Chapter 3

A flurry of notifications buzzed my phone. Colten.

He'd sent a long list of study materials, links to obscure academic papers, and detailed notes for my upcoming finals. 'Make sure you review Chapter 7 thoroughly,' one message read. 'It's crucial for the exam. Don't want you to fail again, Ila. We need to keep your GPA up for your transfer.'

His concern felt like a familiar blanket, warm and suffocating all at once. I' d been labeled "slow" since childhood, a tag given to me by frustrated teachers and well-meaning relatives after countless failed attempts to learn to read and compute like other kids. My parents, bless their hearts, had always tried to soften the blow. "Don't worry, sweetie," my mom would say, stroking my hair. "A slow chicken still gets its worm." My dad would add, "Some people are just wired differently. You'll find your path."

I always believed them. I believed I was one of those "slow chickens," destined for a simple, uncomplicated life. And maybe, just maybe, I had a special kind of "dumb luck" because then Colten appeared.

He was the neighbor's son, a boy with eyes like deep pools and a mind like a supercomputer. I was ten, he was twelve, and from the moment I saw him, I was captivated. He moved with a quiet intensity, always reading, always thinking, always solving. I followed him like a shadow, a silent admirer. He mostly ignored me, sometimes with a dismissive wave, sometimes with a scowl.

He' s just shy, Ila. He secretly loves your attention! The Comments assured me. Genius boys are always a little awkward. He' s probably just trying to act cool.

So I persisted. And eventually, I convinced myself he did like me, that his aloofness was just his way of showing affection.

He started tutoring me in high school, seeing my struggles with math and science. He'd spend hours patiently explaining complex concepts, breaking them down into digestible pieces. With him, suddenly, the numbers and letters made sense. It felt like a miracle. I worked tirelessly, fueled by his attention. When we both got into NYU, I felt a surge of triumph, a validation of all his effort. I'd never seen him smile so genuinely as the day I told him I got in.

"Looks like you're stuck with me for a while longer, Ila," he'd said, a rare playful glint in his eyes.

And just like that, we were official. The perfect romance! A genius and his muse! It was always meant to be! The Comments roared, a symphony of approval.

But college was different. Colten was consumed by his Ph.D. program, constantly in the lab, developing algorithms, writing papers. His time for me dwindled. I' d try to meet him for lunch, only to get a text back: 'Too busy, Ila. Just grabbed something from the cafeteria.' Then, days later, I' d see a photo on the campus gossip page: Colten, laughing, sharing a sandwich with Addisyn, his brilliant lab partner, in that very same cafeteria.

The pain would be a sharp stab in my gut.

They' re just working, Ila! Intellectual equals need to collaborate! It' s not romantic, it' s professional! The Comments rushed to defend him, twisting my reality.

I' d tried to talk to him once. "Do you think you spend too much time with Addisyn?" I' d asked, my voice small.

He' d sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Ila, she's my colleague. My lab partner. We're working on a groundbreaking project. It's not 'spending time,' it's collaboration. Don't be so dramatic."

The whispers started subtly at first, then grew louder. "Colten and Addisyn, the ultimate power couple," someone posted on the campus confession page. "Intellectual soulmates." My roommates would look at me with pity in their eyes, then quickly look away when I caught them.

I'd always forced a bright smile, saying, "Oh, they're just so good at their research, aren't they? They make a great team for science." My excuses sounded hollow even to my own ears. The comforting narrative of "The Comments" was cracking, piece by painful piece. I couldn't pretend anymore.