Chapter 2
The next day, Alex still hadn't reached out to me.
I figured this was part of his sudden breakup strategy.
I had no idea how long he planned to leave me hanging, but I wasn't about to sit around waiting for him like I used to.
First, I un-pinned Alex's chat and swapped out our couple pic.
Just as I finished, I got a message right away.
Alex: [?]
I didn't reply.
Alex: [Why did you change your profile picture?]
I still ignored him.
He must've lost interest and stopped texting after that.
I muted his social media updates and redid my study schedule.
Back when I was dating, I'd squeeze in dates whenever I could, even skipped group practice sometimes. My teacher wasn't happy about it.
No way I'd let a guy slow me down anymore.
I filled up my schedule with review sessions and competition training, then hopped in a cab to the training room.
When I walked in, a few seniors were already there, plus someone new with his back to me. I couldn't see his face.
As soon as I stepped inside, Mark Kendrick called out, "Emily, Emily, come here. We've got a newbie.
"This is Ethan Brooks, a computer science freshman. He won last year's national competition with a higher score than yours.
"Two experts are meeting. Come on, give each other a hug so I can take a commemorative photo."
Ethan was two years younger than me, but he was tall and insanely good-looking. He's the kind of guy who could turn heads everywhere he goes.
Kids these days have it all, including great genes, good nutrition, and each generation keeps leveling up.
As I was thinking that, he held out a hand, his long fingers elegant and refined.
"Hey, I'm Ethan Brooks. I've heard so much about you, Emily," he said.
"Oh, you're flattering me. Call me Emily. Seriously, you're amazing, Ethan," I replied.
Honestly, the national computer competition was packed with top talent, and Ethan scored even higher than me. So yeah, he's definitely got the edge over me.
Judging by how Mark was practically glowing, I figured he was probably being a bit modest too.
Our team's got a lucrative future ahead.
Well, love might be a mess, but at least my career's on the upswing. Maybe that's a blessing in disguise.
After sorting out my thoughts, I dove into the intense training with Ethan and the seniors.
After a whole day working together, I realized Ethan was on another level. Seriously, the guy was a total genius.
Even though he was younger than the rest of us, he was super chill and unflappable. No matter how messy things got, he always kept his head and handled it like a pro.
On our way back, we walked down the stairs together.
Ethan was holding his books, glancing down at me. "Emily."
"Yeah?" I replied.
"Honestly, I've had my eye on you for quite a while."
"Huh?"
"Hope I'm not being too forward, but do you have a boyfriend right now?"
*****
His question caught me off guard. I honestly didn't know what to say.
After thinking for a bit, I said, "I do, but we're probably breaking up soon."
Ethan glanced at me. "Why?"
I shrugged. "He says I'm not pretty enough."
"You're not ugly, Emily."
"Thanks."
It's not like I have any hang-ups about my looks, but I wasn't about to start talking about appearances with a guy I met.
After we parted ways, I spotted Alex on my way back to the dorm.
He wasn't there for me. He was picking up a freshman to hang out.
I knew her. She was Sophie Reed, a freshman dance major from the dorm next door. She was drop-dead gorgeous, like a total celebrity.
Sophie came down in a cute little dress, bouncing over to Alex, and the two of them looked absolutely stunning together.
Even though most people in the building knew Alex was my boyfriend, that scene made everyone sigh.
I stood in the crowd, watching them walk away. Sophie looked all shy and sweet, and before they got in the car, she suddenly held onto Alex's finger.
Alex smirked, turned his head, and locked eyes with me.
For a split second, I saw surprise flash in his eyes. He looked like he was about to shake Sophie off, but then he stopped himself.
I stood there, watching him quietly.
Alex, what are you going to do now?
If you came over and apologized, maybe there'd still be a future for us.
I couldn't help but hope, but at the same time, I felt ridiculous for even thinking that.
Sure enough, the next second, he walked away without even looking back.
My eyes stung, and jealousy burned in my throat.
When I got back to the dorm, my roommates all looked like they wanted to say something but held back.
"Emily, did you see that just now?" One of them asked.
"Yeah," I replied.
I held back my tears and forced a smile.
I looked at them, my smile tinged with bitterness. "I saw it. I'll handle it."
My roommates let out a long sigh. "Good. Otherwise, we wouldn't even know how to tell you.
"Sophie and your boyfriend have been seeing each other for a while now. Before, they kept it behind your back, but now they're not even trying to hide it.
"Honestly, because Alex's family is loaded doesn't mean he can disrespect you like that. You were his girlfriend, everyone knew it."
My roommates were venting with me, but there was this sense that they'd already accepted it as normal.
They all figured that Alex is such a catch, it was only a matter of time before he'd move on from me.
I avoided their weird looks and went into the bathroom to take a shower.
As the cold water washed over me, my mind started to clear.
That night, Alex still didn't send me a single message.
My head was pounding, so I took some cold medicine and drifted off into a groggy sleep.
The next day, my fever shot up to 101.3°F.