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"Keg stand?" I stared at him in disbelief. "That's your response?"

Chad's face darkened. "Jesus, Ruby, can you not be dramatic? You're way too emotional right now, and I'm drunk and just want to relax. Plus this whole ritual thing was your idea, which isn't fair to me—"

"You want to talk about fair?" The anger and hurt I'd been holding back erupted like a volcano. My voice was so loud it startled even me. "You're the one who waited outside my classes! Bought me those cheap flowers! Told me you'd never met anyone as special as me! Made me think—" I gasped for air, nails digging into my palms. "Made me believe like an idiot that someone like you, from your world, actually cared about me!"

"Ruby, stop being crazy!"

"Fuck you!" I grabbed the album from the table, clutching it to my chest. "Go enjoy your keg stand, you asshole!"

I spun toward the door. But just as I was about to step through, I heard it.

From behind the half-open bathroom door—a muffled, clearly mocking female laugh.

My blood turned to ice.

"Chad?" I turned slowly. "Is someone in there?"

Chad's face finally changed.

"Ruby, wait—"

But I was already moving. I yanked the bathroom door open.

The scene was so cliché it could've been ripped from a bad American teen movie.

Barbara, the cheer captain—Chad's ex-girlfriend—sat perched on the marble vanity, legs crossed. She wore nothing but a practically transparent pink lace bra and shorts that barely covered her ass. Her signature blonde hair was a mess, her red lipstick smeared down to her chin.

And the part that made my stomach heave—scattered across the tile floor were several used condoms. Still glistening with milky fluid.

Nausea seized my throat. He hadn't even bothered cleaning up the crime scene before bringing me into this room.

"Oh." Barbara's eyes widened. Then she actually smiled smugly. "Oops. Busted."

The roaring in my ears drowned out Chad's bullshit explanations behind me—something about "it's not what you think" and "Barbara got sick and needed to clean up" and "you're being unreasonable."

I turned slowly, staring at Chad. At least he didn't look completely indifferent. His face showed some discomfort.

"How long?" My voice sounded distant, like I was underwater.

"Ruby, just listen—"

"How long has this been going on, Chad?"

He clicked his tongue against his teeth in annoyance and looked away. "Does it matter?"

"It matters." I bit out each word.

"Fine." Chad gave up pretending. He crossed his arms. His face showed no apology, no real seriousness—just the irritation of being interrupted. Like this was a minor inconvenience he didn't need to care about. "Since spring break. Maybe earlier. Does it really matter?"

Something sharp stabbed through my heart. Cold wind howled through my body.

This handsome, sunny face I'd been infatuated with now twisted into something monstrous and strange.

"Did you ever—" My voice came out hoarse, barely a whisper. "Did you ever actually like me? Even for a second?"

"What? Like you?" He laughed like I'd told a joke. "Come on, Ruby. Get real. You think I'd actually date someone like you? This whole thing was a bet from the start! Scraggly and the guys said there was no way I could hook the uptight, dressed-like-a-nun weirdo from art school. I just wanted to prove them wrong. Jesus, you should feel honored I put a whole year of effort into you!"

The words hit like poisoned glass shards.