Chapter 3 The Night Everything Changed

Despite living directly above and below each other, Nicole and I seemed to have entered two completely separate worlds. We never ran into each other in the neighborhood again.

I could more or less guess that she was deliberately giving me the cold shoulder, but unlike before, I did not cling to her and ask why.

…

Once my scores came out, I applied directly to a university in the south.

During that time, Ivan tagged me in our group chat. 'Caleb, I put together some study materials for you to use if you retake the exam. I'll bring them to you tomorrow, okay?'

I replied, 'Thanks, but I won't be needing them anymore.'

All of a sudden, Nicole jumped in. 'Caleb Rhodes, how could you? Ivan worked on those materials specifically for you. He worked a summer job during the day and stayed up all night putting everything together. He worked so hard, and you didn't even look at them before saying you didn't want them? Do you really think the whole world revolves around you?'

We had not spoken for nearly half a month, and the only conversation we had left was a string of accusations.

Ivan tried to smooth things over. 'Nicole, don't talk to Caleb like that.'

I was just about to tell them that I had decided not to retake the exam after all when, in the next second, Nicole kicked me out of the group chat.

I paused for a moment, then slid my finger across the screen and deleted the chat from my list.

…

By the time my shift ended that afternoon, Ivan came over and draped an arm around my shoulders, carefully studying my expression. "Caleb, you're still mad? I deleted that post ages ago. We won't joke around with you like that anymore, okay?"

I looked at the friend I had known for more than a decade and suddenly found him strangely unfamiliar. When had he and Nicole started acting as a pair, becoming an inseparable "we"? They had only met because of me in the first place.

I shrugged his arm off, instinctively recoiling from his touch. "Is there anything else? I need to work."

His expression froze.

"Ivan!"

Nicole suddenly appeared at the shop entrance. Her gaze passed over me without lingering, as though she were looking at a stranger.

Ivan picked up his things and headed outside. Then, as if remembering something, he turned back to explain. "Caleb, don't get the wrong idea. We're just going to visit our homeroom teacher together to thank her. We'd already made plans to do it."

There it was again.

"We."

I pulled my lips into a mocking smile but said nothing.

…

The shop was unusually busy that day. By the time my shift ended at 10 p.m., my legs were so weak they were trembling.

After my coworker and I finished taking inventory and cleaning up, barely anyone was left on the streets.

I do not know why, but after I got off the bus, I could not shake the feeling that someone was watching me. A chill ran down my back, and my feet quickened instinctively.

I was almost out of the alley when a dark figure suddenly came up behind me and clamped a hand over my mouth and nose. I was just about to struggle when something sharp pressed against the back of my abdomen—a knife.

My heart hammered wildly, and my mind went blank.

Then, all at once, a piercing police siren rang out behind me. The force holding me instantly slackened.

I did not have time to think. I scrambled to my feet and ran toward the light, not stopping until I made it home, my heart still pounding violently.

I had not even caught my breath when a knock came from the door.

Nicole stood outside, furious. She grabbed me and dragged me out boorishly, pulling so hard that I nearly fell.

Then her voice came crashing down over me like a bucket of ice water. "Caleb Rhodes! How can you leave Ivan behind and run home by yourself? He got hurt saving you, do you know that?"

…

By the time Nicole dragged me to the hospital, Ivan still had not emerged from the emergency room.

I stared blankly at his mother, who had cried so hard that she had fainted several times, and an ominous feeling began to rise in the pit of my stomach.