Chapter 4

But I had no interest in explaining.

I treated him like he was nothing but air.

Just as I reached the corner of the hallway, I ran into Ryan and one of his friends again.

“Ryan, you need to tell Emma already. If Emma goes alone, are you really going to be okay with that?”

Ryan gave a disdainful snort.

“What does what she does have to do with me?

“Besides, she must have changed it already. She’s just throwing a fit. I can’t get rid of her no matter what I do. It’s exhausting.”

I froze for a second and happened to walk straight into them.

Ryan told the other guy and Caleb to leave first. Then he turned and blocked me in the corner.

“You went to the music festival with someone else instead of me? Emma, you’re getting bold now.

“You think that’s enough to make me jealous?”

He held my hand, his voice careless and lazy.

“Fine. I’ll apologize. I shouldn’t have snapped at you that day. Can we make up now?

“Did you check your application?”

After saying that, he hesitated for a moment before adding, “Did you happen to check mine too?”

I said nothing.

The atmosphere instantly turned awkward.

While we were still stuck in that stalemate, Sophie walked over.

“Ryan, they’re all picking on me. Come help me.”

Then she seemed to notice me for the first time, her voice filled with surprise.

“Oh, Emma, you’re here too? You didn’t come because you saw my Instagram Story, did you?

“Please don’t misunderstand. I just like lively places, so I asked Ryan to come. I’ve loved this band for ages.”

There it was again, that syrupy little act.

I had no patience for her performance. While Ryan’s attention shifted, I slipped out of the corner.

I was about to leave when Sophie reached out and stopped me.

“I’m sorry, Emma. Did I upset you by being here?

“I’ll leave. I just hope you and Ryan won’t fight because of me. He’s been in a bad mood because of you these past few days, and it really hurts me to see it.

“As long as he’s happy, I’ll do anything.”

After saying that, she lowered her reddened eyes and moved as if she were about to bow her head to me.

“What are you doing? Sophie, get up.”

Ryan shoved me aside and pulled Sophie into his arms, his face full of concern.

“Emma, can you stop losing it every time you see Sophie?

“We’re all going to spend the next three years together. Why do you have to be so petty?”

I stared at him and almost laughed.

“Do you honestly think the way you two act looks like normal friendship?”

He froze for a second, then sneered.

“What, so you finally can’t pretend anymore?

“Weren’t you the one who said she had it rough and asked us to take better care of her? So why are you getting jealous now?”

I stared at him.

The face I had known for more than ten years suddenly felt completely unfamiliar.

“If you love taking care of her so much, why don’t you just marry her?”

After saying that, I turned and left, ignoring Ryan’s furious shout behind me.

“If you walk away now, don’t ever come back.”

I did not even look back.

When I got home and sat down, I saw that Sophie had updated her Instagram Stories.

A group of them was playing Truth or Dare. Sophie had drawn a dare that required her to kiss anyone present.

Her gaze drifted toward Ryan, but he did not move for a long time.

“Ryan,” Sophie said softly, “you’re the person I know best here.”

“Oh, come on, Sophie. How are we not close to you? Are we invisible just because Ryan’s here?”

As the others teased and whistled, Sophie’s face grew redder and redder. She kept trying to explain in a panic, so anxious that tears came to her eyes.

Ryan was still sitting where he was.