Four Childhood Friends Played a Dare Game With Me. They Lied To Me—All For Her Chapter 03
The next morning at seven, I went back to school for my last document.
The moment I stepped into the building, I heard laughter behind me.
“Well, look who it is. Our school’s genius.”
“Heard she wanted to follow Damon to the same college.”
“But all four of them applied to Columbia. She’s the only one shipped off to California.”
“Shipped? Nah. She chased him, got rejected, and slunk away like a stray.”
A few girls blocked the stairwell.
The one in front—a new friend of Nina’s—looked me up and down.
Then grabbed the camera around my neck.
“This is the thing you wouldn’t lend Nina?”
I grabbed her wrist. “Let go.”
“What’s with the attitude?” She raised her voice.
“Nina was right. You think you’re a princess just because you grew up with four guys.”
Someone behind her chimed in.
“Too bad. They all chose Nina.”
“And she still confessed. Dated him for one day before getting dumped. Hilarious.”
A crowd gathered.
I looked up. Down the hall.
Damon and the others. Standing there.
Roman held Nina’s file. Caleb was checking her documents. Julian carried her breakfast.
Damon saw me.
He frowned. Didn’t come over.
Before, when someone at school said I was leaning on four guys, Damon cornered him in the broadcast room.
Made him apologize in front of the whole school.
Now I was surrounded, camera grabbed. He looked away.
Nina jogged over.
“Don’t do this. Elara’s just in a bad mood.”
The girl holding my camera sneered.
“Nina, you’re too nice. She’s jealous you have people.”
“Won’t even share a few childhood videos. And you’re defending her?”
Nina’s eyes went red.
Damon finally walked over. Shielding Nina.
“Elara. If you have a problem, come at us. Don’t take it out on Nina.”
Before I could speak, the girl yanked the camera strap.
The camera hit the ground.
Someone else “accidentally” knocked over a water bucket.
Dirty water splashed all over me.
Laughter erupted.
“Sorry. Slipped.”
I wiped my face. Bent down. Picked up the camera.
Damon glanced at me. Impatient.
“Go home and change if you’re wet. Don’t make a scene at school.”
So when they humiliated me in public—it was a slip.
If I fought back—it was a scene.
I didn’t look at them again. Got my documents. Left.
—
Half an hour later. I’d just changed. Someone pounded on my door.
Four childhood friends. Nina in tow.
“Where’s the four-leaf clover necklace?”
Roman. Straight to the point.
“Nina was wearing it. Then it was gone.”
I leaned on the doorframe. “So?”
Julian’s face was cold. “You were the only one who touched her at school. Who else?”
He walked straight into my bedroom. Pulled open drawers.
The others searched my closet. My desk.
Eighteen years. They never knocked.
I used to think that was closeness.
Now I understood. They just assumed everything of mine was theirs to handle.
Roman opened the closet. Saw the few clothes left.
“Why are you packing?”
Caleb glanced at the suitcase. Answered for me.
“Scaring us.”
Julian snorted. “Elara. How old are you? Running away from home?”
They laughed.
Not one of them thought I was actually leaving.
Damon found the early decision agreement.
Glanced at the cover. Shoved it under the desk leg.
“Regular colleges start in September. You think you can disappear today?”
Then Nina pulled the necklace from a crack in the desk.
“Found it!”
She’d dropped it herself.
Nina flushed. “Elara, sorry. I misjudged you.”
Damon just ruffled her hair. “It’s fine. Stop crying.”
No one thought to apologize to me.
—
Nina noticed the video files on my computer.
Our time capsule at ten. The beach at fifteen. Every birthday.
“The full versions.” Her eyes lit up.
“Can I use these for my coming-of-age video?”
“No.”
I stepped forward. Closed the laptop.
The light in Nina’s eyes died.
Roman blocked me, “What’s the problem? You agreed to help her edit.”
“I changed my mind.”
Her tears fell instantly.
“Do you think I’ll never deserve to be your friend?”
Damon’s face darkened. He grabbed the mouse.
“She wants the videos. If you don’t want to be in them, just delete yourself.”
“Damon. Don’t.”
He ignored me. Selected every file with my name.
I reached for it. Julian caught my arm.
“A few videos. Not like it’s your life.”
Damon pressed delete.
The progress bar hit the end.
My first bike. My first competition medal.
The video where Damon, at sixteen, looked into the camera and promised to marry me.
All of it. Sent to the recycle bin. By his hand.
“There. Done.”
He let go of the mouse. Face cold.
“From now on, no more of you in our videos.”
He just wanted to hurt me.
He didn’t know—those words were about to come true.
My mentor’s message.
[Transport arrives in two hours.]
I closed the laptop. Zipped my suitcase.
Eighteen years. It all fit in one twenty-eight-inch box.
