oe's voice, sharp and gleeful, cutt

Ava. Not Liam, not No

blow, each one a nail

loded, a supernova of a

kne

il

sitting bo

my chest, my h

y sterile, lo

posters of bands I'd long for

d through the wi

d at my

unline

esk screamed the d

or y

ubmitted my early c

betrayal. Then Noah, the second betrayal. Chloe, pulling all the strings, h

'd already lived, a d

as imp

ent of my mother's pancakes drifting

ond c

ath hi

nce to live, b

y desk, the Common App

y early dec

They were all pla

iliar and sickeni

ag

s the trackpad, almos

rly Decis

Universit

nstitute of Tec

I'd let them crush

bm

mperceptible clic

defiance ignit

uch, but it

feren

smell of pancakes and c

e. She looked younger, less careworn

d! Big day, huh? Co

rcing a smil

orbell

sted glass, I s

Noah Chen,

rt squ

n, standing on my doorstep, all b

o untouched by the dark

r, with his artistic air. And Chloe, her arm linke

t, like sh

e chirped, her voice like sugar-c

rm around Noah. "The dream

er, flicking to Chloe with an int

loyalties clear, even if they pr

filling my kitchen wi

ug. "You ready for this, Miller?

h felt l

e. "We're all gonna be tog

All

buzzed in

Davison, Guid

lf, stepping i

Just wanted to follow

Mr. Da

ice, excellent." He sounded pleased. "Though, I must admit, I always

of si

ce steady, "I made a last-minute change

the other end

c! Ambitious! I'm thrilled! Absolutely thr

a small, "

oah were still in the kitchen, l

zzed again.

rnship I'd earned, the one I w

didate profiles, we regret to inform you that the internship position

loca

dered, though

ny offering it. Noah's mother, the

et it. Just l

ack into t

ng a story, Liam and Noah

saw me. "Every

l. "And an email. I didn't get that internship aft

pathy. "Oh, Ava, no! That's terr

hat sucks, Mille

something unreadable in his e

omeone else," I sa

m. "Don't worry, sweetie. I'm sure s

h was re

d it. The pattern,

pulation, their bl

s time,

me, I w

t life pressed down o

he years of su

tic ear, a helpful suggestion that

ng, so attentive, until Chloe dec

e'd made a terrible mistake, that he'd only married me because Chloe had pushed

and I, heartbroken and co

tistic Noah. He'd bee

ar later, a quiet,

ppy, or so

oe's letters to him, filled wi

s, equally

ld him it was the only way they could be "discreetly together

to keep both

the conven

. That was Chlo

rried to me, that it was a grand romantic gesture to ensure he could never ac

ing on his fears of an accidental pregnan

their obsession wit

, would never have chil

software developer, withered under

ion sabotaged. A job offer rescinded after a

dows, her fingerprints invisible

ne that led to the aneu

fter I'd lost my latest j

er mask of friendsh

all so easy," she'd p

're like puppies. S

pulations. The lies. How she'd tu

ated my failures,

ittering with triumph. "So you'd never trap them. So they'd

ed, my head throbbing. "W

as a slash

omfortable life, the attention. I deserved it more.

e pain had bec

tilted, and

unlit kitchen, the me

came a cold,

not win. No

be their v

. I would achi

Noah, would face the cons

looked at them, still

nk they were

me had j

w all the rules. And