Chapter 2

Chalk dust floated in the sunlight as I stared at my open palms.

No calluses from years of housework, no pallor from sleepless nights. These were the hands of an eighteen-year-old girl. I had truly gone back in time.

"Clara!"

Brayden, our teacher, bellowed again. "Do you even know how to solve this problem?"

The whole class turned to look at me, their eyes gleaming with anticipation for my embarrassment.

In my past life, I would have flushed crimson, stammering incoherently. After all, "Clara the Clueless" was my well-earned nickname.

I stood up and glanced at the math problem on the board.

It was a simple SAT practice question. Last time, I'd deliberately failed every test just to attend the same mediocre university as Carson.

"The answer is the square root of three."

My voice rang clear.

The classroom fell silent.

Brayden adjusted his glasses, unable to hide his shock. "The... the working steps?"

I walked up to the podium, picked up a piece of chalk, and with practiced ease wrote out three different solutions.

As I wrote, I caught whispers behind me.

"Did Clara take the wrong pills?"

"She barely passed math before!"

"Damn, her handwriting is gorgeous..."

Finishing the last symbol, I turned and casually removed those hideous black-framed glasses. In my past life, Carson said girls with glasses looked "intellectual."

A collective gasp filled the room.

"Holy shit..." Sawyer, the P.E. monitor, swore loudly from the back row.

Ignoring them, I reached up and undid that frumpy ponytail.

My hair cascaded down like a waterfall, chestnut highlights glinting in the sunlight as I gave it a gentle shake.

Brayden's lesson plan slipped from his hands and hit the floor.

"May I return to my seat now?" I smiled.

In my previous life, I molded myself into that "unkempt but intellectual" bookworm just to please Carson.

Thick glasses. High-necked sweaters. Permanently tight ponytail. All because he'd called it "authentic."

How pathetic.

I couldn't believe I wasted four prime years of my youth making a fool of myself for a man.

Back at my seat, Emmett stared at me. "Clara... are you possessed?"

Leaning close, I whispered, "I just realized no one's worth hiding my true self for."

Emmett's eyes reddened instantly. "You finally woke up from Carson's spell."

The words stabbed my heart., filling me with guilt.

In my previous life, I'd distanced myself from all my friends for Carson, especially Emmett.

She saw right through him from the start, but I'd called her "blind to love."

"I'm sorry."

I took her hand, my voice trembling. "For all the stupid things I did before."

Emmett held my hand back, surprisingly hard. "Welcome back, Clara."

As soon as the bell rang, the classroom exploded with chatter.

Boys who'd never glanced my way swarmed over, bombarding me with questions about my "sudden enlightenment."

"Clara," Jason, the class monitor, pushed up his glasses, his face flushing. "Would you like to play the female lead in our class play next week?"

In my previous life, Sarah took that role, and Carson was the male lead.

Their staged kiss on stage had me sobbing into my pillow for a whole week.

"Sure," I agreed without hesitation. "Send me the script."

Just then, the doorway fell silent.

A familiar figure stood there in a white shirt and black trousers, his strikingly handsome features unmistakable—Carson, the student council president, the man I once loved desperately in my previous life.

He held a notice, but his gaze locked onto me.

That look—part astonishment, part hunger—was one I knew too well.

The same look he'd given pretty girls at bars.

"Each senior class needs to send two students to next week's..." His voice cut off abruptly as he stared at my face. "And you are..."

"Clara."

I met his gaze calmly. "We've been in the same class for two years."

The room went dead silent.

In my previous life, everyone knew that I'd chased after Carson like some lovesick puppy, while he barely spared me a glance.

Carson's expression froze.

He studied me carefully, his eyes flickering with confusion, shock, and finally, smug confidence.

"Clara," he flashed that signature smile, the one that charmed countless girls. "Can we talk after school? About the student council recruitment."

In my past life, I'd applied three times just to get close to him, only to be rejected every time. Later, I found out Sarah had sabotaged me behind the scenes.

"Pass," I replied, casually tidying up my textbooks. "I'm not interested in the student council."

A few stifled gasps rippled through the classroom.

Carson's smile stiffened. He probably had never been turned down before.

"Maybe you don't fully understand the council's..."

"I understand perfectly," I cut him off, locking eyes. "Especially whatever's going on between you and Sarah, the Arts Minister."

His face instantly darkened.

His fling with Sarah was an open secret, but no one dared to say it out loud.

"You've got it wrong," he said, forcing himself to sound calm. "Sarah and I are just colleagues."

I let out a quiet laugh and didn't bother replying. In my previous life, I fell for his lies over and over.

After an awkward pause, Carson slunk away.

The moment Carson left, the classroom erupted in chaos.

"Clara! That was epic!"

Emmett practically bounced as she grabbed my arm. "Did you see Carson's face? Priceless!"

I just smiled, saying nothing.

This was just the beginning, Carson. In my previous life, you destroyed me. In this one, I would make you wish you were dead.

After school, I deliberately passed by the student council office.

Sure enough, through the half-open door, I saw Carson arguing with Sarah.

"What's the deal with Clara?"

Sarah's voice was sharp and shrill. "You said she was ugly and stupid!"

"How was I supposed to know she'd suddenly..."

He sounded annoyed as he raked his hair. "But this makes it more fun, don't you think?"

"Carson!"

Sarah stomped her foot. "You promised you'd only like me!"

"Baby, you know I love you the most."

Carson said, putting his arm around her, "But why say no to easy girl when it comes to you for free..."

I slipped away quietly, my stomach churning. How familiar. In my previous life, I'd overheard this same conversation countless times, and each time, I chose to believe his lies.

Back home, I dug out my old "Carson shrine."

A pencil he'd tossed at me once, his discarded scratch paper, even an empty water bottle he'd drunk from.

Pathetic.

I threw it all in the trash, then opened my laptop and searched for the top university in our province, the one I'd given up for Carson.

The screen's glow lit up my face as I smiled at my reflection.

This time, I would make them all pay.