Chapter 3

The next day, I skipped school and headed straight for Summit High School, where Juliet and Brian were repeating their senior year.

I pulled up in a flashy sports car, and the moment word got out at Summit High, I was swarmed by a sea of curious students.

"Wow, check out that car–it's gotta be worth a fortune. I wonder which rich kid is showing up on that ride?"

"Rumor has it that it's a senior who graduated last year. Word on the street is he even got into Jameston University!"

"That's gotta be Samuel, right? He was all over the local news."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Haven't you heard? Juliet, who got accepted to Jameston with him, is redoing her senior year at Summit High. I heard she's sticking around for her childhood crush."

"Seriously? She's passing up Jameston University to redo a year for a guy? That's just nuts!"

Juliet and Brian, catching wind of the gossip, hurried over.

"So, what, you're here to bug me about going back to Jameston again? Give it a rest, will you? We're done, and now I'm here to support Brian through his repeat year. Can't you just let us study in peace?"

Juliet's eyes were filled with disdain and impatience when she saw me, as if our time together had been nothing but a charade.

I cleared my throat. "I'm not here to talk you into anything. I'm here for one reason only.

"And that's to get an apology out of you!"

"An apology?" Juliet was visibly surprised.

My eyes shifted to Brian at her side. "You're the one behind those Jameston University posts, aren't you? They've caused me a lot of trouble, and I want you to take them down and apologize to me publicly!"

Truth be told, I could have easily asked my dad to handle that. With just a little nudge from him, all those negative posts about me would vanish without a trace.

Maybe there was a part of me that still hoped Juliet would come around. If she and Brian just said they were sorry, I would let the whole thing slide.

However, Juliet acted like I had told the world's funniest joke, her eyes rolling with extra layers of scorn.

"Brian's posts were spot on, weren't they?" she fired back. "And let's not forget, you started it with Brian. If it weren't for those nasty comments online hurting him, he wouldn't have hit back.

"Brian's a sweetheart. Unlike you, always throwing your weight around!"

With that, she yanked Brian closer, and they cozied up to each other like two peas in a pod.

Brian, seizing the moment, slung his arm around Juliet's waist, smirking like he had won the lottery.

That was when it hit me. I had been way too naive, or maybe I was just finally seeing Juliet for the total piece of work she really was.

"You know dating's a no-go at school, right?" I blurted, not bothering to sugarcoat it.

Juliet just snickered.

"The head honcho hasn't piped up, so what's it to you?" she shot back.

"Plus, this year, Brian and I are gonna be the power couple of brainiacs, sailing straight into Jameston University. Just watch."

I could not help but snort to myself. "Him, get into Jameston University? As if!"

That got under Brian's skin, and he started griping to Juliet right there and then.

"Juliet, isn't he just the worst? Since when is wanting to succeed a crime?

"He's just looking down on me because he's got his fancy family and their deep pockets, huh?"

"Brian's got a point," said Juliet with a smirk, playfully flicking her finger against his nose. She turned to me, her eyes filled with disdain. "Samuel, you've really crossed the line. You owe Brian an apology, or those posts stay up."

I was seething. They were totally out of line!

"Apologize? Can he even take it?

"You're not just confused. You're a complete mess, through and through."

"You–"

I ignored them both and gestured to someone in the car.

In a flash, a man in a sharp suit and black-framed glasses stepped out and approached us.