Chapter 2

I continued pressing Oliver, "So, after my grades improved, you insisted on taking me to the arcade after school every day so I wouldn't have time to study. Was that also because I was the jealous one?"

Oliver's face flushed a deep red color until it reached even his neck.

"That's because I was worried that you were under too much pressure and just thought of bringing you out to relax!"

But yet, he would never take Vivian out with us to "relax". He would only tell her to study harder instead. He was only ever "serious" when it came to me, even insisting that the number "5" I wrote was actually the number "3", which would be the wrong answer.

Yet, when it came to Vivian, he would deliberately correct her wrong answers before taking the test papers to the teachers and make a huge scene about them making grading errors.

Oliver seemed scared that I would continue with my tirade, so he quickly changed the subject. "But don't worry about it. I've already discussed this with Vivian. Once we're both in college, we'll have time to give you extra tuition for retaking your college entrance exam."

"I don't need it!" I snapped.

His smile froze on his face.

"Are you mad at me, Kay?"

He then began to ramble on and on while attempting to explain his predicament.

"I know that it was wrong for me to hide this from you, but we're still friends, aren't we? You should be happy for me instead! You know, I wasn't able to sleep last night because I felt so guilty and was wondering how to break the news to you."

He then fished out a ten-dollar snack voucher from his pocket. "Here. I'll bring you to the store and buy you some snacks to make up for it. Will that do?"

I felt a wave of nausea in my stomach.

I had come from a well-to-do family background, and every time we hung out or ate together, Oliver would always insist that I pay for his share as well, telling me that it was "friendship perks".

But if that was the case, then why hadn't I ever enjoyed any such "friendship perks" in reverse?

He used to only ever buy different kinds of snacks for Vivian but only give me a single pack of plain chips and even force me to be grateful for that.

I slapped his hand off and said coldly, "If you really feel guilty about lying to me, then how about you stay behind in high school with me and retake the college entrance exam with me next year?"

Oliver was stunned for a moment. His face then turned dark.

"Don't be so unreasonable, Kay. Your grades are horrible. And I won't allow you to affect my or Vivian's future with it.

"You won't understand it. Everything that Vivian and I are doing now is all for the sake of making it up to you for your companionship in the past four years of high school. If not, then we would both be from completely different worlds from now on.

"Vivian and I will be going to the big city, finding high-paying jobs, and living a cushy life for the rest of our lives. As for you, the most you'll ever achieve is getting into a community college and staying in this small town, working a laborious job that will never get you out of here.

"We're not the same anymore. Our worlds are different now.

"So, the help that I'm giving you now is out of consideration for our years of friendship. It's for your own good. Don't take it for granted."

Oliver said it all to me in one breath, as though he'd been holding it in for a long time. His condescending gaze made me feel that maintaining our friendship for so many years had turned out to be a worthless investment after all.

"Are you done?" I asked, not feeling the least bit affected. "Then, we'll no longer have anything to do with each other from today onward. You can both go your way, and I'll go mine."

Then, I turned to leave.

Oliver tugged at my arm, but I shook him off violently.

"Don't bother dirtying your hands. You and I are from two different worlds now."

While walking away, I recalled the times when we were younger.

I used to buy different snacks and share them with them. They didn't come from wealthy family backgrounds, so they were naturally happy to be friends with me.

In fact, Oliver and Vivian used to argue with each other about who was my best friend. They even swore that they would grow up, earn lots of money, and shower me with countless snacks next time.

I never thought that this friendship would ultimately end with them severing all ties with me like this.

Technically, it was a good thing for me. At the very least, they finally revealed their true colors to me now, and I could still avoid any unnecessary drama later on.

Was it really a good thing to study and work in Haven City, the "big city", after all?

If that was the case, then Dale University that I got accepted into would be the "best thing" that would never happen to them in their lives.

Before going home, I went back to the classroom to get my bag. I'd just arrived at the door when I heard Vivian's voice drifting from within.

"Kay's so dumb and stupid. I can't believe she still hasn't noticed that we'd been playing her for a fool for years.

"See, I told you back then that she would be fun to toy around with. You finally believe me now, don't you?"