The valedictorian of our high school, who was now at MIT, suddenly added me on Snapchat. I stared at the screen for a solid ten minutes before replying: "Can you CashApp me 50 bucks?" The next second, he unfriended me. Sigh... I knew it was a scammer. Our class president had always been an aloof, untouchable ice king. He hadn’t spoken a single word to me in high school. Why would he randomly add me? Later, at a high school reunion, he had his arm around a gorgeous girl, smiling and telling us they were getting engaged by the end of the year. Damn it... Did this mean I had to write a $500 check for his wedding gift? I was so panicked I sneaked out halfway through the dinner. But he cornered me right outside my apartment building: "Hazel Hayes, how long are you going to hide from me?" 1 If I had known I was going to run into Carter Pierce today, I absolutely would not have stormed into the high school bare-faced and reeking of Korean BBQ. The most embarrassing thing isn't running into your ex. It’s running into your ex when he looks even cleaner, sharper, and more handsome than before, while you—are wearing zero makeup. "You’re Holden's guardian?" Carter’s voice was cool and crisp. "I’m his homeroom teacher, Mr. Pierce." "..." Even though we had been broken up for years, surely he hadn't completely forgotten what I looked like, right? Carter and I got together during our senior year of high school. He was the genius valedictorian; I was a struggling slacker. That year, he practically dragged my GPA up by brute force, and we ended up getting into two different universities in the same city. But our schools were on opposite ends of town. It took three subway transfers and three hours round-trip just to see each other. Plus, after college started, he was always busy doing research with professors and entering academic competitions. The time we spent together dwindled to almost nothing. We were at that impulsive, stubborn age. The word "breakup" slipped out easily, and just like that, it was over. For the next few years, even though we lived in the same city, we never saw each other again. I never imagined our reunion would look like this. My little brother had been caught dating in school. As his guardian, I was naturally a foot shorter in front of his teacher. I immediately put on my most polite, respectful attitude: "Hello, Mr. Pierce. I’m Holden’s older sister, Hazel." Growing up, with my rebellious streak, I was no stranger to the principal's office, but this was the first time I felt this awkward. Thinking about it, my urge to murder my brother grew stronger. If it weren't for him, would I be suffering like this?! My parents were out of state on a business trip; otherwise, I wouldn't be the one here losing face! The other student's parents were here too. It was one against two. I apologized profusely, and thankfully, they were pretty understanding. Carter handed over the two kids’ report cards. "They are seniors now. Graduation is only a few months away, and their mental state is crucial. I’ve spoken to them both, and they’ve promised to focus on their studies and not let this affect their grades. I asked you all here today hoping that as parents and guardians, you can cooperate and guide them properly." Holding the report card, I muttered under my breath: "...I was wondering why that kid has been chugging energy drinks and doing practice tests until 2 AM lately... He really takes after me back in the day..." Carter paused, finally lifting his eyes to look at me. "Is dating in high school a family tradition for the Hayes family?" ??? Why did that sound so incredibly passive-aggressive? Meeting his dark, cool gaze, my brain short-circuited, and I fired back out of pure reflex: "Not at all. It’s clearly the result of your excellent teaching, Mr. Pierce." Dead silence. The air in the office seemed to freeze solid. The other parents and the few other teachers present stared at me, jaw-dropped, as if I had grown a second head. And then I finally realized what I had just said. Ahhhhhh! "M-Mr. Pierce, I didn't mean it like that, please don't misunderstand!" Just then, the other student's parent got a phone call and excused themselves. Now, it was just me and Carter left. The awkwardness was suffocating. I decided it was time to make my escape. Carter stood up to walk me to the door. Every step was pure torture. Stepping out into the hallway, just as I thought I was finally free, Carter suddenly spoke, his tone flat. "I didn't teach him how to make the first move." Me, who had aggressively pursued Carter back in high school: "..." Back then, Carter was the guy every girl secretly had a crush on. I was different. I pursued him openly. The whole world knew how much I liked him, and the whole world knew how impossible he was to get. So when we finally got together, jaws dropped across the entire campus. Looking at him now, he looked exactly like he did the first time I confessed my feelings to him—completely unfazed and indifferent. A wave of inexplicable irritation flared up in my chest. My brain went hot, and I blurted out: "Mr. Pierce, let's get one thing straight. Yes, I was the one who chased you back then. But I was also the one who dumped you." 02 The moment the words left my mouth, I regretted it. He wasn't my boyfriend anymore; he was my brother's homeroom teacher! I must have a death wish to say something so rebellious! Thankfully, my useless little brother finally appeared, saving me from the fiery pits of hell. "Hazel?" Turns out the kid had been waiting out in the hall the whole time. I quickly said, "Mr. Pierce, no need to see me out. I'm just going to have a quick word with Holden and head out. My friend is waiting for me at the gate." With that, not even daring to look at his face, I grabbed Holden and dragged him around the corner. He looked at me weirdly. "Hazel, why are you so nervous?" I reacted like a cat getting its tail stepped on. "Who's nervous?!" Holden rolled his eyes. "I've known you for seventeen years. You think I don't know when you're freaking out?" He glanced back over his shoulder. "Mr. Pierce isn't that scary, is he?" "..." "Holden, you're the one who got caught dating! Instead of feeling guilty and repenting, you're here talking back to me?" Holden crossed his arms. "But you dated in high school too! I don't see you feeling guilty or repenting." Thank you. I am having a literal heart attack. I kept my face deadpan. "And that's why karma has finally caught up with me. Your homeroom teacher is the guy I dated in high school." Holden: ??? His face morphed from absolute shock to a mask of pure agony. "I'm dead! You had your fun, and now you don't care if I live or die!" "..." He hadn't been this terrified when he actually got caught dating! Besides, how was I supposed to know Carter would end up being his teacher?! ... Walking out of the school gates, I slid right into a car parked by the curb. My best friend, Chloe, glanced at me. "Ooh, got lectured by the teacher?" We both had the day off, so we had grabbed Korean BBQ together. Afterward, she had driven me straight to the school. I slumped into the passenger seat, completely devoid of the will to live. "No. But it was ten thousand times worse. His teacher is Carter Pierce." Chloe let out an "Oh," and three seconds later, let out a piercing scream. "HOLY SHIT!?" I covered my ears, but she yanked my hands away. "Carter? Carter Pierce?! The guy you dated in high school?!" I gave a weak groan of confirmation. Chloe covered her mouth. "It's over. Holden is so screwed. His sister dumped his homeroom teacher. How is he going to survive the rest of the year?" Me: "...Does literally no one think about how miserable I am?" "You aren't miserable!" Chloe rolled her eyes at me. "You bagged the untouchable golden boy, and then you dumped him. Who could possibly be cooler than you?" "..." Fine. Even though I didn't want to admit it, Carter’s face, his build... he really did live up to the hype. "It was years ago. Let's not talk about it." Seeing how genuinely deflated I was, Chloe suppressed her urge to gossip and changed the subject. "Right, Jake and Sarah are getting married this Saturday. Are you going?" They were both our high school classmates. More importantly, Jake was pretty good friends with Carter, so he’d probably be invited too. "Do you want me to tell them you can't make it?" My mind inexplicably flashed to Carter's cold, calm, and completely unfazed expression from earlier. A sudden, stubborn surge of energy hit my chest. "We're all adults. What's the point of dwelling on the past? Besides, he's my brother's teacher now. I can't hide from him forever, can I?" "I'm going!" 03 On Saturday, I put on a nice dress, did my makeup, and headed to the hotel where the reception was held. The bride and groom were standing at the entrance greeting guests. I handed over my envelope with the wedding check and smiled. "Congratulations, you guys!" Sarah looked behind me and said, pleasantly surprised, "Hazel! You and Carter came together?" ??? I whipped around, only to realize Carter was just a few steps behind me, walking in my direction. He was wearing a crisp white dress shirt and black slacks. Clean, simple, tall, and elegant. Some people just effortlessly become the center of attention wherever they go. Carter was one of those people. He seemed to have heard her. He looked up, his dark eyes and dark hair exuding an icy, untouchable aura. We made eye contact for a split second before I immediately turned back around, laughing awkwardly. "No, we didn't." Sarah looked a bit confused and was about to ask more, but Jake gently pulled her arm and walked forward with a huge smile to greet Carter. "Carter! Man, so glad you made it!" I practically sprinted inside and quickly spotted Chloe waving at me from a table. "Hazel! Over here!" I rushed over, thinking I was finally safe, only to feel my blood run cold when I saw the placard on the table: High School Classmates. I looked around the table. Sure enough, all familiar faces. Me: "..." And then, Carter walked over. There were only two empty seats left at the table. One was to my left, and the other was directly across from me. "Carter! Over here!" A guy at the table who used to be close with him stood up and waved. They had probably already heard what happened at the entrance. Anyone with functioning eyes could tell we were broken up. Hearing his footsteps approach, I stared intently at the porcelain teacup in front of me, inexplicably growing tense. Then, he walked past the empty seat on my left—and sat down directly across from me. The table went silent for a second. Thankfully, the guy who had called him over was great at breaking the ice, and the conversation quickly picked up again. "I heard you're teaching at Westbridge Prep now? That's an elite magnet school. Super hard to get into!" "Well, he was our valedictorian for a reason! Smart guys are smart wherever they go, haha!" "Man, I never would have guessed Jake and Sarah would be the first couple from our class to actually get married. I always thought it would be Cart—" The guy talking realized his mistake and immediately clamped his mouth shut. Several pairs of eyes kept darting back and forth between me and Carter. Back then, our relationship was a massive deal. The whole school knew. No one expected it to end the way it did. I instinctively looked up at him. The man across from me had his eyes lowered, calmly pouring himself some tea. The line from his brow to the bridge of his nose was flawless. He looked completely unaffected by the awkward conversation around him. I felt a bit suffocated and made an excuse to go to the restroom. Chloe texted me: Be honest. A man of that caliber, and you dumped him. Don't you regret it? Why don't you try to win him back? Outside my bathroom stall, I heard hushed voices. "I still can't believe Carter and Hazel broke up. Think about how hard she chased him back then!" "So what? A guy like Carter can have anyone he wants. They were never in the same league anyway." "Exactly. And I honestly don't think Carter even liked her that much. He probably just agreed because she wouldn't leave him alone, and then dumped her when he got tired of it." It just goes to show, adults really love bringing up high school drama. Even though I was the one who dumped Carter, they weren't entirely wrong about the rest. I typed out a reply to Chloe, ready to talk a big game. Get it straight. I'm the one who didn't want him. If anyone is doing the chasing, it has to be him chasing me. Chloe: 6. (Slang for "smooth") Chloe: Big dreams. Very moving. Keep daydreaming. Me: "..." 04 I waited patiently until the gossiping girls finally left the bathroom before slowly making my way out. When I got back to the table, a few people had had some drinks and were getting chatty. I sat down, ready to focus on the food, when Chloe pinched me under the table. "Why did you block me?!" I shot her a look: Take a wild guess. "Hey, Hazel!" Someone called my name. I looked up. It was Ashley Miller, one of the three girls who had been gossiping about me in the bathroom. We had some bad blood in high school. If it weren't for this wedding, we'd never be sitting at the same table. —She used to have a massive crush on Carter. When she found out we were dating, she sabotaged me a few times behind my back. She smiled and asked, "I hope you don't mind me asking, but are you single right now?" The table went quiet. Why ask the question and pretend to be polite about it? Isn't that a bit redundant? She added, "I have a few single guy friends. I was thinking of setting you up." I smiled. "Thanks, but no thanks. My standards are pretty high." The table went even quieter. Her fake smile almost cracked, but with Carter sitting right there as living proof, she couldn't even argue. She paused for a few seconds, her eyes darting around. "Fair enough. But does that mean you haven't dated anyone at all since then?" What did that mean? That I couldn't find anyone better than Carter? Or, as she said in the bathroom, that only a guy completely out of his league like Carter was blind enough to date me? "I've dated a bit. Two or three guys," I said. One was a senior in college I impulsively agreed to date right after breaking up with Carter. On the third day, he tried to hold my hand, and it completely grossed me out, so I dumped him. Another was a blind date my aunt set up after graduation. This one didn't even last three days. On our second dinner, he kept lecturing me about how I should quit my job and be a stay-at-home mom after we got married. I blocked his number right at the table. From a certain angle, saying "two or three" wasn't a lie. The reactions around the table in that moment were priceless. I broke the silence, laughing lightly. "Hey, you have to try a few options before you figure out who's the best fit, right?" Hearing this, Carter raised his eyes and looked at me quietly. I was so sick of this weird, tense atmosphere, so I decided to go on the offensive. "Mr. Pierce, wouldn't you agree?" Ashley looked like she was about to explode. "...Why are you calling him Mr. Pierce?" "Oh, forgot to mention. Mr. Pierce is my little brother's homeroom teacher now. We just saw each other a few days ago." Listen to that! That is how a mature ex acts! Making peace with the youth of the past! That is— "I wouldn't know." Carter set his teacup down. His long, elegant fingers looked like carved marble. His voice was cold and clear. "I've only ever dated one person." 05 "..." The air froze. For a split second, I felt like Carter was intentionally throwing me under the bus, making me look like a heartless player in front of everyone. But at the same time, my heart uncontrollably started beating faster. How many years had we been broken up? With his looks and status, he could have had a new girlfriend every week if he wanted. But he actually said... he had only ever dated one person. Before my mind could spiral further, the bride and groom came over to our table for the toast, and the topic was thankfully dropped. As the reception wound down and people started filtering out, I saw Ashley sidle up to Carter, her voice sickeningly sweet. "Carter, my nephew is taking the high school entrance exams soon, and he really wants to get into Westbridge Prep. Do you think we could exchange numbers so I can ask you for advice if we need it?" It was a far cry from how she was trashing me in the bathroom earlier. Did she really think people couldn't see right through her transparent motives? I sped up my pace. I didn't want to hear his answer. But his cold, clear voice carried over perfectly. "I teach seniors right now. I don't handle freshmen admissions. If you have questions, you can call the school's admissions office." Ashley looked incredibly embarrassed and gave an awkward nod. "Oh... oh, okay." ... "I gotta say, the valedictorian is still just as popular as ever. But his ability to shoot people down has definitely leveled up." Chloe clicked her tongue. "You walked away so fast, you didn't see how ugly Ashley's face got!" I was looking for my car while casually replying, "That's normal. If he didn't know how to shoot people down, his contact list would have maxed out years ago." Back in the day, just to get his screen name, I left an iced latte on his desk every single day for a week! My allowance was tight back then, so I literally starved myself for that week to afford it. I really don't know where I found the audacity and sheer willpower to pursue him so relentlessly. "True. Didn't you hear him say it himself? He's only dated one person all these years." Chloe said this, then gave me a big thumbs up, looking thoroughly impressed. "Hazel, you are a legend, seriously! I thought you were just talking big when you said you'd make him chase you, but now I think it's actually possible!" "Here's the car." I hit the unlock button on my keys, saying casually as I walked, "I'm not that easy to catch. He'd have to—" I suddenly felt like something was wrong. I stopped, slowly turning my head to look at the car parked right next to mine. The window was rolled halfway down, revealing a clean, incredibly handsome profile. He seemed to have just finished a phone call. Hearing my voice, he turned his head to look. Carter. "..." I died on the spot. He raised an eyebrow, his tone completely flat. "I have to chase you?" "..." I came back to life just to die again. "No, no! I really didn't mean it like that, don't misunderstand! I meant... I'm actually really easy to catch—wait, no! I mean, chasing me isn't that hard—wait, that's wrong too!" Met with his unwavering, unbothered gaze, I desperately wanted to claw a hole in the pavement and bury myself. Thankfully, Chloe walked over. She hadn't heard the whole exchange, but seeing Carter there, she was equally stunned. I frantically signaled her with my eyes: Get me out of here! Take me away! Chloe's gaze darted between me and Carter. A lightbulb seemed to go off in her head, and she quickly said: "Oh! I just remembered I have an emergency at work! I gotta run! Hazel, your car is broken, right? Why don't you have Carter give you a ride home?" ??? !!! Chloe Bennett! You are dead to me! 06 Unfortunately, Chloe completely failed to grasp the SOS signals I was sending. She dropped that bomb and sprinted away like her life depended on it. I took a deep breath, gritted my teeth, and reached for my car door handle. Carter asked flatly, "I thought your car was broken?" Me: "..." Biting the bullet, I pretended to inspect the steering wheel. "It looks like it miraculously fixed itself." Carter: "Are you sure?" Of course I'm sure! I literally just took it in for an oil change a few days ago! Otherwise, I wouldn't have had Chloe drive me to the school that day! "Yep, it drives," I said, buckling my seatbelt, fully preparing to execute a flawless vanishing act. And then— Carter got out of his car, stood outside my door, and knocked on the window with his knuckles. "Then do me a favor and give me a ride. My car broke down." ... I felt like he was messing with me. I was about to refuse when he delivered the final blow: "The insurance guy just got here for the tow." "..." So his car actually broke down. Was he calling the insurance company earlier? Refusing him now felt a little awkward, but given our history, interacting this much felt even more awkward. While Carter was finishing up with the tow truck driver, he got another phone call. He frowned. "Got it. We'll be right there." When he got into my car, I opened my mouth, fully intending to suggest he call an Uber or ask someone else, when he said: "It's a thirty-minute drive to City Hospital from here. We might need to hurry." ??? I looked at him in total confusion. "City Hospital? Why are we going there?" Carter looked at me. "Holden got severe stomach pains during class. The school nurse suspects it's acute appendicitis. He's already been sent to City Hospital." My heart plummeted. ... By the time we rushed into the hospital, Holden was already in surgery. The middle-aged man who brought him in was the school nurse, and the younger woman next to him seemed to be a teacher. Seeing me and Carter arrive together, they both looked a little confused. The female teacher looked me up and down, then asked softly: "Mr. Pierce, this is..." "This is Holden's older sister," Carter said briefly, offering no explanation as to why we arrived together. "How is he?" She explained: "Holden got severe stomach cramps during math class. Dr. Wang said it looked urgent, so we rushed him right over. He's been in surgery for a while now; he should be out soon." Carter nodded. Probably noticing how tense I was, he looked down at me and said, "Take a seat and rest for a bit." I shook my head, refusing to move. "I'm going to wait right here." Carter paused, his voice softening a fraction, bringing a strange sense of comfort. "Don't worry. Appendicitis is a minor surgery. He'll be fine." Hearing this, the other two looked surprised. The female teacher's gaze lingered on me for an extra few seconds. I couldn't care less about them. My mind was entirely focused on Holden in the operating room. My heart felt like it was being roasted over an open fire. Probably because I was in such a panic, I had started sweating despite how cold it was outside. Now that I was standing still, the drafty hospital corridor breeze hit me, and I couldn't help but shiver. Just then, a weight settled on my shoulders. A familiar scent, mixed with the faint smell of alcohol from the wedding, enveloped me in warmth. 07 Carter hadn't drank, and neither had I. But the jacket, carrying that faint scent of wine from the reception, felt burning hot. Like a single spark landing on dry grass, igniting a massive wildfire. I turned my head and met Carter's gaze. He said, "Your parents are both out of state. If you get sick too, there will be no one left to take care of him." I snapped back to reality and whispered, "Thank you." ... An hour later, Holden's surgery was successfully completed, and he was moved to a recovery room. I handled the admission paperwork and called my parents, reassuring them that it wasn't a major issue and he just needed a few days of rest. After settling everything, I returned to the room and saw Carter standing by the bed, talking to Holden. "Just focus on resting for now. Don't worry about classes; I'll send you the notes and practice tests." Every minute of senior year is precious. Watching this scene, I felt a sudden sense of déjà vu. He looked exactly like he did when he used to supervise my studying. But there was a difference. With Holden, he was clearly much gentler and more forgiving. Back then, when my brain hurt from studying and I just wanted to go play, I had to beg and plead for ages before he’d even hold my hand. Ten practice tests for one hand-holding session. I swear, he was ruthless. Thinking about it made me feel a little resentful all over again. Carter finished speaking and stood up. "Get some rest." He tactfully left the room so we could have a moment. But my little brother is incredibly untactful. The second Carter left, Holden glared at me and started his interrogation. "Spit it out. Why did you and my homeroom teacher show up together?" Me: ??? I kept my face blank. "Holden, did you forget that I'm your actual, biological sister?" Even though he just had surgery and looked a little pale, his combat power was undiminished. "I didn't forget. And I definitely didn't forget that you dated him and then dumped him." "..." He lost his appendix, but he still has the energy to run his mouth. Clearly, he's fine. "Holden, you better show your dear sister some respect, or your recovery time in this bed is going to be very miserable." I said, getting up to leave. "Wait! Hazel!" Holden called out. I looked back. "What?" Holden coughed awkwardly, flashing a sycophantic smile. "Sis, could you do me a favor?" "What?" "When you go to school to pack up my books, could you tell Lily I'm fine and I'll be back soon?" Lily was the girl he liked. I had seen her picture in his backpack. I was utterly speechless. "Why are you so high maintenance?" Holden was unapologetic. "I just don't want her to worry about me!" I paused. "Fine. Got it." "Thanks, Sis!" Holden said, then added with a look of concern, "But Sis, you and Mr. Pierce... you guys are totally over, right?" I gave him a death glare. Holden went quiet for a second. "I mean, a lot of girls like him. Even at our school, there are quite a few... But if you want to get back together with him, that's fine. You just have to promise me one thing: no breaking up before I graduate!" I said calmly, "Holden, you should be grateful you went into surgery today. Losing your appendix is the only thing keeping you alive right now." ... Today had truly been a rollercoaster. I walked out of the room, intending to get some fresh air before this colorful life gave me high blood pressure. I walked to the stairwell. It was dimly lit. I let out a long breath and rubbed my tired eyes. Then, I heard footsteps. I realized Carter was actually still here. He was smoking. The glowing cherry of the cigarette flickered in the dark. He leaned against the wall, radiating a quiet isolation. Noticing my presence, he looked over and put out the cigarette. —No one knew that Carter, the ultimate golden boy and model student in high school, smoked. I caught him smoking on the roof once. But he maintained that same cold, indifferent expression, as if he didn't care at all if I reported him. I asked him: Is smoking fun? He didn't answer and just walked away. After we got together, I brought it up again and was super curious to try it. He refused to let me, but after that, he never smoked again. I didn't expect him to pick it back up. But I guess it makes sense, we've been broken up for so long. I was about to ask him when would be a good time to go to the school and pack up Holden's things, when he suddenly stepped toward me. "Hazel." He said my name softly. It was the first time since we reunited that he hadn't used my full, formal name. "Why are you crying?"
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