Chapter 4

I arrived in Ladern at 3 a.m.

The moment I cleared customs, I saw Dad holding up a sign.

I dropped my suitcase and threw myself at him, finally letting myself fall apart.

"Dad, I shouldn't have stayed in Rathestone because of a guy like him. I should have listened to you."

"It's okay, sweetheart. You cut your losses early. What's one asshole? There are many handsome guys here. I'll line up 10 for you at home!"

I couldn't help but laugh at that. The whole drive, we talked about my future. We both silently avoided discussing anything about Westbrook University back home.

That night, lying in bed after a good meal and a few drinks, my phone suddenly buzzed with a stream of messages.

They were all from university classmates, people I'd barely spoken to in the less than a month since the semester started. They were all asking if I was the one who reported the captain and Marcus.

A classmate sent me a video. It showed Captain Monroe in intimate moments with various students.

In the changing room with some young freshman.

In the woods with an athletic student with tanned skin.

And under moonlight by a window, kissing Marcus in his white hoodie.

They said that on the day of the parade, Principal Hart had stormed onto stage and called the parade off. He had shouted into a megaphone for Captain Monroe to come to his office.

Then he called several male students in one by one, and Marcus was among them.

In the video, when the other guys came out, their faces were flushed with shame and embarrassment, but not Marcus. His face was blank. In his hand, he was clutching a document so hard his knuckles were white.

I zoomed in. It was my withdrawal application.

Captain Monroe came running out of the office crying. She tried to grab his hand, but Marcus shoved her straight to the ground.

Her back hit the corner of a desk. A falling vase shattered against her forehead, drawing blood.

However, Marcus didn't even glance at her. He stepped right over her and strode away.

As he walked, he pulled out his phone, as if he'd received a message. He suddenly stopped in his tracks.

The message must have been long. Otherwise he wouldn't have stood completely still for several minutes.

Finally, he smashed his phone to the ground. The pieces scattered everywhere, some hitting Captain Monroe's face. She screamed and covered her face, wailing in pain.

Marcus walked briskly toward the exit.

The video ended there.

So Marcus really had lost it over Captain Monroe's promiscuity.

Though I had no doubt that in a few days, he'd go crawling back to apologize, begging for her forgiveness. He'd be even more attentive than before, coddling and treasuring her, just like he always did.

I closed the video and turned off my phone without responding.

They were just acquaintances anyway and were not worth my time.

These same people had stood by Captain Monroe before, mocking me. Multiple times, when I'd hand Marcus water, they'd jeer, calling me a doglike follower, a homewrecker.

Thinking about it, I blocked and deleted them all.

A week after arriving in Ladern, I prepared to start school.

Actually, they'd invited me in 10th grade. I'd just turned them down because I didn't want to do long distance with Marcus.

I'd given up that opportunity willingly. Westbrook University wasn't bad anyway, but I never expected to come full circle in less than a month.

The day I left for Catbridge, it was drizzling. I pulled my suitcase with one hand and sheltered my head with the other as I ran through the rain.

Suddenly, a bright yellow umbrella appeared over my head.

"My name's Gareth Hammond. I'm the student assistant helping with new enrollments."

He took my suitcase and gave me a tour of the academic buildings one by one. I had to admit, Catbridge's architecture was stunning with its elegance and grandeur.

Then, near the campus gate, I spotted a figure in the downpour. He was looking left and right, stopping people, asking them questions desperately.

It was Marcus.

The smile on my face vanished instantly. I had no idea how he'd found out I'd transferred to Catbridge.

Still, I couldn't bear to see him. I lowered my head and turned, pulling Gareth toward the classroom building, but I heard the sound of water splashing behind me.

A hand appeared in front of me, blocking my path. His voice was hoarse.

"Vicky, why did you block and delete me?"