The last box was in. I’d just finished helping my sister, Hannah, move into her dorm when I collapsed onto her bed, scrolling through my phone. A trending post on the campus forum caught my eye: [Help! I'm falling for my roommate's boyfriend.] The original poster was vowing to make a move on him. Wow, kids these days are bold, I thought with a smirk. Just as I was thinking that, I looked up. And there she was. Hannah’s beautiful roommate, Ava. She knelt, her voice a soft melody. “Thank you so much for all your hard work today.” “You look exhausted. I have some muscle relief patches. Should I get a couple for you?” 1 [Help! I'm falling for my roommate's boyfriend.] [It’s move-in day. My roommate showed up with her boyfriend, and it turns out he’s the guy I had a massive crush on in high school. I was heartbroken when I heard he’d gone to study abroad. Now he’s my roommate’s boyfriend? She’s not as pretty or as thin as me. How did she land someone so handsome and kind? I just feel like she doesn’t deserve him at all.] I raised an eyebrow. Was this for real? I kept scrolling. The comments were flooding in—some flaming her, others fanning the flames. [“Not as pretty or as thin as me.” Classic. OP, your confidence is blinding.] [OP replied: Aesthetics are subjective. I just think I’d look better standing next to him.] I couldn’t help but let out a snort of laughter. Where did this girl get her nerve? Probably just another case of unwarranted self-confidence. [If you like him, go for it. All’s fair in love and war.] [OP replied: Mmm… I don’t want to ruin their relationship, but I really, truly believe I could treat him better.] My lips twitched. The sheer audacity was almost impressive. A masterclass in passive-aggressive maneuvering. [Go for it. Win him over, kick your roommate to the curb. You’d be a way better girlfriend, right?] [OP replied: You’re right. I’m going to talk to him right now. But just to be clear, he was my high school crush, not yours. You might want to watch your tone.] This poster was something else. I was completely hooked, utterly fascinated by the unfolding drama. The comment section was a goldmine of absurdity. As I was laughing, I looked up and froze. Someone was standing by the bed. It was my sister’s gorgeous roommate. Ava, I think her name was. I cleared my throat and sat up, smoothing my voice. “Hey, what’s up?” A small smile played on her lips, her beautiful eyes crinkling at the corners as she crouched down to my level. “Thank you so much for all your hard work today,” she said softly. “You look exhausted. I have some muscle relief patches. Should I get a couple for you?” Her voice was so sweet, so different from the way Hannah usually shrieked my name like a banshee. This girl was a breath of fresh air. I found myself acting a bit more reserved. “Oh, no, it’s fine. But thank you.” Ava’s expression faltered for a second, a flicker of disappointment in her eyes. Then she smiled again, though it seemed a little forced. “Your hands are all red and scraped up. If you don’t treat them, they’ll hurt more tomorrow.” She placed the patches on the nightstand. “Well, I’ll leave them here. Just use them if you need to.” With that, she walked back to her own desk. I watched her go, a strange sense of melancholy hanging around her. Nah, I’m probably just imagining things, I thought, shaking my head. Time to get back to the post. I flopped back onto the bed and saw the OP had updated. [Update: I just went over and talked to him. He seemed a little cold and didn’t accept my offer of help. I guess he doesn’t remember me…] So, the first attempt was a failure. [Don’t give up, OP! To be the other woman, you gotta have thick skin. I support you!] [OP replied: You’re right, thank you. I shouldn’t let one little setback get me down. I’ll keep trying!] 2 When it was time for dinner, I offered to take Hannah and her roommates out. I was determined to be the best big brother ever and help her get along with her new friends. I picked a nice restaurant near campus and told them to order whatever they wanted. Hannah, never one for subtlety, proceeded to order half the menu. While we waited for the food, I pulled up the post again. Another update. My interest piqued, I started reading. [I’m so mad for him. My roommate is basically using his money for everything. I just don’t get what’s so great about her. If he wanted a gold digger, I’m way more qualified.] The comments exploded again. [Honey, if she can get him to pay for everything, that’s her skill.] [OP replied: I don’t think I’m any worse than she is. Anything she can do, I can do better.] A small laugh escaped me. Now this was the kind of drama I lived for. Let the games begin. [Am I the only one worried about the roommate?? What if they’re actually in love? This is a savage move, OP…] [OP replied: You sympathize with her weakness. I sympathize with his exhaustion. We are not on the same level. You clearly don’t understand true love, but I don’t have time to explain it to you.] [Disclaimer: This post is for sharing and discussion only. Anyone who tries to sabotage my future relationship with him is not welcome. I will delete your comment on sight.] Sure enough, a few seconds later, that critical comment vanished. I was so absorbed I was shaking with suppressed laughter, my throat suddenly parched. I reached for my glass of water, but my hand slipped, knocking it over. Water spilled across the table, rushing toward the edge. Just before it could drench my pants, a hand shot out, quickly sopping up the mess with a stack of napkins. I let out a breath of relief and turned to thank my savior. It was Ava again. “Thanks,” I said with a smile. The more I saw of this girl, the more I liked her. She nodded, her voice as smooth and pleasant as ever. “No problem. Watch your pants.” 3 The food arrived, and I put my phone away. I ate a few bites and then stopped, wanting to make sure the girls had enough. Hannah, however, was stuffing her face while simultaneously piling my plate with all the things I hated. “This is so good, you have to try it! Eat up!” “…” I bit back a retort, deciding to give her a pass. Getting into a brawl with my sister on her first day with new roommates probably wasn’t the best look. The girls were hitting it off, chatting away. I couldn’t really jump in, so I went back to my phone. And what do you know, the OP had updated again. [Major progress! He accidentally spilled his water during dinner, and it almost got on his pants. Luckily, I was quick enough to clean it all up with a napkin. He even smiled at me when he saw it was me!] I raised an eyebrow. What a coincidence. [He’s treating all of us to dinner… and my roommate is just burying her head in her food, not paying any attention to him at all. He does so much for her. I feel so bad for him.] The rest were just comments from other users. The OP hadn’t posted anything else. I sighed, a little disappointed. As I was about to close the app, my thumb slipped and I accidentally opened the OP’s profile page. Hmm? The background photo looked familiar. It was a picture of the tree-lined path in front of my old high school. So we were alumni. Interesting. I was about to look for more clues when a sharp pain shot through my wrist. Probably from hauling all those boxes this afternoon. I suddenly remembered the muscle patches Ava had given me, which I’d shoved into my pocket. I fished them out and stuck one on. Just then, my phone screen lit up. [New update on a post you’re following: ‘[HOT] Help! I'm falling for my roommate's boyfriend.’] I tapped it open. [I’m so happy! He put on the muscle patch I gave him! So amazing… His girlfriend is the worst, making him do all that heavy lifting. If I had a boyfriend as amazing as him, I’d never let him lift a finger.] 4 I froze. This was too much of a coincidence. Holding my breath, I kept my eyes glued to the screen, but I snuck a glance at Ava across the table. She didn’t have a privacy screen on her phone. I could just make out what looked like a forum page. Could it be…? My suspicion growing, I glanced at her a few more times, then casually typed out a comment. At the same instant, Ava’s phone screen lit up. She looked down, a slight frown on her face, and then her fingers started flying across the screen. When she stopped, I refreshed the post. Sure enough, there was a new reply. [I don’t believe you. You’re just jealous of your roommate.] [OP replied: You can’t talk about the ocean with a frog in a well. You’ve probably never experienced real love, so you can only interpret it as jealousy. It’s okay, I don’t blame you.] A slow grin spread across my face. The spilled water, the muscle patch, the same high school, the synchronized timing. There was no doubt about it. The original poster was Ava. 5 So, Ava thought I was my sister’s boyfriend. Now that was hilarious. I put down my phone and propped my chin on my hand, studying her. She must have sensed my gaze because she looked up, her eyes meeting mine. A flash of panic crossed her face, and she instinctively flipped her phone screen-down on the table. A dead giveaway. I immediately looked away, pretending I hadn’t noticed anything, my fingers drumming a light rhythm on the table. A smile I couldn't suppress tugged at my lips. If she really wanted to steal me away… Well, that could be interesting. 6 I went back to scrolling through the post. [OP, if your credentials are as good as you say, just go for it! Shower him with attention, find every little opening. There’s no way he won’t fall for you.] [OP replied: Mmm, I think so too. But the problem is, I don’t have his number yet…] His number? That was easy. Using the excuse that it would be easier to get in touch with Hannah in the future, I had them all scan a QR code to create a group chat. A few moments later, a friend request from Ava popped up. I didn't accept it right away. I waited until after dinner, after I was back in my own apartment. Then, I leisurely accepted her request. A message from her came through almost instantly. [Hi, it’s Ava.] [Hey.] I typed back. I thought for a moment, then decided to add a little fuel to the fire. [It was fun tonight. And thanks in advance for looking after Hannah in the dorm~] No immediate reply this time. The "Ava is typing..." indicator at the top of the screen blinked on and off, on and off. I crossed my legs, relaxed, and poured myself a glass of red wine. A full minute passed before her reply came. [I will. It’s what I should do.] Her tone was perfectly sweet and obedient. Not a single thing to fault. Such a master of the sweet-girl act. I checked her post. Another update. [I got his number! So happy! But he seems to really love his girlfriend… he was even asking me to take care of her. Do I even have a chance?] The comments were a mix of people telling her to give up and others cheering her on. I was getting into it when my phone buzzed with an incoming voice call. It was Ava. That bold? A smirk played on my lips as I answered. "Hello?" I pressed the phone to my ear, waiting for her to speak first. All I heard was her slightly ragged breathing against a faint whisper of wind, as if she were on a balcony or outside. After a moment of silence, her voice came through, softer than it was in person, laced with a delicate, almost imperceptible caution. "Stuart?" "I’m so sorry… I-I think I hit the call button by accident." "You’re not asleep, are you? I didn’t wake you, did I?" An idea, a wicked little idea, sparked in my mind. "No," I said coolly. "But if that’s all… I’m going to hang up." "Wait!" 7 I arched an eyebrow. "Is there something else?" "I heard… I heard you go to Stanford. I was hoping to apply there, and I was wondering… if you could give me some advice?" I smiled to myself and agreed. Then I dangled the bait. "Sure. Just hit me up whenever." "What about tomorrow afternoon? Would that work?" Her voice on the other end was tight with a nervous energy. I paused for effect before answering. "Tomorrow at two. I’ll text you the address." "Thank you, thank you so much!" Ava’s voice was practically bubbling with excitement. Her joy was so infectious I felt my own lips curve into a smile. "So… should I bring Hannah along?" she asked, her voice dropping a little, testing the waters. "Do you want to bring her?" I countered. "Well, I…" I cut her off before she could finish. "She doesn't know much about this stuff anyway. It'll just be the two of us." "Ah. Oh." She sounded taken aback, managing only a stunned little reply. "Okay. If there’s nothing else, I’m hanging up." "…Okay. Goodnight, Stuart." I hummed in response and ended the call. A moment later, I got the notification. A new update on the post. [So excited!! I have a private meeting with him tomorrow! PRIVATE! Without my annoying roommate. He’s such a good person—smart, handsome, and kind. I really don’t know what he sees in her…] The comments poured in. [How good can he be? It’s probably just love goggles.] [OP replied: He is amazing. He’s brilliant, handsome, and incredibly smart. If you met him, you’d be stunned too. He was the light of my gloomy high school years. But thank you for implying we’re lovers.] [Seize the opportunity! Use your feminine charms!] [OP replied: Isn’t that a bit much? But… I’ll consider it. Thanks for the tip.] 8 I had the admissions materials ready and was waiting for Ava to arrive. The doorbell rang at two o'clock sharp, not a second early or late. I opened the door and smiled at her. "Come on in." "Sorry to bother you," Ava murmured as she slipped past me. A faint, fruity-floral scent wafted into the air. Taking a closer look, I realized she’d made an effort. She was wearing light makeup, and her hair had been carefully curled. I chuckled inwardly and pulled a pair of slippers from the shoe cabinet. "These are Hannah’s. Hope you don’t mind." Ava’s expression froze for a split second before she recovered, her face resuming its sweet, well-behaved look. "Not at all. Thank you." Once inside, she sat primly on the sofa and asked a few very proper questions about the application process, which I answered one by one. "Wow, you know so much," she said, her gaze fixed on me, the admiration in her eyes so blatant it was almost searing. I felt a flicker of heat and looked away. "Any other questions?" She turned her laptop screen toward me, then stood up, walked around the coffee table, and sat on the sofa right next to me. "I don't quite get this part. Could you take a look?" Her tone was sincere, as if she were genuinely confused. But her body leaned in slightly, her warm breath ghosting against my neck. So that was her game. I explained the section to her, subtly closing the distance between us even more. "Got it now?" I asked, deliberately turning my head. My lips almost brushed her cheek. Ava froze, her gaze dropping from my eyes down to my lips. I saw a flash of delight in her eyes. I smirked, then stood up. "Want some water? Or something else to drink?" She snapped back to reality, the tips of her ears turning a bright red. "Water… water is fine. Thank you." 9 The sky darkened outside. The afternoon had slipped away without us noticing. "Have I taken up too much of your time?" Ava asked, looking apologetic. I glanced at her. Her words said one thing, but her body language screamed that she had no intention of leaving. I suddenly remembered what she’d said on the phone last night. "How did you know I went to Stanford?" I had assumed she’d heard it from Hannah. "You probably don't remember me," Ava said with a small, pretty smile, "but I was your junior in high school." She admitted it that easily? I gave her a surprised look. "I was a freshman when you were a senior," she continued, pausing for a moment. "I was the one they sent to give you flowers after your speech." I frowned, trying to recall. The memory was vague. "When was this?" "At the graduation ceremony, for the valedictorian speech." I wracked my brain and a faint image surfaced. "And at your English speech competition your senior year," she added, looking at me. "I was in the front row." Her voice was soft. "You were shining so brightly back then… like a star, totally out of reach." I was momentarily stunned, caught in her gaze. Her bright, clear eyes seemed to hold a galaxy of starlight. I opened my mouth, then closed it again, at a loss for words. The calm, still lake of my heart suddenly felt a ripple spreading across its surface. 10 That night, the post was updated again. [I went to his apartment today! And I told him I was his junior from high school. He didn’t seem to remember, but that’s okay. We’re one step closer. Defeating my roommate is just a matter of time!] I laughed out loud. Ava really was a master of deception. In front of me, she was the sweet, innocent girl. Behind my back, she was the conniving home-wrecker. After that day, Ava messaged me almost every day. Sometimes it was to ask a question. Other times, it was just to check in. [The forecast says it might rain today. Don’t forget to bring an umbrella when you go out!] [I noticed you were drinking a matcha latte the other day. I know a really great matcha place. We should go try it sometime!] [Hannah just asked me to play video games with her. Too bad I’m not very good at them, I guess all my brainpower went into studying…] Tsk. Now she was the sweet girl who subtly put others down. That afternoon, Hannah sent a message in the group chat asking if I wanted to come to their badminton match the next day. I was about to type "no" when Ava’s message popped up. [It’s our school against the one next door. Hannah and I are both playing. You should come watch!] I deleted my message and typed a new one. [Okay.] 11 The sun was blinding. I arrived at the gym carrying a bag full of drinks and snacks Hannah had demanded I bring. The place was already packed. I overheard a couple of guys talking nearby. “I wonder when Ava’s playing. Can’t wait to see her!” “Dude, she looks amazing in normal clothes. I can’t even imagine how good she’ll look in a jersey…” “Hey, does she have a boyfriend?” Another guy shrugged. “Heard a guy from the athletics department asked her out—he’s even kind of an influencer—but she turned him down. Said she already likes someone.” … After a short wait, Hannah and Ava finally came over. Ava rushed ahead and took the heavy bag from my hands. I heard one of the guys next to me gasp. She frowned at Hannah. “Why didn’t you help him carry some of this?” Hannah just looked bewildered. “What’s the big deal?” I held back a sigh. “Where am I sitting?” Hannah pointed me to a seat with a perfect view of the court. When I got there, I found a paper bag waiting for me. Inside was an iced matcha latte. My phone buzzed. A text from Ava. [That’s from the shop I told you about. Hope you like it.] I smiled and popped the straw in. The rich, earthy flavor of matcha blended perfectly with the creamy milk. The match started soon after I sat down. To be honest, I couldn't care less about badminton. My eyes were glued to Ava. On the court, she was a whirlwind of youthful energy, her movements swift and fluid. She leaped into the air, her right arm swinging down in a powerful smash. The crowd erupted in cheers. Ava broke into a wide, triumphant grin, her eyes flicking almost imperceptibly in my direction. During the halftime break, I grabbed a bottle of water and a towel from the bag and headed toward the players’ rest area.
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