But I felt a chill. I remembered Ethan’s rage
after he kidnapped me, his venomous words
about Brittany. I knew his calm demeanor was a
facade. He’d always been insecure, his self-
worth far lower than others perceived it.
Brittany was his goddess, and now she was
vulnerable, showing him attention. He must
have been ecstatic, overflowing with gratitude.
Ethan quickly became the ultimate simp,
notorious across campus. Without her “harem,”
Brittany’s demands on Ethan became even
more excessive. “She’s trying to prove her
worth by being a bitch,” Jessica observed.
We’d see Ethan running around campus
<
between classes and his part–time job, fetching
rare flowers or taking specific photos, all for
Brittany’s Instagram.
Some girls even started shipping them. Ethan’s nickname changed from “Ultimate Simp” to “Brittany’s Knight.” But I knew Brittany
wouldn’t stop there. Ethan was her loyal dog
now. I couldn’t guarantee he wouldn’t turn on
me again.
One day, after class, Ethan stopped me. “Can
you stop targeting Brittany?”
“Targeting her?” I echoed.
He ran a hand through his hair, agitated. “I
know she messed up. But she’s changed. Can
you stop ostracizing her in the dorm?”
I laughed. “Ethan, do you know how many
people live in our dorm?”
He hesitated. “Three?”
“Right. Three. And two of them had their
privacy violated. We’re not ostracizing her,
Ethan. We’re terrified of her. We want nothing
to do with her!”
His face flushed. I said coldly, “I’m busy. I have
no time or reason to target her. And I don’t like
guys.”
After that, Ethan mostly avoided me. I’d
sometimes see Brittany talking to him,
gesturing towards me. He’d just shake his head,
seemingly trying to calm her down.
One evening, back in the dorm, Brittany started
slamming things around. Jessica and I
exchanged glances and put on our headphones.
Brittany marched up to me. “Sarah, what the
hell is your problem?”
“What’s your problem?” I retorted.
<
She stared at me, then suddenly started tearing
- up. “Why are you so mean to me?”
Jessica mimed a phone call behind her back.
Brittany was on the phone with someone.
I said sweetly, “Brittany, are you overthinking
things? We’re seniors, busy with schoolwork.
We don’t have time for drama.”
She sniffed. “Then why didn’t you go with me
to get the class roster yesterday when the RA
asked you to?”
I remembered. The RA had asked us both to go,
but Chad was in the hallway and offered to
come along. Brittany, eyes sparkling, had
immediately given me a look. She didn’t want
me there. And now she was twisting it.
I raised an eyebrow. “Weren’t you the one who
didn’t want me to go? You and Chad were
making eyes at each other. I wasn’t about to be
a third wheel. But you know, Ethan’s a great
guy. You should appreciate him. Chad’s just got
money, he can’t compare to…”
