Chapter 3
Sophie bombed her interview.
CCU officially revoked her special‑admission spot.
The day the news broke, the whole school was buzzing about it.
"What a shame. She already had the offer."
"I heard it was because her math competition results were so bad that CCU thought she wasn't capable enough."
"If you ask me, Emily did it on purpose. She knew Sophie needed help and just wouldn't lift a finger."
"Yeah, they used to be so close. This is so cold."
I listened to all the gossip, but it didn't faze me at all.
Jack, on the other hand, was even more pissed off than I was.
"These people are so clueless!" he fumed. "Sophie's the one who couldn't cut it. Why are they blaming you?"
"Whatever," I said, flipping to the next page of my book. "Let them talk."
"Doesn't it bother you at all?" Jack asked.
"Would it help if it did?" I looked at him. "I'm not living for them."
Jack went quiet for a moment, then said, "Emily, you've changed a lot."
"In what way?" I asked.
"You used to care so much about what other people thought. You'd always put others first just to keep the peace." He looked at me seriously. "But now, you're finally being yourself."
I paused for a second, then smiled.
"Thanks," I said.
"For what?" Jack asked.
"For telling me I'm finally being myself," I replied.
He was right. I really had changed.
I used to spend all my time trying to make everyone happy, always trying to be the perfect daughter, the perfect student, the perfect friend. I tiptoed around every relationship, terrified of upsetting anyone.
But after what happened at the coming-of-age ceremony, I finally realized that no matter how hard I tried to be good to people, if I ever got in the way of what they wanted, they'd drop me without a second thought.
So why kept making myself suffer for them?
That afternoon, Matthew came to me again.
This time, his face was dark, and there was a chill in his eyes I'd never seen before.
"Emily, are you happy now?" he demanded.
"What?" I didn't understand.
"Sophie lost her special‑admission spot. Are you satisfied?" His voice dripped with hostility. "You just can't stand her having anything good, can you?"
I looked up at him. The guy who used to be gentle and kind now looked like a wild animal backed into a corner.
"Matthew, what does Sophie losing her spot have to do with me?" I shot back.
"If you'd just helped her prepare for the interview..." he started.
"And that would've magically made her pass?" I cut him off. "Matthew, do you really think I have that kind of power? The CCU interview isn't something I can control."
"But you could've helped her get ready!" he insisted.
"Why should I help her?" I closed my book. "Give me one good reason."
Matthew was caught off guard, clearly not expecting me to ask that.
"Because... because you're friends," he said.
"Friends?" I let out a cold laugh. "Matthew, do you even know what a friend is?"
"I..." he stammered.
"A friend is someone who stands by me on a day as important as the coming-of-age ceremony," I said, standing up. "A friend isn't someone who locks me in a bathroom just to help someone else."
Matthew's face went pale. "You're still holding a grudge over that?"
"A grudge?" I stared at him. "Matthew, do you really think I should just let that go?"
"It was just an accident," he muttered.
"An accident?" I scoffed. "What kind of accident makes you conveniently lure me to the abandoned bathroom on the day of the ceremony and conveniently lock the door from the outside?"
Matthew opened his mouth but couldn't find words.
"Admit it, Matthew," I said, my voice icy. "You did it on purpose. You set me up so Sophie could get that offer."
"I didn't," he stammered.
"Didn't what? Didn't do it on purpose? Or didn't do it for Sophie?" I pressed.
Matthew's face turned ghostly white, sweat rolling down his forehead.
"I just wanted to help her," he whispered.
"So that gives you the right to hurt me?" I shot back.
"I never meant to hurt you!" he suddenly snapped, his voice rising. "I just wanted her to be happy."
"And what about my happiness?" I asked. "What about how I feel? Did you ever care about me at all?"
Matthew fell silent.
His silence said it all.
"Matthew," I said, grabbing my bag and getting ready to leave, "let me make this clear. From now on, we're done. Don't ever come to me again, and don't even mention Sophie."
"Emily..." he started.
"And remember this. One day, you'll know exactly what it means to lose me." I said, pausing at the door.
As I walked out of the classroom, I heard Matthew let out a heavy sigh behind me.
But I didn't look back.
Once I chose a path, there was no turning back.
When I got home that evening, my mom was cooking in the kitchen.
"Emily, you're back. How was school today?" she asked.
"It was fine," I replied.
"I heard from the neighbors that the girl in your class, Sophie, lost her early-admission offer?" Mom poked her head out of the kitchen. "Is that true?"
"Yeah," I said.
"Oh, that's such a shame," Mom said, her face full of sympathy. "Capital City University is such a great school."
I said nothing and headed back to my room to work on my homework.
After a while, Mom came in with a plate of fruit.
"Emily, can I ask you something?" she said.
"What is it?" I asked.
"Are you and Sophie having some kind of conflict?" Mom sat down on the edge of my bed. "I heard she wanted your help before her interview, but you turned her down?"
I put down my pen and looked at her.
"Mom, if someone hurt you just to benefit someone else, would you still want to help them?" Emily asked.
Mom blinked. "Who hurt you?"
I shook my head. "No one. I'm just saying, it's hypothetical."
"Of course not," Mom replied without hesitation. "If someone did me wrong, why would I ever help them?"
"Exactly," I nodded. "That's exactly how I feel."
Mom seemed to sense something was off. "Emily, is someone bullying you?"
"No," I smiled. "Don't worry, Mom. No one can bully me."