Chapter 1

After the SATs, Remy casually mentioned he'd bombed his score and suggested we apply to a smaller college in Chicago together. I fibbed to my parents, claiming I’d messed up my college preferences. But at the party, he had his arm draped around the prom queen and dropped the bombshell.

'Alessandra and I both got into the University of Virginia in Charlottesville—it’s the only prestigious university there,' he announced.

Someone piped up, 'What about Luisa?'

Remy shot me a teasing grin. 'Luisa, I was just kidding. You didn’t take it seriously, did you? If you want to go to the same school, just retake the exams. You’re the academic star, after all.'

Later, when I skipped the summer prep class, he seemed uneasy. 'Luisa, you’re not into going to the same school as me anymore?'

---

The day I got my acceptance letter, Remy called me out of the blue.

'You’re coming to the dinner tonight, right? I’ve got a surprise for you. You’ll be there?'

A warm flutter filled my chest. 'Yeah, should we go together?'

I couldn’t help but hope he’d finally confess. Everyone had always assumed we’d end up together. We’d been childhood friends, after all, and for three years, we’d worked tirelessly to get into the same school. It felt like the whole world was rooting for us.

Dinner was set for 7 p.m., but I was at the meeting spot by 6:40. I watched the clock nervously until 7:20 rolled around. Then, Remy’s voice echoed outside the private dining room.

I stood up instinctively, only to freeze when he walked in, hand in hand with Alessandra. My thigh hit the chair, my body stiffened, but no one seemed to notice. At the door, Remy laughed, carefree and bright. 'Sorry for being late, had to give someone a ride.'

A few suggestive chuckles rippled through the room, while others glanced at me curiously. He carried on, unfazed, his arm still around Alessandra. 'Perfect, everyone’s here. I’ve got an announcement.'

'Alessandra and I both got into the University of Virginia.'

My heart felt like it was being crushed, the ache making it hard to breathe. I tried to steady myself amidst the cheers, but the room’s energy was overwhelming.

'Never thought you’d make it to UVA!' someone exclaimed. 'You always seemed so laid-back.'

'Yeah,' another chimed in. 'We thought you were either sleeping or playing basketball. But you did it—chasing love all the way to success.'

Remy scratched the back of his head, sheepish. 'Alessandra said she likes guys with good grades, so I had to step up to win her over.'

A friend near me leaned in. 'What about Luisa? Weren’t you two planning to go to the same school?'

Remy glanced at me, his smirk playful, his eyes glinting with mischief. 'Luisa, I was just messing around. You didn’t take it seriously, did you? If you want to go to the same school, just retake the exams. You’re the top student, after all.'

I swallowed the bitterness rising in my throat, sipped some sparkling water, and forced a smile. 'I didn’t.'

I wanted to say I hadn’t taken it seriously, but my voice betrayed me. I drained the rest of the water, trying not to look pathetic.

My ears felt muffled, like I was underwater. Someone muttered uncomfortably, 'That’s a rough joke. What if she took it seriously?'

Remy waved it off, his usual laid-back self. 'We’ve known each other forever. She’ll be fine. Besides, I believe in Luisa. You’ll nail a retake, won’t you?' He winked at me.

My breathing grew heavy, his figure blurring in my vision. For the rest of the karaoke session, I made an excuse to leave.

But Remy cornered me at the hotel entrance.

He called my name repeatedly, but I ignored him until he stepped in front of me. 'Luisa, what’s up tonight? You didn’t even respond to Alessandra. I specifically ordered cheese puffs for you, and you didn’t touch them.'

I wanted to scream, to demand why he’d made such a cruel joke, if he had any idea I’d taken it seriously. If he knew… how much I liked him.

But the way he looked at me tonight, with Alessandra by his side, shattered my resolve. We were just neighbors, childhood friends. He’d never promised anything; it was my mistake to read too much into his casual words.

It was always one-sided.

I looked down, avoiding his gaze. 'I don’t feel well.'

Remy chuckled. 'Are you upset about the school? Or are you really not feeling well?'

I stayed silent.

He sighed. 'But you can’t ignore Alessandra. She kept telling me she’s worried you don’t like her, and now she’s upset because you wouldn’t talk to her.'

I looked up at him, my voice sharp. 'So what? Do I not have the right to feel unwell? Must I engage with her?'

His brows furrowed, his expression softening after a moment. He grinned, pointing at me. 'Oh, I get it. You really applied to a school in Chicago, didn’t you?'

I stayed silent. Our bond, forged since we were kids, made him read me like an open book.

His laughter grew. 'I knew you’d stick with me. Can’t believe you bought it. Why not retake and join us in Virginia as our junior? You definitely can do it. You scored high enough for Chicago’s top schools; a retake won’t be a problem.'

I fought back tears. 'Go comfort Alessandra. I’m heading home.'