Chapter 3 · Let Him Have Her

The hallway fell silent for a moment.

Jolene's smile faltered, and she looked at Roman with a chillier expression. "Roman, if you don't want to do it, just say so. You don't need to blame her."

Roman panicked.

He hadn't expected me to call his bluff in front of her. His face went through a dozen emotions before he finally gritted his teeth.

"I didn't say I wouldn't help," he said, his voice rising. "I'll do it. I promise."

Jolene's eyes lit up.

She threw her arms around his neck. "Thank you, Roman! If we both get into Columia, I'll be your girlfriend."

Roman's hands settled on her waist.

He smiled with that pure, idiotic joy of a boy who finally got the girl.

"I'll get you into that school," he said. "Trust me."

I stood by the door, watching them embrace while other students stared.

I only had one thought: they were a perfect match. One was a fool, and the other was a snake.

I walked back to my desk and reopened my book.

Forty-two days.

I was going to make them count.

*****

I didn't wait for Roman after school.

In my old life, we always walked home together. He'd wheel his bike, and I'd have my bag on my shoulder.

Back then, I thought it was the most beautiful routine in the world.

Now, I saw it for what it was: one person using another.

He was there when I was useful; I was nothing when he didn't need me.

I was walking home alone. The late April air still held a sharp chill, but the breeze felt refreshing against my face.

As I passed the corner CVS, I stepped inside to grab a fresh stack of legal pads and a pack of black ink pens.

The shopkeeper, who had seen me grow up, gave me a warm smile. "Big finals coming up, Darla? You've got this, honey."

"Thanks, Mrs. Gable," I replied with a smile, tucking the supplies into my backpack.

When I got home, I heard voices in the living room.

It was my mother, Ophelia, and Roman's mother, Margot Pierce.

I knew that voice anywhere. Margot's tone was always thick with a smugness she barely tried to hide.

"Ophelia, some kids are just born gifted, you know?" Margot was saying. "Roman just ranked in the top percentile for the state mocks. Columia, Polatech... it's going to be a hard choice. I honestly don't know how to turn any of them down."

My mother's voice was polite. "That's wonderful, Margot. Congratulations."

"It's a headache, really." Margot sighed, though she sounded delighted. "He hardly even studies. He's always playing ball or gaming, but he just has that brain. It's almost unfair, isn't it?"

I pushed the door open. Margot was perched on our sofa, cradling a mug of coffee.

She was lounging with her legs crossed, dressed in a red silk wrap dress and a fresh blowout. Her makeup was so heavy she looked ready for a gala, not a neighborly chat.

She looked me up and down with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Darla! You look thin, honey. Is school stressing you out?"

"I'm fine," I said, dropping my bag by the door.

"That's good. So, how did you do on the mocks? Do you think you have a shot at the Ivies?"

Chapter 3

The hallway fell silent for a moment.

Jolene's smile faltered, and she looked at Roman with a chillier expression. "Roman, if you don't want to do it, just say so. You don't need to blame her."

Roman panicked.

He hadn't expected me to call his bluff in front of her. His face went through a dozen emotions before he finally gritted his teeth.

"I didn't say I wouldn't help," he said, his voice rising. "I'll do it. I promise."

Jolene's eyes lit up.

She threw her arms around his neck. "Thank you, Roman! If we both get into Columia, I'll be your girlfriend."

Roman's hands settled on her waist.

He smiled with that pure, idiotic joy of a boy who finally got the girl.

"I'll get you into that school," he said. "Trust me."

I stood by the door, watching them embrace while other students stared.

I only had one thought: they were a perfect match. One was a fool, and the other was a snake.

I walked back to my desk and reopened my book.

Forty-two days.

I was going to make them count.

*****

I didn't wait for Roman after school.

In my old life, we always walked home together. He'd wheel his bike, and I'd have my bag on my shoulder.

Back then, I thought it was the most beautiful routine in the world.

Now, I saw it for what it was: one person using another.

He was there when I was useful; I was nothing when he didn't need me.

I was walking home alone. The late April air still held a sharp chill, but the breeze felt refreshing against my face.

As I passed the corner CVS, I stepped inside to grab a fresh stack of legal pads and a pack of black ink pens.

The shopkeeper, who had seen me grow up, gave me a warm smile. "Big finals coming up, Darla? You've got this, honey."

"Thanks, Mrs. Gable," I replied with a smile, tucking the supplies into my backpack.

When I got home, I heard voices in the living room.

It was my mother, Ophelia, and Roman's mother, Margot Pierce.

I knew that voice anywhere. Margot's tone was always thick with a smugness she barely tried to hide.

My mother's voice was polite. "That's wonderful, Margot. Congratulations."

"It's a headache, really." Margot sighed, though she sounded delighted. "He hardly even studies. He's always playing ball or gaming, but he just has that brain. It's almost unfair, isn't it?"

I pushed the door open. Margot was perched on our sofa, cradling a mug of coffee.

She was lounging with her legs crossed, dressed in a red silk wrap dress and a fresh blowout. Her makeup was so heavy she looked ready for a gala, not a neighborly chat.

She looked me up and down with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Darla! You look thin, honey. Is school stressing you out?"

"I'm fine," I said, dropping my bag by the door.

"That's good. So, how did you do on the mocks? Do you think you have a shot at the Ivies?"