Chapter 2

Ryan had never once offered to do something with me before, not in all of high school.

I had been giddy all night. That morning, I had even followed a beauty influencer's makeup tutorial.

Not only had he left me to submit my college application alone, but he had also taken someone else to do the very thing he'd promised to do with me.

The hurt was so overwhelming that I could not get a single word out. I could only stand there, numb, while the security guard went on.

"Those two friends of yours are pretty impressive. They're both straight-A students.

"I heard they both applied to Eastbridge University. Guess dating hasn't hurt their grades one bit. They're both smart and good-looking. They really do make a great match."

He paused and looked me up and down. "I never would've guessed someone as plain as you would be friends with them."

A wave of humiliation hit me.

I gave him a tight smile. "Yeah. Neither would I."

With that, I left in a daze and took a rideshare to the hotel where the get-together was being held.

Contrary to what Ryan had said over the phone, plenty of our classmates still had not arrived when I stepped into the private dining room.

Ryan and Claire sat close together in a corner, their heads touching as they looked at the same phone. Every so often, they laughed and playfully nudged each other over something on the screen.

"Wendy, why are you just standing there? Find a seat."

At the sound of my name, Ryan finally looked up.

As though nothing had happened, he waved me over. "Come here. You've got to see this. It's hilarious."

Out of habit, I walked toward him before I even realized what I was doing.

I had barely sat down when Jack Smith, our class president, grinned and teased Ryan.

"Ryan, the three of you have been joined at the hip all through high school. Don't tell me you're planning to keep that up in college too."

I thought of Southridge University and was about to say that would not be happening.

Before I could, Ryan spread his arms and slung one around Claire's shoulders and the other around mine.

"Of course. Wendy takes forever to do anything, and she's way too soft.

"If she doesn't go to the same college as Claire and me, who's going to stop people from pushing her around?"

Claire chimed in with a smile. "Exactly. I heard Wendy had private tutoring all through senior year. Cost her a fortune just to keep up with us."

Ryan's arm stiffened around my shoulders.

Quiet whispers spread through the room. I heard someone call me a simp and another a tagalong.

I ignored them.

All I could think about was the past year. I'd slept less than four hours a night and studied so hard that my nearsightedness had worsened by a full diopter, all so I could get into the same college as Ryan.

Yet after all that, I had ended up applying to a school nearly 1,900 miles away from him.

A dull heaviness settled in my chest.

Then someone called out, "Ryan, high school's over now.

"So tell us. Which two of you are together, and who's the third wheel?"

Ryan froze, then instinctively looked at me.

That one glance was all it took.

The room erupted in laughter.

"I told you Wendy was the one trying to wedge herself between them!"

"So much for the childhood friend. The new girl always wins!"

"Ryan, when did you tell Claire you liked her?"