She smiled warmly and waved me in.
"Ella, sweetheart, come on in. Have a seat. I made your favorite dishes tonight," Tiffany said.
I slipped on the slippers and walked in, only to find Winnie already sitting on the sofa.
That caught me off guard.
Weekends at the Lincolns' were usually reserved for Ethan and me. Winnie rarely came over.
Winnie smiled at me and slid over to make space.
"Ella, sit here," she said.
I took a seat. Sliced mangoes sat on the coffee table. They were my favorite.
Ethan came down the staircase, paused at the sight of me, and continued into the room.
Over dinner, Tiffany served a tender rib straight onto Winnie's plate.
"Eat up, Winnie. Now that the direct admission is locked in, you can finally breathe. Ashbourne is a wonderful school," she said.
Winnie flushed pink, mumbling a thank-you.
Tiffany turned toward me. Her smile remained warm, yet a subtle shift colored her tone.
"Ella, what's your plan moving forward? Do you want me to look into other options for you? You're a brilliant student. You'll crush regular admissions and land somewhere great," she said.
"That won't be necessary, Tiffany. I've got my own plans," I replied.
"What kind of plans?" Tiffany asked.
Ethan set his silverware down and cut in before I could answer, "She's applying through regular decision. I already checked out a few in-state colleges for her. Her test scores easily clear their thresholds."
I turned to look at him.
He avoided eye contact and picked at his food.
The message was crystal clear: in-state schools. He had mapped out my trajectory so I would stay within arm's reach.
He wanted me under his watch.
He was afraid I'd do something that wasn't part of his plan.
I lifted my spoon, sipped the broth, and kept my mouth shut.
Winnie glanced at me hesitantly. "Ella, once I start at Ashbourne, promise you'll visit me if you ever come to Bellerive."
"Sure," I replied.
*****
When dinner wrapped up, Tiffany began clearing the table, and Winnie jumped in to help with a familiarity that felt almost practiced.
In my previous life, Winnie had never set foot inside this house. Armed with a second chance, Ethan had pulled her right into his family's world.