Chapter 1Good Luck Graduating Without Me

The first day of classes fell on our third anniversary, but my boyfriend Eugene Hale told me he was behind on his lab work and couldn't celebrate with me.

Worried he was pushing himself too hard, I made him dinner and brought it to campus.

As I passed the athletic field, I spotted him holding a bouquet of flowers and asking my best friend Cassidy Nixon to be his girlfriend.

The students crowded around them broke into a chant.

"Say yes! Say yes! Our golden couple is finally getting their happily ever after!"

Eugene and Cassidy wrapped their arms around each other and kissed. The crowd erupted in cheers, and our faculty advisor stood nearby, grinning from ear to ear.

Then someone spotted me.

"Seriously? Who was keeping watch? How'd nobody see his jealous girlfriend coming?"

The students rushed to block my path.

"They've spent three years trying not to act on their feelings. They're finally together, and you're not ruining this!"

"Exactly! Cassidy kept quiet for three years just to spare your feelings. Can't you think about her for once?"

Even our advisor joined in, trying to convince me to accept it.

"Cassidy's dad is a big name in the field. He could do so much for Eugene's research career. Think about his future, not just yourself."

As they piled on the accusations, I laughed until tears filled my eyes.

They had made themselves clear.

I was done with Eugene.

And I was done anonymously funding their class projects.

* * *

I pulled out my phone to text my dad, but Eugene Hale's best friend Kenny Vaughn smacked it out of my hand. It hit the ground.

"Come on, Holly. What are you doing with your phone, trying to post a video and ruin Cassidy's life?

"She's loved Eugene in secret for three years. All he did was give her one special moment.

"You're still his girlfriend. Do you really have to be so cruel and tear them apart?"

Last month, when Kenny's family had an emergency, I lent him 2,000 dollars to help them out. He couldn't thank me enough and kept telling me I was practically family.

Now, he was taking the side of the friend who betrayed me.

My lips curved into a faint, bitter smile. "If their love is so beautiful, what are you all afraid of?"

I bent down to pick up my phone, and several girls immediately closed in around me.

"Holly, calm down. Cassidy's a good person. She put you first and kept her feelings to herself for three whole years!"

"Eugene just wants to make it up to her a little, and you're making a huge scene over it."

"Exactly. You think being his girlfriend means you get to boss everyone around. It's exhausting."

"I'd pick Cassidy, too, if I were Eugene. Who could put up with a control freak like you?"

A cold ache settled in my chest as I looked around at the classmates I used to laugh and joke with.

"Relax. A cheater and a two-faced liar deserve each other. I wouldn't waste my time trying to break them up."

I turned and walked away, but Eugene caught up with me just outside my dorm.

"Holly, I know I shouldn't have kept this from you. But this has been really hard on Cassidy, loving me and knowing she can't be with me.

"She's severely depressed because of it. I can't just turn my back on her.

"You're the only one I love. We're still getting married after graduation."

I looked at the face I had loved for three years. He felt so much like a stranger that it scared me.

"Only you could make cheating sound like you're doing someone a favor."

Eugene frowned. "Cheating? Do you have to call it that? She wanted one little thing, and I gave it to her."

Then his voice softened, as if he just needed to explain it better.

"I'm missing some key data for my thesis. Cassidy's dad can get it for me. Can't you do this one thing for me so I can graduate? Please, stop making a scene."

He spoke as if he were being perfectly reasonable, as if his future meant I should simply accept the humiliation.

I gave a bitter laugh and met his eyes. "Eugene, we're done. Your problems aren't mine anymore."

I turned and headed upstairs.

I reached the second-floor landing just as Cassidy Nixon posted an update.

[It wasn't the perfect ending, but that one moment was enough. Now I can look back on these years without regrets.]

Comments poured in.

[You deserve it, princess!]

[Don't cry, Cassidy. We're here for you!]

[Don't worry. We won't let that skank win!]

Even our academic advisor, Gavin Turner, liked the post and left a comment. [Follow your hearts. You have my support.]

Their outrage made it sound as if I was the one trying to break up a couple.

I scoffed, closed the post, and sent Dad a message.

[Dad, stop the anonymous funding for our class projects.]

He replied almost immediately, [What happened?]

I typed my answer slowly, one word at a time.

[Nothing. I just realized some people aren't worth it.]