Chapter 4The Love Letter I Threw Away

The week before final exams, I was called into the guidance counselor's office.

"Congratulations, Thomas. Columbia has officially offered you an early-admission full-ride scholarship."

The news hit me like a physical wave. I stood there, utterly speechless, my mind racing.

The counselor, Mrs. Higgins, smiled, clapping me on the shoulder. "You can choose to enroll early next week, or you can stay and walk with your class at graduation."

I took a deep breath to steady my racing heart. As I walked out of the office, I ran right into Rae and Wright.

Rae pursed her lips, looking straight ahead as she brushed past me as if I were a ghost.

I immediately called my parents to discuss the offer, and we agreed: I would leave for New York this coming Monday.

It was a tight schedule, but I had already looked into it—Columbia was running an early-entry polar research fellowship. Selected incoming freshmen could spend a month volunteering on a research vessel heading toward the Antarctic circle.

It was the closest I had ever been to my dream.

While I was on the phone in the corridor, Rae suddenly stormed toward me. She lunged forward, her hand swinging wildly, and slapped the phone right out of my hand.

"Thomas! How could you be so incredibly petty? Telling the principal on us?!"

The sharp edge of my phone case scraped against my ear. A stinging pain flared up, and I felt the warm drip of blood beginning to trickle down my neck.

Wright cowered behind Rae, his eyes brimming with tears.

"Thomas, please... I'll stay away from Rae, I promise. Just tell the principal it was a mistake. If my dad finds out about the suspension, he'll kill me."

I pressed a hand to my bleeding ear, suddenly putting the pieces together.

Wright’s grades had plummeted during the last midterms. The school had caught them making out in an empty classroom, and the administration had warned them. Naturally, they assumed I was the whistleblower.

"I didn't say a word to anyone!" I snapped, my voice cold and hard as I glared at them. "You two weren't worried about consequences when you were kissing behind the stage curtains. Don't take your stupidity out on me!"

Rae’s face darkened further. She stepped in front of Wright defensively, her voice dripping with venom.

"You walked out of the office, and five minutes later Wright got called in. Don't act like it's a coincidence." She gave me a long, disgusted look. "But of course. You've always been so incredibly selfish."

By the weekend, I was packing my bags.

Rae didn't know I was leaving. There was no reason to tell her.

But to my surprise, she showed up at my front door on Sunday afternoon.

"Thomas... Wright and I broke up."

She watched my face closely, taking a step forward to reach for my hand.

"Studying has been so stressful lately. I was losing my mind, and I only did those things because I was desperately trying to keep up with you."

"My scores are only good enough for the local state college. Thomas... the promise we made when we were kids. Does it still count?"

When we were seven, we had crossed pinkies, promising we would go to the same university.

I stared at her.

She didn't even realize that she blinked rapidly whenever she lied.

Our state college only accepted one student for their prestigious pre-med track each year. She was trying to secure it for Wright by getting me to step down.

It must have been so exhausting for her. Playing the part of the repentant childhood sweetheart just to clear the runway for her true love.

"Sure," I said quietly, wanting to avoid any more drama. "It counts."

Rae looked surprised, then a wave of immense relief washed over her. Her eyes drifted to my half-packed suitcases on the floor.

"Why are you packing?"

"My mom has a business trip," I lied smoothly.

Her mind was already elsewhere. She nodded eagerly, backing out the door.

"Great! Then I'll see you on Monday, Thomas!"

I watched her jog down the driveway. As she reached the sidewalk, I could faintly hear her excited voice on the phone, calling Wright to tell him the good news.

I took one last look at the yard.

In the corner, the rosebush Rae and I had planted years ago had completely withered to dead, thorny branches.

I turned away, climbed into the rideshare waiting to take me to the airport, and blocked her number on every single platform before the plane took off.

Rae, I'm done playing my part in your play.