Chapter 4

"Are you seriously blaming me right now?" Winona snapped at Benjamin before turning to me with a helpless look.

"Hector, we're about to go through security. If we cancel the tickets now, we'll lose money on the cancellation fees."

She sighed and reached for my suitcase. "I have an idea. Just look up the next flight to Westvale on your phone and book it. Benjamin and I will fly ahead, check into the hotel, and wait for you there. Okay?"

I stared at her, and suddenly, the whole situation struck me as absurd.

I wasn't even angry.

"Don't worry about it." I stepped away from her outstretched hand.

Winona froze. "What do you mean?"

An announcement came over the speakers, calling passengers to board.

Winona immediately grew anxious. She glanced toward the gate, then back at me.

"Hector, stop sulking. Just book the next flight. When you get there, I'll buy you that collectible figure you've always wanted. Consider it an apology."

Before I could respond, she seemed to realize they were running out of time. She grabbed Benjamin by the wrist.

"Benjamin, come on! We're going to be late."

And just like that, she hurried toward the gate with him, leaving me behind.

Benjamin glanced back at me.

For a split second, I caught a flicker of satisfaction in his eyes. But it was gone just as quickly, replaced by an apologetic expression.

"Sorry, Hector. I'll give her a good scolding on the plane for you. We'll be waiting for you in the Westland!"

I thought I would react the way I always had.

Maybe I'd swallow my feelings and put up with them to keep the peace. Or maybe I'd spite myself by booking the next flight and chasing after them.

But as I stood there watching them hurry off together, eager to leave me behind, something inside me had changed. I felt nothing.

I turned around, walked out of the terminal, hailed a cab, and went straight home.

…

Over the next few days, Winona bombarded my phone with messages.

At first, she demanded an explanation. "Hector, what the hell is going on with you? The next flight landed hours ago. Where are you?"

Then came the apologies. "Babe, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have left you alone at the airport. Please come, okay? Even Benjamin says it's no fun without you."

Finally, her patience ran out. "Hector Hamilton, enough is enough! I'm always the one who has to make things right between us. Fine. Don't come. Just don't regret it later!"

I read every message but replied to none of them.

I simply muted her conversation.

On the day the SAT results were released, and students began submitting their applications, the doorbell rang.

When I opened the door, Winona stood there holding an expensive gift box.

She shoved it into my arms with a confident smile on her face.

"Hector, I'm sure you've calmed down by now. I've ignored you for more than two weeks, after all. I hope you've learned your lesson."

She paused, then continued as if she were doing me a favor.

"Your score should be enough to get you into the local university I told you about. And since you left your exam blank for my sake, I'll be generous and forgive you for all that unreasonable behavior."

She gave me a satisfied smile.

"Now hurry up and submit your application. That way, the three of us can still go to the same college and stay together."

Without waiting for my response, she walked into the living room and started chatting casually, as though nothing had happened.

"You have no idea how beautiful Westland was. We had so much fun. Too bad you didn't come. Benjamin had the time of his life. He said the barbecue there was amazing. And he even bought this really nice hat—"

By the third sentence, she had somehow brought the conversation back to Benjamin.

I stared at her as she rambled on, barely pausing for breath.

For some reason, I suddenly found her unbearably irritating.

"Winona." I cut her off coldly. "Actually, I think you and Benjamin are perfect for each other."

Her voice died instantly, and a flicker of panic crossed her face.

"Hector, don't say things like that just because you're angry! We're going to get married!"

Then she looked at me, disappointment written all over her face.

"And if Benjamin heard you say something like that, he'd start talking about keeping his distance from me again. Then everyone would end up upset."

"Is that so?" I stared straight at her, each word deliberate. "Because after the SATs, the two of you seemed pretty close at that motel."

The moment the words left my mouth, her entire body went rigid.