Chapter 5

A ripple of confusion went through the crowd.

"Discarding two things? What does that mean?" someone whispered.

"Is he talking about, like, bad habits?"

Olivia and Maya exchanged uneasy glances. They didn' t understand, but they sensed something was wrong.

Chloe, ever the instigator, spun the bottle again.

It landed on me. Again.

"Wow, Ethan, popular tonight!" she chirped. "Truth or dare?"

"Truth," I said again, my gaze unwavering.

This time, the question came from the crowd. A jock named Mark, who' d always had a not-so-secret crush on Olivia.

"Alright, Miller. The question everyone wants to know. Olivia or Maya? Who' s it gonna be? You promised you' d choose by college."

The air crackled with tension.

All eyes were on me.

Olivia bit her lip, her knuckles white as she clutched Maya' s hand.

Maya stared at me, her expression a mixture of hope and anxiety.

They actually still believed in that stupid pact. After everything.

The irony was almost painful.

I looked at their expectant faces, their carefully constructed composure.

They were waiting for their prize.

And then, Liam, ever the drama queen, created a diversion.

He let out a sudden, sharp gasp, clutching his chest.

"Oh! My heart!" he wheezed, his eyes wide with fake panic. "I... I think... I need air!"

He stumbled dramatically, conveniently revealing a large, ostentatious "UCLA DAD" pin attached to the inside of his graduation gown, clearly visible as it flapped open.

It was one of those pins parents buy at the campus store.

Why would Liam have that? Unless...

Olivia and Maya instantly forgot about me.

"Liam! What' s wrong?" Olivia cried, rushing to his side.

"Are you okay?" Maya asked, her voice frantic.

They fussed over him, guiding him towards the exit, their backs to me.

The moment was lost. The question unanswered.

Or perhaps, it had been answered after all. By their actions.

The party fizzled out after Liam' s dramatic exit.

Chloe tried to rally everyone. "Okay, guys! Change of plans! Bonfire at the beach! Last chance to make some memories!"

A cheer went up. The promise of a bonfire was enough to dispel the awkwardness.

I made my excuses and headed home.

Later, I saw the Instagram posts.

Liam, looking miraculously recovered, was the star of the bonfire.

He was wearing a ridiculously expensive cashmere sweater – a gift from Olivia, no doubt.

And a new Rolex – probably from Maya.

He was posing with them, the firelight dancing in their eyes.

Caption: "Besties for life! Ready for all the adventures ahead! ❤️ @OliviaHayes @MayaChen So grateful for my amazing friends."

No mention of me. No "UCLA DAD" pin in sight in those photos.

I just shook my head.

They were truly a lost cause.

The next morning, May 31st, I woke up early.

The air was cool and crisp. A perfect day for a new beginning.

I packed the last of my things into my suitcases.

Yale. New Haven. A world away.

Liam, of course, had made another grand gesture.

He' d apparently had a "nightmare" about being alone and "accidentally" set off the smoke alarm in Maya' s guest suite at 3 AM.

Maya, ever solicitous, had insisted he move into her actual bedroom "for safety," while she took the couch. Olivia had rushed over to "help."

They were probably still coddling him.

I didn' t care.

I was free.

I heard my parents moving around downstairs, their voices low and concerned.

"Are you sure you don' t want us to come with you, Ethan?" Mom asked as I brought my bags down. "It' s a long drive to the airport."

"I' ll be fine, Mom," I said, giving her a hug. "Sophia' s parents are meeting me there. They' ll help me get settled."

Sophia Rossi. The Yale legacy student my parents had connected me with.

A friendly face in a new city. That' s all I expected.

My dad clapped me on the shoulder. "Call us when you land. And Ethan... be happy, son."

"I will, Dad," I promised.

Just as I was about to leave, a car screeched to a halt in front of our house.

Olivia and Maya jumped out, looking frantic.

"Ethan! Don' t go!" Olivia cried.

"We need to talk!" Maya added, her face pale.

They rushed towards me, blocking my path.

And then, Liam emerged from the car, looking disheveled and angry.

He was holding a small, velvet ring box.

Oh, this was going to be rich.

He strode towards me, a strange light in his eyes.

"Ethan Miller," he said, his voice trembling with emotion. "Before you make the biggest mistake of your life... there' s something you need to see."

He opened the ring box with a flourish.

Inside, nestled on a satin cushion, was a ridiculously large, gaudy diamond ring.

He then turned to Olivia and Maya, who were watching with wide, confused eyes.

"Olivia, Maya," he said, his voice choked with fake tears. "I know Ethan was supposed to choose. But I can' t bear to see either of you hurt. So, I choose for him. I choose... to expose his lies!"

He then whirled back to me. "You told them you were going to UCLA! But I know the truth! I saw the Yale acceptance letter in your trash!"

He looked triumphant, like he' d just uncovered a massive conspiracy.

Olivia and Maya gasped, turning to stare at me.

"Yale?" Olivia whispered, her face ashen.

"You... you lied to us?" Maya stammered, her eyes filling with tears.

This was not how I planned to tell them.

But Liam, in his desperate attempt to create drama, had done it for me.

I almost wanted to thank him.

Then, Liam did the unthinkable.

He took a step closer, his face contorted with a strange mix of rage and glee.

"You' re not going anywhere, Ethan," he hissed.

And then, he pushed me. Hard.

I stumbled backwards, my feet tangling.

I fell, my head hitting the edge of the stone planter by our walkway with a sickening crack.

Darkness exploded behind my eyes.

The last thing I heard was Olivia' s scream.