Chapter 1

Nina's POV

The four of them were still laughing and joking, so no one heard me. My boyfriend, Lucas Lowe, pulled me along. He said, "Come on. Get in the car. Traffic's moving again."

I was then shoved into the car and made to sit in the middle of the back row, with nothing on either side to lean against.

Lucas reclined the front passenger seat for my best friend, Lindsay Lockhart, leaving my brother, Chad Jones, with even less room in the back. He shifted closer to me.

Lindsay asked apologetically, "Won't it be uncomfortable for everyone in the back?"

Chad waved his hand. "Go ahead and lie down. We're fine back here."

My childhood friend, Shane Sullivan, chimed in, "Your back's not in good shape. You'll be more comfortable lying down. We have plenty of room."

Half my body had gone numb from the weight pressing against me. The trash bags piled beneath my seat left me barely enough room to balance on my tiptoes.

Chad glared at me and chided, "See? You should've thrown the trash away earlier. Now you know how uncomfortable it is, don't you?"

I nodded. Indeed, some things should have been thrown away long ago.

Three hours later, we finally arrived at the scenic spot. My arms and shoulders had long since gone numb, and my feet cramped from being forced to stay on tiptoes.

When I stepped out of the car and my feet touched the ground, a sharp pain shot through them. The three-mile walk had rubbed my heels raw, and a patch of blood had seeped through my white shoes.

I wanted to ask Lucas to steady me, but when I looked up, he had already walked ahead with the umbrella. Lindsay was standing beneath it, while Chad walked beside her, keeping her cool with a handheld fan. I withdrew my hand and limped along behind the four of them.

As they passed by, some tourists glanced at them and whispered among themselves. "Who do you think that young lady will choose?"

"All three guys are pretty great, but the one holding the umbrella looks like the best match for her."

"Nina!" Lucas turned back and called out to me, "Hurry up!"

Shane chuckled, "Lindsay is right. Nina really does walk at a snail's pace."

Lindsay whispered something, and all four of them burst into laughter, doubling over until they could barely stand upright. They left me trailing behind, then laughed at me together for being slow. It had always been this way, ever since we were children.

I quickened my pace. Just as I was about to catch up, the four of them turned back and continued walking ahead.

"Wait—"

I hadn't had a drop of water all day. The moment I opened my mouth, I felt a searing pain in my throat, and the sickly taste of blood flooded my nostrils.

I stopped trying to catch up and turned toward a nearby convenience store to buy five bottles of water. As I stepped back out with the bags of water, I froze for a moment. I had bought five bottles out of habit.

When I caught up with them, the four of them were sitting on a bench in the scenic area, drinking lattes. The bench had enough room for four people, and there were four lattes.

I sat on the nearby steps, opened a bottle of water, and gulped down more than half.

As the cleaner walked by, she glanced at the four bottles of water on the floor.

I said, "Take them away. I don't want them anymore. All four bottles."

I took out my phone and opened the invitation I had received from an overseas university two months ago. I typed my reply.

"Thank you. I'd be delighted to pursue my studies abroad."

Since there was nothing left worth staying for in this country, it was time for me to pursue the life I wanted.