After submitting my college application, I was on my way to see my boyfriend when I came across a viral video. The title read: [So what if he has a girlfriend? A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do. Watch me win over the campus ice king in one month.] In the video, a bright, confident girl had her hands tangled in a guy's shirt collar. "Dating is boring," she declared. "Kissing is boring. Dating and kissing is also boring. But kissing *without* dating? That's exciting." They stared at each other for three long seconds. Then she kissed him. He didn't refuse. He didn't resist. In fact, he wrapped his hand around the back of her head and pulled her closer, melting into the kiss. The guy in the video? He was my boyfriend of eighteen years. … The breakup was ugly. Liam's roommates all tried to reason with me. "Chloe, he was drunk. He thought that girl was you. It didn't mean anything." I just smiled. "This time, he kisses the wrong girl. Next time, he'll sleep with the wrong one." They say long-distance relationships are a recipe for disaster. I changed my college application. I was going north. From now on, we would go our separate ways. I would be just fine without him. * 01 The day after I got my SAT scores back, I applied to Southern University with a 0. You only needed a 1300 to get in. It was a promise I'd made to Liam. If I did well, I'd go to Southern. If I didn't, I wasn't allowed to take a gap year and try again. As long as we were both in the same city, it didn't matter where we went to school. He'd told me that the year without me had been torture, that he regretted letting me retake the test. Well, this time, I'd aced it. We could finally be together again. But, Liam… it's only been a year. How did you let another girl win you over so easily? I clicked on the vlogger's profile. The latest video was titled "Success." It was posted last night. Which meant they'd kissed last night. No wonder he hadn't replied when I sent him a screenshot of my scores. He was busy with someone else. I clicked on the previous video. "Party." [Finally got the ice king to come out with me. He even took a shot for me! I think the iceberg is starting to melt!] In the video, Liam was sitting next to the girl in a noisy bar. Someone was trying to get her to do a shot, and she was frowning. Liam grabbed the glass from her hand. "Picking on a girl? Lame. I'll take it for her." He downed it in one go. The girl rested her chin on her hand and looked at him, her eyes full of adoration. When their eyes met, Liam's ears turned red. The comments on this video were different. They were all cheering her on. [He's blushing! He's totally into you! Go for it, girl!] [OMG, I've been following this since the beginning! Finally, some progress!] [Are we gonna get a kiss tonight?] [KISS! KISS! KISS!] … I was about to scroll to the next video when the train pulled into the station. It was a hundred degrees outside. The heat, the crowds, the relentless sun… suddenly, I didn't want to see him anymore. I was afraid my surprise visit would turn into a nightmare. Maybe he didn't want me here. Just as I was about to buy a ticket back home, my phone buzzed. It was Liam. [Babe, sorry, I was out with friends last night and didn't see your message. I had a little too much to drink and passed out as soon as I got back to the dorm. I just saw your text.] [You did amazing! You'll have no problem getting into Southern. I'll be waiting for you, babe.] Waiting for me? But Liam, do you really want me to come? * 02 After a moment's hesitation, my pride won out. I had to know. I replied. [I'm at the train station. Can you come pick me up?] The three little dots appeared and disappeared for a full three minutes before he replied. [Of course, babe. I'm on my way.] Southern University was only a couple of miles from the station. A ten-minute cab ride. I found a shady spot and opened the vlogger's profile again. The third video. "Confession." [They say it's easy for a girl to win over a guy, but I just got rejected in the cafeteria. So sad…] In the video, the girl, looking sweet and innocent, was holding a bouquet of roses, her face full of a shy, hopeful love. Liam's knuckles were white as he clutched his lunch tray. He hesitated, then took a small step back, his eyes downcast. "I'm sorry," he said, his voice low. "Please, don't do this." He turned and walked away. She ran after him. "Why not? Am I not pretty enough? Is my body not good enough? I can be whatever you want, Liam! Just give us a try, please?" He didn't stop. He dumped his untouched lunch into the trash. "Please, just… find someone else. We're not right for each other." His face was a cold mask, tinged with annoyance. I bit my lip. This was the Liam I knew. For eighteen years, I was the only girl he'd ever let get close. He was cold to everyone else, but with me, he was warm and talkative. When we finally got together, we were very public about it. We wore matching rings and bracelets, a clear signal to anyone who might try to get between us. He'd turned down every girl who'd ever asked him out, from the prom queen to the head cheerleader. But this time, it was different. Liam, why did you tell her you weren't right for each other? Why didn't you just tell her you had a girlfriend? The comments were a sea of encouragement, urging her not to give up. My head was spinning. Just as I was about to watch the next video, a shadow fell over me. A familiar voice. "Chloe!" I looked up. It was him. "Liam—" Before I could say anything, a girl in a short, red dress appeared out of nowhere, planting herself between us with a dazzling smile. "Hi, you must be Chloe! I'm Maya, one of Liam's friends." I stared at her. My breath caught in my throat. She was even more beautiful in person. And she had a confidence, a charisma, that a quiet, introverted girl like me could only dream of. No wonder Liam was interested. She took my arm, as if we were old friends. "You're so cute! You're so tiny, like a little doll. I'm 5'7", I can't even wear heels without towering over everyone." "And you're so slim! Everything must look so high-fashion on you. I have these two annoying lumps on my chest that make everything look bulky." * 03 I frowned. On the surface, she was complimenting me, but the subtext was clear. I was short and flat-chested, while she was a tall, voluptuous goddess. I don't like being touched by strangers. I tried to pull my arm away. "It's nice to meet you, Maya. It's a little hot to be sticking together, don't you think?" She let go, looking a little embarrassed. "Oh, sorry! I'm just a very friendly person, haha." I turned to Liam and held out my hand. "Let's go. To your school." Usually, he would have taken my hand without a second's hesitation. This time, he hesitated. But someone else was faster. Maya grabbed my hand and started pulling me forward. "Let's us girls walk together. The boys can carry the luggage." As we passed Liam, I saw him out of the corner of my eye. He looked… relieved. My heart, which had been holding on by a thread, finally snapped. We'd been apart for one year, and now I, the official girlfriend, had to be treated like a secret? They had driven to the station. Another guy, the owner of the car, was with them. They had been together when I'd texted Liam. When they heard I was coming, they'd all decided to come pick me up. When we got to the car, Maya immediately opened the front passenger door. "Chloe, Liam told me you get carsick. You should sit up front." I looked at Liam. He forced a smile and opened the back door. "You sit up front. Maya and I can squeeze in the back." Squeeze in? After months apart, he was going to let me, his girlfriend, sit alone in the front while he sat with another girl in the back? I did get carsick, but when we took cabs together, I always sat in the back with him. "I don't want to sit in the front. You can have it, Maya." I started to walk around her, to get in the back. Liam held the door. "Chloe, don't be difficult. Just sit in the front." I looked up at him. But he wasn't looking at me. He was looking at Maya. Just then, Maya let out a small, delicate cough. The guy in the driver's seat honked the horn. "What's the problem? Is there a bomb in the front seat? Why does no one want to sit here?" "Chloe, just take the front," he said, his voice tinged with annoyance. "Maya has a cold, and the AC is too strong up here." At this point, if I didn't get in, I'd look like a spoiled brat. Honestly, I wanted to turn around and leave. But then I thought, why should I? I'd come all this way, spent ten hours on a train, in a cramped, uncomfortable seat. Why should I just run away? Some things had to be settled, face to face. Even if it meant ending our relationship. I got in the front. Liam and Maya got in the back. "Fasten your seatbelt, Chloe," the driver said. I did. As I looked up, my eyes met his in the rearview mirror. He had a strange, almost mocking smile on his face. He looked familiar, but I couldn't place him. Liam had booked a hotel room near the campus. When we were checking in, he didn't give the front desk his own ID. "Aren't you staying here tonight?" I asked. * 04 His eyes darted over to Maya, then back to the desk. He reluctantly handed over his ID. It was still early. Maya and the other guy, whose name was Evan, went back to the school. In the elevator, Liam was back to his old self, his arm wrapped around my waist. "Babe, I was in a club meeting with Maya and the others when you texted. That's why we all came to pick you up. Tonight, I'll introduce you to everyone. You'll be coming here in the fall anyway, so you might as well get to know them." The thought of the video made my skin crawl. I instinctively moved away from his touch. He noticed. He always noticed. He looked down at me. "Babe, what's wrong? Did I do something to upset you?" I just looked down, biting my lip, trying to swallow the bitter taste of betrayal. When I looked up, my expression was neutral. "It's nothing. The elevator's here. Let's go." I walked out. He just watched me, a strange look on his face, then followed with my suitcase. The second we were in the room, he was on me, his hot breath on my neck, his lips on my earlobe. "Babe, I missed you so much…" I tried to pull away, but he just swept me up into his arms. As we got closer to the bed, I started to struggle. "Liam, put me down." He didn't listen. He threw me onto the bed and pinned me down, his body trapping mine. He was breathing heavily, unbuttoning his shirt with one hand, his other hand tracing a path from my chest down to my waist. "Babe, you've gotten so thin. Your waist is so tiny. You need to put on some weight. A little meat on the bones is cute, and feels better." My waist was tiny? So he'd felt a waist that wasn't? He'd never said he liked "meaty" girls before. Had his tastes changed in just a few months? The image of Maya, tall and curvy, flashed in my mind. A wave of nausea hit me. I shoved him off, ran to the bathroom, and threw up. The thought of him with her, doing the things we used to do, was a physical pain in my chest. Liam followed me, crouching down and rubbing my back. "Babe, did you eat something bad? Are you okay? Do you want me to take you to the hospital?" I pushed his hand away. "Don't touch me," I said, my voice cold. He froze, then tried to touch me again. I slapped his hand away. "Get out!" He stood there for a long moment, then sighed. "Okay. Just call me if you need anything." He left, closing the door behind him. I looked at my reflection in the mirror. I looked pathetic. *You're such an idiot, Chloe.* You knew he was cheating, and you still came all this way just to torture yourself. This was it. Tonight would be the last night. When I came out to get my toiletries, Liam was already asleep on the bed. There were dark circles under his eyes. My heart, which should have felt something, was just cold. I took a shower, washed off my tear-stained makeup, and did a new, more dramatic look. He wanted me to meet his friends, right? The same friends who were probably there last night, cheering on Maya and Liam? Fine. I'd go. And I'd break up with him in front of all of them. Tonight, I wasn't going to be the joke. I was going to be the one who set him free. * 05 At six o'clock, I woke Liam up. "Mmm… babe, how did I fall asleep?" he mumbled, pulling me toward him. "Are you feeling better?" I pulled away and sat on the edge of the bed. "I'm fine. You should get ready. Isn't there a party tonight?" He sat up, suddenly alert. "Oh, right! I totally forgot! What time is it?" "Six." "Crap, we were supposed to meet at six-thirty." He scrambled out of bed and into the bathroom. Fifteen minutes later, he was ready. We practically ran to the restaurant. Thankfully, I was wearing wedges. A lot of people were already there. And Maya, of course, was the center of attention. Evan was there too, looking as cold and unapproachable as ever. Even though he was just as handsome as Liam, no one was talking to him. I wondered how he'd ended up in this group. He didn't seem to fit. When we walked in, all eyes turned to us. And in that moment, Liam let go of my hand. He grabbed it again a second later, but I pulled away. "There are a lot of people watching…" I mumbled. There were about twenty people there. Five girls, including me and Maya. The other three were her roommates. Liam's three roommates were there too. Maya immediately attached herself to Liam's side, and they started talking about some game they were planning for the party. He was so engrossed, he completely forgot about me. Evan came and stood next to me. "Looks like your boyfriend is about to become your ex-boyfriend," he said, his voice low enough for only me to hear. I almost choked. I stopped walking and stared at him. How could someone with such a cold, intimidating face say something so catty? The cognitive dissonance was astounding. He just looked at me, then cleared his throat. "We should go. Before your boyfriend and his new girlfriend start holding hands." I was speechless. That mouth of his was a lethal weapon. I hurried to catch up to Liam. Evan stayed by my side, maintaining a precise, one-fist distance between us. It was strange. There was plenty of space, why was he crowding me? A thought struck me. Two ridiculously handsome guys… was it possible? Was he into Liam too? Was he trying to get closer to him by sticking to me? I took a closer look at Evan. He was beautiful. What a waste. A four-person relationship was just too crowded. I leaned in and whispered, "Evan, do you want to switch places?" * 06 I was trying to be generous. I didn't want Liam anymore. Maya could have him. Evan could have him. I didn't care. Evan just looked at me and pouted. "No, I like the outside." Men. So dramatic. In the private room, I sat next to Liam. Maya was on his other side. And Evan… was on my other side. He was like a shadow. I was the only outsider. Everyone was curious about me. "Liam, who's this?" a girl with pigtails asked, her eyes full of gossip. Liam put his arm around my shoulder. "This is my girlfriend, Chloe. If she hadn't messed up her SATs last year, we would have come to Southern together." "Oh, a girlfriend," the girl said, her tone full of meaning. "You never mentioned her. We all thought you were single, haha." "Chloe, you couldn't even get a 1300? I heard last year's test was easy. The year before, that was the hard one. But our Maya is a genius. She got a 1450. And Liam got a 1 last year. What did you get?" Was she trying to start something with me? Before I could say anything, Liam jumped in. "Chloe usually does really well. She just had a bad day, made a few mistakes. She got a 1280, only 20 points short of the cutoff." A bad day? Mistakes? So in his mind, my failure was all my fault? He seemed to have forgotten the fact that the night before the test, he had convinced me to "relax" with him, and then, with his clumsy, inexperienced technique, had left me in so much pain that I'd fainted during the English section. I'd powered through the rest of the test, but I was so out of it, I'd left the last two math problems blank. English and Math were my best subjects. I usually got close to a perfect score. That year, I bombed them. And now, he was acting like he had nothing to do with it? The girl with the pigtails exchanged a look with her friends. "That's such a shame. Maya told us you took a gap year. So what did you get this year? I heard this year's test was even easier, but more people took it, so a 1300 might not even be enough…" All eyes were on me. Liam frowned, looking uncomfortable. "Chloe will be fine this year. She did really well. She'll definitely get in." The girl was relentless. "How well? Just tell us your score. We're all curious." Liam looked at me, about to speak, but I cut him off. "Oh, nothing special," I said, my voice calm and clear. "Just a 15"
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