Chapter 2

My phone buzzed a little later, it was Ben, my best friend from high school.

"Sarah, what the hell? Ethan' s really dropping out of Harvard? For Chloe Vance?"

His voice was loud with disbelief, echoing the shock I was still trying to process.

I sank onto my bed, the pop-up comments momentarily gone.

I thought about all the times Ethan had bailed on our plans, our study sessions, even my birthday dinner, because "Chloe needs help with her APUSH" or "Chloe' s having a crisis about her debate club speech."

It was always Chloe, Chloe, Chloe.

My own needs, my own classes at Berkeley, always came second, or third, or not at all.

The relationship had been so one-sided, me pouring everything in, him taking it all and then some for this girl.

Then my phone rang again, Ethan' s name flashing on the screen.

I almost didn't answer, but the habit was too strong.

"Hey," he said, his voice casual, like he hadn't just detonated our future. "I'm at Chloe's, her mom's making pasta but she's not sure about the sauce, you know how to make that creamy tomato one, right?"

In the background, I heard Chloe' s giggle, a high, sweet sound. "Ethan, stop bothering Sarah, I'm sure we can figure it out, you're so smart!"

Her voice dripped with fake admiration.

Pop-up comments flared back into my vision, angrier this time.

My hand tightened on the phone. "Look it up online, Ethan," I said, my voice flat.

I hung up before he could reply.

A few hours later, a text from him: «Chloe totally bombed her practice SAT. You need to pull together a new set of advanced math questions for her, the ones you made for me were good. This is kinda your fault for not helping her more earlier.»

I stared at the message, the sheer nerve of it.

My fault?

I didn't reply. I just put my phone on silent.