Chapter 1

Natalie's POV

"Everyone besides Maddy puts down a finger!"

Madeline Rothsford looked apologetic before she suddenly turned to me with a hint of delight in her gaze. "Nat, looks like we're the only ones who haven't been eliminated yet!"

I held up my last remaining finger, but a faint, bitter smile tugged on the corners of my lips. I couldn't say a single word.

Someone across the table spoke up, "Theo still has a finger up, too!"

Then, he ran to pull Theodore Crawford back.

Theodore, before taking a seat, seemed to pause for a moment, his gaze flicking toward Madeline.

Madeline then lifted her head and smiled gently. "Thanks for the pizza, Theo. I never thought that after all these years, you'd still remember I have a tomato allergy."

Theodore was pushed down into his seat. "Come on, hurry and sit down! You're the only one who hasn't gone yet!"

"I…" Theodore drew out the word, and everyone looked at him expectantly.

I was the only one staring fixedly at the salad I had half-picked the tomatoes out of, my other hand twisting the tablecloth tight.

"I've liked someone for 20 years."

The whole private room instantly erupted in intense teasing and cheering.

My heart, which had been hanging in suspense this whole time, sank heavily. I closed my eyes.

The whole class knew that Madeline and Theodore had known each other since elementary school and that they were basically childhood sweethearts. What he had just said was practically an indirect confession.

"Anyone else? If not, put down a finger!"

I clenched my right hand into a fist. When I opened my eyes again, I somehow met Theodore's gaze.

He pressed his lips slightly, and the look in his eyes seemed to warn me not to speak carelessly.

But he was overthinking it. I had already lost. I didn't even have the right to speak carelessly anymore.

"Both Nat and Maddy have to put down their fingers! Theo wins this round! Everyone besides Theo, three shots as punishment!"

Everyone laughed and commented that Theodore truly lived up to his reputation as the academic ace, and they poured drinks one after another.

I poured myself one too. But just as I was about to down it, I heard Madeline say hesitantly, "But I can't really hold my drink… Can I give this a pass?"

Hearing this, Theodore hummed softly and said, "The ladies can skip the shots. You can just have water instead."

Everyone exchanged knowing, teasing looks. Beside me, my college roommate, Rebecca Anderson, whispered, "Here we go again. He's exempting a whole group for the sake of one person!"

Yes. He was doing it again.

The photo-taking session during graduation had been the last time our entire class gathered together.

That day, Theodore, who had always been reserved and composed, suddenly said he couldn't bear to part with us and went around hugging everyone goodbye.

Having had a secret crush on him for seven years, I immediately felt my palms go sweaty upon hearing that.

But after I waited for him to finish hugging the men and come over to the ladies, someone suddenly held me back.

Rebecca clicked her tongue. "Nat, are you really going over there? Do you think he actually wants to hug us? He's just using us as a cover so he can hug Madeline!"

I looked over and saw Madeline standing at the very front, her arms outstretched toward him. Theodore's lips were curved in a smile, and the anticipation in his eyes stabbed straight into my heart.

That day, I fled. I hid behind an academic building and tore up the confession letter I had written to him.

Today, I had once again deluded myself.

With a scoff, I raised the glass and downed it all in one go. I rarely ever drank. Now that I finally had one again, it turned out unbearably bitter, as expected.

When the gathering ended, everyone walked out in small groups, chatting as they went. A few of my classmates from out of town went straight up to the hotel upstairs.

Madeline pulled Theodore aside.