Chapter 1

I clutched my phone so tightly my knuckles turned white, weaving through the crowded cafeteria with my heart hammering against my ribs. The SAT scores had just been released online, and while I'd seen my perfect 1600 flash across my screen, I couldn't bring myself to feel anything about it. Not until I knew how Ethan had done.

He sat at his usual table, golden hair catching the light, laughing at something Madison had whispered in his ear. His arm was draped casually around her shoulders, fingers playing with the ends of her glossy blonde hair. The sight still sent a pang through my chest, even after all these years of watching them together.

"Ethan," I said, my voice coming out softer than I intended. I cleared my throat and tried again. "Ethan, what did you get?"

He glanced up, those blue eyes barely registering my presence before sliding away dismissively. "It's fine, Parker. Mind your own business."

Madison smirked, leaning into him. "Not everyone wants to broadcast their scores like it's some kind of competition, Chloe."

I pushed my glasses up the bridge of my nose, a nervous habit I couldn't seem to break. "I just thought—I mean, UCLA has that minimum threshold and—"

"I said it's fine," Ethan snapped, cutting me off. "Don't you have some calculus to solve or something?"

Jake Miller, sitting across from them, snickered. "Yeah, Parker. Don't you have a life to get?"

I backed away, mumbling an apology, feeling the familiar burn of humiliation creep up my neck. But beneath the embarrassment, worry gnawed at me. Ethan never avoided talking about his accomplishments. Something was wrong.

* * *

The library was quiet that afternoon, sunlight filtering through tall windows and casting long shadows across empty tables. I'd chosen my usual corner, surrounded by books that had always been better friends to me than most people. My calculus homework lay forgotten beside me as I stared at the entrance, waiting.

Ethan had texted me to meet him here after school. Alone. My pulse had been racing ever since.

When he finally appeared, something was different. His shoulders, usually thrown back with casual confidence, were slumped. His eyes, normally bright with mischief, looked troubled. For once, he wasn't performing.

"Hey," he said, sliding into the chair across from me. "Thanks for waiting."

"Of course." I would always wait for him. He knew that.

He ran a hand through his hair—a gesture I'd seen a thousand times, catalogued and treasured like all his habits. "Look, about today..."

"You don't have to tell me your score if you don't want to," I said quickly.

"No, I—" He looked down at his hands, and to my shock, I saw tears gathering in his eyes. "I only got a 1000, Chloe."

My breath caught. "But UCLA—"

"Yeah." He gave a bitter laugh. "My UCLA dreams are gone. My dad's going to kill me."

"There are other schools," I said, reaching for his hand without thinking. He didn't pull away.

"I'm going to have to do community college," he said, voice breaking slightly. "Everyone's going to laugh at me. Madison's parents will never let her..."

The implication hung in the air between us.

"I need you, Chloe," he whispered, looking up with those impossibly blue eyes, now swimming with tears. "I've never needed anyone like I need you right now. I can't face this alone."

My heart stuttered. "What are you saying?"

"Defer Stanford. Come to community college with me. We can transfer together later." His fingers tightened around mine. "Please. I know it's selfish, but I'm drowning here."

The world seemed to stop. Stanford. My dream. The acceptance letter hidden in my desk drawer at home. The future I'd worked toward since I was twelve.

But Ethan needed me. Ethan, who had never needed anyone, needed me.

"Of course I'll stay," I heard myself say, the words floating out as if from someone else's mouth. "You don't have to do this alone."

Relief washed over his face, and he squeezed my hand. "You're amazing, Parker. I don't deserve you."

No, you don't, a small voice whispered in the back of my mind. But I silenced it.

"I should call my parents," I said, gathering my books. "Let them know about the change of plans."

He nodded, already pulling out his phone. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow," I promised, and walked away, my mind already rehearsing how I would explain throwing away Stanford to my distant but academically-focused parents.

I was halfway down the empty hallway when I heard voices from an open classroom door. I paused, recognizing Ethan's laugh—different now, louder, triumphant.

"Dude, I scored 1380. Parker's so dumb she'll kill her Stanford plans for me." Ethan's voice rang clear through the gap in the door.

"Did she actually believe you?" Jake's voice now, incredulous.

"Totally bought it. You should have seen her face—like a puppy being kicked. 'Of course I'll stay,'" Ethan mimicked in a high-pitched voice.

Madison's cruel laughter joined in. "God, she's pathetic. Meanwhile, we'll be living it up at UCLA on her tutoring money. Genius plan, babe."

I froze, my blood turning to ice in my veins. The books in my arms suddenly felt impossibly heavy.

Stupid. So stupid.

I backed away silently, my mind blank except for one crystal-clear thought: I had been a fool for far too long.