After the college entrance exam, the school's reigning beauty dragged me into a wager over our scores.

"Only the girl with the higher marks is worthy of being Eric's girlfriend."

Eric Lowell scoffed. "That's enough, Jocelyn. My relationships aren't yours to dictate."

Then, in front of everyone, he confessed to me.

I mistook it for the answer to a long-held crush. With the crowd egging us on, I flushed and said yes.

That night, he took me back to his place. From then on, we hardly spent a night apart.

Before application season, I went to his house, hoping we would apply to the same university. Instead, I overheard part of a phone call.

"Jocelyn, everything's ready: the photos, the videos. Just like you asked."

Jocelyn's laughter drifted through the receiver, light and pleased.

"You must've gone to so much trouble~ Then let's wait until the school assembly the day after tomorrow and stream it to the whole school. I'm curious to see how Tessa plans on applying to those top-tier universities after that."

"Eric," she added casually, "you're not having second thoughts, are you?"

He hesitated, then answered,

"Why would I? If anyone's at fault, it's her for not knowing her place. What right does she have to keep scoring higher than you?"

I set the custom ring down, opened my email, and accepted the Oxford offer that had been waiting for me for a week.

I walked into the house, and it felt as empty as ever.

Three years back, my dad cheated, and my mom did not even blink before she filed for divorce.

She had been trying to get me to start fresh with her overseas, but I just could not do it. I shook my head no every time.

My mom kept calling, trying to convince me. "Tessa, Oxford’s physiology program is among the best in the world. I’ve already sorted out your visa—so what’s holding you back?"

"I want to stay. I'm used to the schools here."

That was my go-to line, playing the part of the wise-beyond-years kid who could handle anything.

However, deep down, I knew the truth.

All my pretend grown-up grins could not hide a girl's real worries.

It was because Eric Lowell was there, in that town.

I picked up the phone and called my mom.

She answered right away, her voice full of that usual soft urgency. "Tessa, I've got your Oxford invite all sorted out. Why do you always have to be so stubborn?"

Her words made my heart feel like it was stuck in my throat.

It took me a moment, but then I whispered, "Mom, I'll go."

There was a pause on the line, then her joy came bursting through.

"Really?! Oh, that's fantastic! I'll book your flight for the day after tomorrow. Just head to the airport."

"Okay," I managed to say.

"Oh, and," my mom said, like something just popped into her head. "You said there was someone you wanted me to meet. Who was it?"

I froze for a second.

Back then, Eric and I had just made it official, and I was full of dreams about our future together.

I had planned to introduce him to my mom at the perfect time, to show her my reason to stay.

However, it did not matter anymore.

I said quietly, "It's no one. Just someone who doesn't matter."

I hung up, looked down, and yanked the suitcase zipper shut.

I was just letting out a sigh of relief when the door lock clicked. I jumped.

After we became a thing, I once trusted him with my keys.

There and then, he would crash at my place, and that was when the once-empty house started to feel like it had a heartbeat.

"You packing up? Got a trip planned?" He leaned against the doorframe, eyeing the zipped-up suitcase on my bed.

I shrugged it off. "Well, college is kicking off soon, right? Just getting a jump on things."

At that, his eyes softened. "Tessa, you're always on the ball, ready for anything. With you, I swear I never have to sweat the small stuff."

His voice trailed off, and then, like he had just had a lightbulb moment, he fished out a tiny velvet box from his pocket and held it out to me.

"Except this time, I'm one step ahead of you."

He flipped open the box, and there it was, a silver-white necklace with a pendant that was understated yet chic. It was totally my vibe.

"Our one-month," he said, a smile playing on his lips, his tone all warm and fuzzy.

I blinked, caught off guard, and stepped back a little. "This... You didn't have to."

"Why not?" He closed the gap between us, his voice a soft rumble as he said, "Imagine us at tomorrow's class party, rocking matching necklaces. It'll look awesome. Let's show them we're an item."

I parted my lips, words teetering on the edge.

He caught my hesitation and let out a chuckle. "I get it. I can't splash out on something fancy... It's just a token. You won't hold it against me, right?"

He paused, his words hanging like a vow in the air. "One day, I'll get you the real deal."

Before I could protest, he slipped behind me and clasped the necklace around my neck, his fingers lightly brushing my collarbone.

I looked down, my silence heavy.

A bitter taste crept up from the pit of my stomach.

'Eric, there's no one day for us,' I thought.

…

At the party the next day.

Eric tugged me inside, and the place was already buzzing like a hive.

"Look who finally showed up!" someone called out as they spotted our matching couple's necklaces.

"Seriously? Rubbing it in our faces with all this lovey-dovey stuff is just cruel to us single peeps!"

Another classmate, laughing, banged on the table. "Tessa's got game, snagging a hottie like Eric! Half the girls at school couldn't get him to glance their way."

"And it's not just Eric being a looker. Tessa's the whole package: a brainiac and a total babe. They're like the perfect power couple!" my bestie said with a giggle.

The room buzzed with excitement, and someone shouted, "Let's see a kiss! You can't walk away without showing a little love in public, can you?'"

Eric, grinning that easy grin of his, slung an arm around my shoulders. "A kiss for your viewing pleasure? Dream on!"

"Oh, come on, don't be bashful!"

"Just one little kiss to make it official!"

The chants for a kiss echoed around us.

I looked down, forcing a smile.

From the corner of my eye, I caught Jocelyn Graham's face twisted in a scowl.

She bit her lip, eyes fixed on us, and then made her escape. "I need to hit the restroom."

Eric, who had been pretending not to notice her, was quick to follow.

I slipped out of the room and down the hall to a little side balcony, and there they were. Jocelyn, standing with a storm brewing on her face, and Eric, who had followed her out.

"You just had to flaunt your romance in front of me, huh?" Jocelyn's voice was icy, but I could hear the hurt she could not quite hide. "You two are wearing matching necklaces? Doesn't that just gross you out?"

Eric reached for her, his voice a low, soothing murmur as he said, "Haven't I explained it to you? It's all for show, to keep her off the trail, to keep things cool.

"The happier she is today, the more mortified she'll be tomorrow."

He paused, then said, reassuringly, "Anyway, what's a cheap necklace worth, really?"

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a velvet box, extending it toward her with a meaningful look. "This is what really matters," he said.

I was hidden in the shadows, but I could see the logo on the box as clear as day.

It was that international brand's limited-edition promise ring.

One per person, for life: a symbol of a once-in-a-lifetime commitment.

Eric had it all wrong.

I was not unprepared for our one-month anniversary. I had scrimped and saved and ordered the very same ring to surprise him last night.

However, I never got the chance to give it to him.

Then, he was giving that ring, our ring, to Jocelyn.

It was almost laughable.

Just like the twisted love triangle we were in.

'I love you, and you love her,' I mused bitterly.

…

The party was in full swing, and someone suggested a game called 'I Have Something You Have Not.' We went around the circle, each person bragging about something uniquely their own. Anyone who failed to impress had to take a drink as a penalty.

When Jocelyn's turn came, she held her glass delicately, a sly smile playing on her lips. Her voice was sugary sweet as she declared, "I've got a guy...who, no matter what, would always have my back. Who would do anything for me."

The moment she finished, the room erupted with teasing and laughter. "Come on, Jocelyn, that's not fair! You're the belle of the class; loads of guys are into you. You're just trying to get us wasted!"

Everyone was chuckling and goofing around, but I was fixated on the finger she teasingly raised.

She was sending me a message, loud and clear.

I used to think my rivalry with Jocelyn was only about who got the better grades. Then, I saw the truth.

She was not only after a higher score than mine.

Then, it was my turn.

I lifted my gaze, my voice cool and detached as I said, "I've been top of my class every single year since kindergarten."

The room burst into a mix of cheers and playful groans. "That's just showing off! Who can top that?"

I could not bring myself to laugh. My eyes locked onto Jocelyn, and I took a deliberate pause before asking, "And you? Are you just like them?"

Her smile turned to ice, her cheeks tinged pink with anger. After a tense moment, she bit her lip and reluctantly lowered her hand, the one that had been so proudly raised. The glittering ring vanished into her clenched fist.

Soon after, Jocelyn stormed out of the room, and, predictably, Eric was hot on her heels.

I got up and trailed them at a distance.

In the deserted room, Jocelyn's eyes brimmed with tears as she said, "Tessa is deliberately taunting me! Didn't you hear her? She's trying to shame me!"

Eric's voice was gentle, trying to calm her. "I don't think she meant it like that. Don't read too much into it."

"You're taking her side?" Jocelyn's voice spiked, her words laced with a whiny defiance. "Then maybe you shouldn't be with me at all!"

Eric's alarm was instant. He reached for her hand, desperate. "That's not it at all. You're what matters. You're the only one for me."

Seeing his reaction, a smug satisfaction flickered in Jocelyn's eyes. She leaned in and gave him a kiss, her voice dripping with sweetness as she said, "Then stand up for me, will you? Tonight, find some troublemakers... Tomorrow, I want everyone to see her scandalous video. I want her humiliated in front of the whole school: every teacher, every student, until she's kicked out of our elite circle!"

Hidden in the shadows, my heart pounded against my ribs.

I was filled with hope.

I hoped that Eric would say no, that he would at least hesitate.

Because he had always said he loved me.

Were guys not supposed to stand up for their girls?

Eric hung his head, silent for what felt like forever.

However, Jocelyn knew exactly how to play him, pressing against him, her voice a soft purr in his ear as she said, "Eric, just say yes, and I'll be yours to do whatever you want for the rest of the night…"

The moment she finished speaking, Eric lit up like a firecracker, pulling her into a fierce embrace. He breathed heavily, his lips finding hers in a hungry kiss. "Don't worry. I'd do anything for you."

The summer heat lingered in the air.

However, inside, I felt a chill in my bones.

…

"Tessa, join me for a drink?"

Back in the lounge, Eric's voice was soft with affection. "We're filling out our college choices tomorrow. I'm not sure if I'll end up at the same school as you."

I kept my eyes downcast, silent.

He let out a wistful sigh. "Well, if my grades don't measure up and we can't be at the same school, being in the same city isn't so bad, right?"