All Chapters of He Tried to Control My Life, But Forgot I'm a Moretti Princess: Chapter 1 - Chapter 8

At midnight, Damian's message popped up."Viv, you up?"I stared at the two words on the screen: Viv.Not my full name. It was what he'd called me since we were kids.Like a marker. A habit. Something he thought would never change.I didn't reply.He sent another. "Application submitted? We agreed—Southern State. Next year we'll be alumni."He followed it with a smiley face.His tone was casual.As if nothing had happened.As if, an hour ago, he hadn't used an anonymous account to submit a confession to my anonymous wall.The post was short. It came in at 12:17 AM."I changed my childhood friend's college application to a community college.""She's too outstanding. So outstanding that everyone around her feels inferior. I did this to teach her some humility.""Besides, I know she can't leave me. So we'll still be in the same city, and I'll help her fix these flaws."It was signed with a smiley face.The anonymous wall was an account I'd created in sophomore year. The whole school knew

Two days later, at Jack Coleman's party, the whole class showed up.The music was cranked. The basement was packed.I held a glass of sparkling apple juice and sat quietly in the corner.After a few songs, Chloe suddenly stood up.She clapped her hands, drawing everyone's attention."Since we're all here, let's share where we're going! Maybe some of us will be in the same city and can look out for each other."The basement got lively."Jack, Colorado School of Mines!""Emily, California Institute of the Arts!"Students called out schools and cities.I stayed on the couch and said nothing.When most of the class had gone, Jack suddenly shouted."And our grade's number one hasn't said anything yet!"He looked at us with a grin."Vivian and Damian, you two must be going to the same school, right?"Before I could speak, Chloe jumped in.In front of the whole class, she naturally looped her arm through Damian's."Damian promised me he'd go to Southern State with me."At that, the basement w

Dead silence.It lasted about three seconds.Then the entire banquet hall exploded."Vivian got into Harvard?""Wasn't she supposed to have applied to a community college? How did it become Harvard?"Damian pushed through the crowd to me and grabbed my wrist. His voice was tight."How is that possible?""Viv, how did you get into Harvard? Your application—I clearly—""Clearly what?"I looked at him. I couldn't help the laugh that escaped me."Clearly you logged into my account and changed my first-choice school to Oak Ridge Community College?"I didn't say it loudly. But everyone nearby had their ears pricked up. They all heard it."Luckily, I found out in time.""I changed my application to Harvard."I turned to leave.Damian panicked. He chased after me and grabbed my wrist again."Viv! I told you, it was a prank! It was a punishment from losing truth or dare at the party...""If you found out in advance, why didn't you change it back to Southern State?!"His voice cracked with despe

I was crouched in front of a shelf, picking strawberries. A woman stared at me for a few seconds, then suddenly spat at my feet and hissed the word "bitch."I stood up with the strawberries. My nails dug into the plastic bag.My mother's face went red. She shoved the shopping cart and was about to charge.I grabbed her arm with all my strength. "Mom, let's go."She let me drag her out of the supermarket without a word. Her arm was taut as iron.When we reached the parking lot, she finally shook off my hand. Her voice was shaking."Why won't you let me fight back?!""Because I was afraid you'd get more and more upset."She looked at me, her eyes red. She turned her head and wiped them with her sleeve.She didn't cry. But the tip of her nose was completely red.That night, the light in my father's study stayed on until midnight.I got up to get water and saw him sitting on the couch. His tablet was open to screenshots of the cyberbullying, and he was scrolling through them, one by one, v