Chapter 2

Lena's POV

I froze, gripping the headphone cord tightly.

Just as I was about to answer, Zeke's voice came through again. "Lena, I don't know if you're listening to the show right now, but—"

"That's enough. She's definitely not listening." Ian cut him off. "She's way too proud to be listening to a sappy late-night radio show like this."

With a beep, the call ended.

I leaned back in my chair.

They hadn't recognized me. They were just sending their message out into the night.

For three years, I never told anyone that I hosted a late-night radio show at school.

In that suffocating home, this was one of the few spaces I could call my own.

I took off my headphones and shut down the equipment.

I had just opened the station door when my phone buzzed. It was a message from Zeke.

"Our college choices are finally settled. We're about to start a new chapter in our lives together. Get some rest."

I stared at the screen and laughed bitterly.

What did he mean by "a new chapter in our lives"?

For them, it was a new beginning. For me, it was the end of everything.

…

The next morning, I opened my room door to find Mom at the dining table, putting a big piece of pork rib on Mandy's plate.

She said, "Mandy, eat up. Your exams are over, so you can eat as much as you want!"

I pulled out a chair and sat down.

Mom immediately looked at me. "Lena, you chose those top colleges in the state, right? With your scores, you should have no trouble getting in."

Ian spoke up too. "Mandy didn't do as well as you did. We'll be lucky if she even gets into a decent enough college. You'll both be in-state, so look after her."

Mandy suddenly leaned toward me with a smile. "Lena, I know you get great scores, but anything can happen. What if you don't get in?"

She covered her mouth and giggled. "I'm not wishing that on you. I'm just worried about you."

The doorbell rang as soon as she finished speaking.

Zeke walked in carrying several drinks. "Come on. I'm taking you two shopping for new clothes today. I'll pay for everything!"

Mandy jumped out of her chair and excitedly spun around while holding Zeke's hand. "Zeke, you're the best!"

…

Half an hour later, we were at a mall downtown.

Zeke and Ian walked on either side of Mandy. I was several steps behind them, like I didn't belong there.

Inside a clothing store, I spotted a white dress and reached for it. A hand shot in front of me and snatched it away.

Mandy held the dress against herself and turned to Zeke. "Zeke, does this look good on me?"

A look of admiration flashed in Zeke's eyes. He nodded repeatedly. "It looks great. The dress really suits you."

Mandy turned to me with a sad look. "But this is the only one left."

Ian impatiently cut in. "Lena, you don't even care about dressing up. Just let Mandy have it."

Zeke stepped forward, pulled out his credit card, and handed it to the cashier.

He said, "Lena, go pick out something else. I'll buy it for you."

For the next two hours, everything I liked ended up being something Mandy suddenly wanted too.

By the end of the day, I hadn't bought a single thing, while Mandy's shopping bags filled the back seat.

She stuck out her tongue at me and said, "Lena, there's no room in the back anymore. Could you take a cab home?"

Zeke looked apologetic. "I'll take Mandy home, then come right back for you, okay?"

I replied icily, "No need."

The moment I said that, Zeke drove off, leaving me alone by the road.

Suddenly, I heard a familiar voice behind me. "Lena Stroud?"

I turned around and saw Luke Clayton, the winner of the state writing competition this year.

We had met last year at the National Youth Writing Contest.

"Why are you here alone? Did you come out to buy things for college?" he asked. "By the way, where are you going for college?"

I smiled bitterly. "I might not be going to college."

Luke froze, his brows furrowing. "How? You won the state physics championship. There's no way you could've ended up without a college offer."

I shook my head without saying a word.

Luke stared at me for a while. Then he suddenly remembered something and straightened up. "Wait. You said you might not be going to college…"

I stared at him, stunned.

"After that contest, Professor Wilson from Branford University reached out to me about their literature program," Luke said. "He said the university had reserved a special admission spot for the winner, and that's you.

"But everyone at school knew you planned to apply to an in-state science program with Zeke, so I turned it down for you."

Luke stepped closer.

"Do you want me to contact Professor Wilson again?"