Chapter 2

If I got tangled up in her drama again in this life, I would be the stupidest person on earth.

Honestly, a part of me was morbidly curious to see what would happen to her this time without my "interference."

My constant rejections were finally getting to Sophia. For a moment, her sweet smile vanished, replaced by a flash of raw resentment.

"Why are you talking to me like that?" she snapped.

I gave her a sidelong glance, arguing, "Am I wrong?"

She was about to fire back, flushed with anger, when our other two roommates, Jessica Moore and Olivia Reed, walked in.

"What are you guys talking about?" Jessica asked casually, seeing us huddled together.

Before Sophia could spin some story, I jumped in with a bright smile on my face.

"Oh, Sophia was just saying she wants to rent herself out as a fake girlfriend over winter break. Says it's the perfect way to pay for a new phone."

"Rent herself out?" Jessica asked, looking completely lost. "What does that even mean?"

"You know," I explained breezily, "a temporary girlfriend for hire. Guys pay you to go home with them for the holidays to stop their relatives from nagging them about marriage. Set the price, and you're done after Christmas."

Sophia was completely blindsided. I had just thrown her under the bus without a second thought.

Panic flashed in her wide eyes as she rushed to deny everything.

"No, I didn't say that!" she blurted out.

But of course, I was the only one who truly knew what she was capable of.

She would never have wanted anyone else to know her plan, especially not the humiliating reason behind it.

If word got out that she was that desperate for a phone, her reputation would be ruined.

She frantically tried to deny it while shooting me desperate looks, begging me to play along.

I pretended not to notice, shrugging innocently. "But you just said you were seriously thinking about it," I said.

Sophia shot me a look of pure venom before forcing a tight smile.

"No, I was just kidding around with you. I would never actually do something like that."

Our roommates offered a few half-hearted warnings. "Yeah, that sounds sketchy," Olivia said. "Probably best to stay away from it."

I shrugged again and replied, "Okay. My bad. I guess I must have heard you wrong."

"Yeah," Sophia said, grabbing the lifeline. "You totally misheard."

I just smiled, saying nothing more.

But I knew Sophia hadn't given up on the idea at all.

She just needed one last little push.

Two days later, after my last final, I was in our dorm room on the phone with my parents.

My three-year-old phone had seen better days, and the speaker was so loud that the whole room could hear.

Since Olivia was there studying, I started looking for my earbuds.

Before I could find them, Sophia walked in.

I deliberately slowed my movements, making sure she could hear every word.

I could hear my father, Tyrell Stanley, clearly through the tinny speaker, and the sheer indulgence in his tone made me smile.

"Sweetheart, now that your exams are over, you need to relax! Weren't you talking about that trip you wanted to take? I will pay for it."

A huge smile spread across my face as I laid it on thick for him.

"I was just thinking about that!

"But, hey, besides the trip, what about a reward for my good grades, too?"

A hearty laugh boomed from the other end of the line.

"Oh?" he said, his interest clearly piqued. "And what might that be?

"Well, I got first place in the competition," I said, "so I was thinking... maybe I could get a new phone?"

He laughed heartily. "Is that all? Of course! No big deal. I told you to get a new one when you started freshman year!"

He was right. But I had insisted my old one was fine.

Now, after three years of lagging and crashing, it was time for an upgrade.

I pushed it a little further, laughing and asking, "Even the brand new iPhone?"

My father had always spoiled me rotten.

"Of course, honey," he agreed. "Anything for my brilliant daughter. When you get home, you and your mom can go pick one out. It's on me."

"Thanks, Dad! I love you!" I exclaimed.

After hanging up, I saw Sophia out of the corner of my eye. Her back was ramrod straight, and her fist was clenched so tightly on the desk that her knuckles had turned white.

A moment later, with a look of grim determination, she snatched her phone and began typing furiously.