Maggie Y
During my senior year of college, I started dating Leo Whitman online. He was the hottest guy on campus.
All through winter break, he texted me every day. He kept me company while I took my grandmother to her pre-op appointments. One night, at two in the morning, he even promised that when we got back to Boston, he'd make up for all the hugs we'd missed.
Then the new semester started, and we finally met at the student center. The moment Leo saw me, his face fell.
He pulled out his phone, showed me a photo, and said there had been a mix-up. He'd added the wrong girl on Instagram.
The girl he had a crush on was my roommate, Vivian Blake.
Back in December, Leo had spotted Vivian at the school's winter charity gala and snapped a photo of her from the side. He posted it in his fraternity group chat and offered $10,000 to whoever could introduce them.
Except his roommate had sent him my Instagram handle by mistake.
And just like that, I understood how I'd spent two months in a relationship that had never really been mine.
Leo sat by the window without saying a word. After a long silence, he slid a signed check across the table. "We're done here. But I need you to help me win Vivian over. Write in whatever amount you want."