Your Bet, My Exit

"I don't need an SAT score. I can go overseas for college. Looks great on a résumé.

"But you? No parents, no money, no SAT scores. You're screwed. Get it?"

I froze, staring at him. Before I could speak, a party popper went off in my face.

"Damn, Nolan! You actually won that bet. Didn't think you had it in you."

A bunch of guys rounded the corner, arms slung over each other's shoulders.

They all talked over each other, eyes lit up.

"Dude, I thought you were full of it when you said you could make Hailey tank the SAT. Six months, and you took her from straight A's to dead last. Gotta give you that.

"A bet's a bet. I'll have my family's Lambo at your place tomorrow."

Nolan stepped back from me and shrugged. "Keep it. It's not worth much anyway.

"But remember our deal. Take care of Leona."

Leona?

'Leona Blurton?

'The girl who always finished second, twenty or thirty points behind me?'

Before I could piece it together, the guys cracked up.

"Relax, Nolan. Whoever goes to college with Leona will look out for her."

"And keep guys away! She's hot. Four years of long distance? Someone could steal her."

"Man, Nolan would do anything for her. Hailey kept beating her for three years. Leona was always stuck in second.

"He figured they'd go to the same college, and Leona would be stuck behind Hailey again. He didn't want her upset, so he made the bet.

"Now Hailey's missed the deadline. She'll have to take the SAT and wait another year to apply to Westbridge U. Leona's finally free of her!

"She'll say yes when you ask her out now, right?"

They spilled the whole thing like it was nothing. Every word hurt.

It was the middle of summer, but I was freezing. I couldn't stop shaking.

Nolan and I came from different worlds. He hadn't walked into my life because he meant what he'd said—

"You're tough. Like a wildflower growing in bad soil, blooming brighter than the rest."

He'd spent six months with me to win a bet. To knock me out of first place.

Leona was the one he cared about.

I'd been a joke all along.

They kept celebrating like I wasn't there, calling me sad and pathetic to my face.

I couldn't take another word. Still shaking, I turned to leave.

Nolan called after me.

I stopped and looked back on instinct. His face was cold, his eyes full of disgust.

"If you're taking a year to reapply, stay the hell away from Westbridge U."

My heart dropped.

Then he spoke like he was doing me a favor. "Whatever. I'll need a live-in assistant.

"You can cook and do laundry. Pack your stuff. You're going overseas with me in a month."

He raised an eyebrow, dragging out the words. "You'd do chores. We wouldn't be sleeping together.

"Someone like you..." He looked me up and down. "Without that bet, you never would've gotten near me."

Everyone cracked up. My face went pale.

I clenched my fists, nails digging into my palms.

The pain kept my last shred of pride intact. "No thanks, Mr. Caldwell," I said firmly.

"Let's never see each other again."

I hurried off. Behind me, Nolan scoffed.

He didn't seem to buy that I'd pass up a chance to study overseas.

Or walk away from him.

After all, I'd loved him enough to blow off the SAT.

But he had no clue.

I didn't need an SAT score to get in.

I ran until I lost track of the distance, then stopped.

I pulled out my phone and typed slowly, sure of every word.

[Professor, I've decided. I'm majoring in nuclear physics. I'll apply to your grad program in four years.]

The reply came right away.

[Welcome aboard!]