Meanwhile, Brittany’s life got even more lavish.
She posted daily Instagram updates, rating the
guys‘ efforts with photos in a neat 9–grid
format. Our dorm was overflowing with gifts:
triple breakfast deliveries, triple afternoon milk
tea, triple fruit platters. And with a single word
from Brittany, we’d get triple gift cards to our
favorite online game. “Sharing is caring,”
Brittany would declare.
I refused everything. I was always on my period,
or my stomach hurt, or I was allergic to
something. And I was “too busy studying” for
games. I remembered the past too clearly. I
didn’t want anything to do with Brittany.
The unexpected happened on day 33.
<
12:11
Chad and some other guys were chatting in the
hallway. I passed by. One of them pointed at
- me. “Isn’t that the girl from the Simp List
class? What’s her name?”
Chad glanced over. “Yeah, she’s like, top three
in their class. Sarah.” He called out, “Sarah!”
I nodded curtly and hurried past. I could feel
them staring, whispering. I only relaxed once I
reached the classroom. But when I turned
around, Brittany was watching me, her eyes
dark. My stomach dropped. I gave her a
questioning look. She gave a tight–lipped smile
and turned away.
I barely slept for the next two nights. Jessica
noticed my pale face. “You’ve been having
nightmares, mumbling about things not being
your fault. Is something wrong?”
I didn’t answer, staring at a water bottle on
Brittany’s desk. Jessica followed my gaze.
<
12:11
70
“Weird. She usually only accepts designer stuff,
but that’s… some no–name brand.”
A chill ran down my spine. I knew who gave her that bottle.
Last time, only five or six guys regularly competed for Brittany’s attention. One guy, claiming true love, was relentless. He was the one I despised the most: Ethan.
Ethan was the top student in our department, tall and good–looking, but from a poor family. His dad was disabled, his mom chronically ill. Their finances were always tight. Yet, he was
obsessed with Brittany. He worked himself to
the bone to buy her gifts, just to rank higher on her stupid list. I’d thought he was an idiot.
Throwing away his future for a girl’s game.
“He’s got a screw loose,” I’d said.
After Brittany and Chad went public, Ethan was
the one who hated me the most. He was the
12:11
70
one who suggested kidnapping me. He blamed me for Brittany rejecting him, convinced my comments had influenced her decision to date
Chad.
That water bottle. It was the first gift Ethan
ever gave Brittany. But this time, Ethan’s name hadn’t even appeared on the list. Why was Brittany suddenly interested in him?
I was racking my brain when Brittany walked in.
“Sarah, you have to have lunch with me today! I
have a surprise for you!”
I almost refused, but then I saw the amusement
in her eyes. Better to face it head–on. “Okay,” I
said.
She beamed and started filming with her phone.
“It’s for my vlog!” she explained, dragging me
to the second floor of the cafeteria. I saw him
immediately. Sitting alone at a table for four.
Ethan.
12:11
70
Brittany pulled me forward, practically vibrating with excitement. “Surprise! I found the perfect
guy for you! Smart, just like you like them!
Sarah, how do you know you only like girls if you haven’t even tried a guy?”
The noisy cafeteria went silent. Every eye was
on us. Rage boiled inside me. I forced myself to
stay calm. Ethan sat there stiffly, staring at me.
“Ethan,” I asked, “did you know what this was
about?”
