Chapter 1

The moment I changed my application choices, a line of green text appeared on the screen—"Change successful".

I stared at those words, my eyes burning.

Only one minute remained before the application system closed.

Just then, my phone on my desk began to vibrate. It was from Macey Niles.

I answered, and her cheerful voice came through the speaker.

"Cody, you finished your applications, right? I'm so excited for us to go to college together."

I was silent for a moment.

"Are you really?" I asked.

"Of course I am," she said, her voice carrying an effortless certainty. "We made a promise when we were kids."

I couldn't take it anymore, so I hung up.

My mom and Macey's mom had been college roommates and best friends, so Macey and I had grown up together. We were practically attached at the hip.

Ever since we were little, she always said that we would be together forever.

We went to the same preschool, elementary school, middle school, and even high school.

During our freshman year, she grabbed my arm and said, "Cody, let's go to Kingsley University together."

Kingsley was the top university in the nation.

I said yes, but the truth was, I had always wanted to attend the National Institute of Defense Engineering (NIDE).

But I told myself it was fine. Going to college with her would be just as good.

In our sophomore year, Eric Hunt ended up in the same class as us.

Eric was the school's golden boy. He was handsome, sunny, and had dimples when he smiled. Everyone liked him.

Macey started eating lunch with him, walking home with him, and working through their homework together.

At first, I sensed something was off, so I deliberately started to keep my distance.

But Macey wouldn't let me.

"Cody, why are you avoiding me? Aren't we best friends?"

Eric threw an arm around my shoulder and grinned. "Cody, I'm not trying to break the two of you apart. I want to join you."

I believed him.

The three of us became closer and closer, until everyone in class called us the Three Musketeers.

So, when I heard that they both wanted to go to Kingsley, I didn't hesitate to give up the school I had dreamed of since I was a kid.

I thought that was what friendship meant.

I never imagined that it was a trap they had been carefully building for me.

If I hadn't received that video from my future self, I never would've suspected that they'd secretly log into my account and change my college applications.

My phone lit up. It was a message from Macey.

"Why did you suddenly hang up? Was the signal bad?

"I'm bringing Eric over tomorrow. We can hang out. I'll bring those little cakes from that bakery you love."

I stared at the messages and let out a cold laugh. Then, I opened my computer.

Before changing my application back to NIDE, I had done two things.

First, I took a screenshot of the page showing that my application had been changed to that local community college.

Second, I checked the IP address from the most recent login and took a screenshot of that too.

The IP address traced back to an internet cafe in town. And that cafe was located right under Macey's apartment building.

I saved both screenshots into an encrypted folder and uploaded them to my cloud drive.

…

The next day at noon, the doorbell rang right on schedule.

When I opened the door, Macey stood there holding a box of cakes, her eyes crinkling into a bright smile.