Chapter 1After the SAT, my twin brother, my childhood sweetheart, and my best friend all decided to apply to Columbia.
"Giselle, don't fall behind! Four of us FOREVER—that's our deal."
"Team Columbia, let's go!"
I smiled and agreed. But application day came. All three vanished.
60 calls. 109 texts. Not. One. Reply.
Then I saw Delaney's post. The girl on financial aid.
"Asher, Ryan, and Piper took me to see the bioluminescent bay. SO happy! ✨"
I grabbed Asher's iPad. Passcode was still my birthday.
When it unlocked, I found a group chat—no me.
One poll:
A: Columbia, with Giselle.
B: NYU, with Delaney.
Winner? B. Unanimous.
Ryan wrote: "Delaney's only got us. Can't let her start college alone—that's brutal."
Piper replied: "Exactly. We've already given Giselle ten years. Enough."
Even my own brother agreed.
"Columbia and NYU are both in New York anyway. Worst case? We'll visit Giselle at Columbia every week."
My tears hit the screen.
They picked HER over me?
Fine. I was done chasing after them.
Ten minutes before the deadline, I submitted UCLA—the school I actually wanted.
3,000 miles apart.
We'd never see each other again.
...
The confirmation popped up. One minute left on the portal.
I stared at UCLA on the screen. My fingers wouldn't move.
Just then, my phone buzzed.
Asher.
I picked up, and his voice was cheerful.
"Giselle, did you finish your college applications?"
"Yeah. Done."
He paused, then tried to coax me.
"Aw, is my little princess mad?"
I didn't say anything.
"Me, Ryan, and Piper went to grab your graduation gift. We wanted to surprise you."
"Phone was on silent. We weren't ignoring you on purpose."
His voice went soft.
"Come on, don't make a fuss. We'll home soon and make it up to you."
Twenty minutes later, the lock clicked.
My brother, Asher Calloway, walked in first with my favorite strawberry cake.
My childhood sweetheart, Ryan Reed, carried a gift box.
My bestie, Piper, held a cup of coffee.
They stood in the doorway, smiling like nothing happened.
Same as every other time they'd pissed me off.
Asher set the cake down and reached to ruffle my hair.
I stepped back.
His hand hung in the air. His brows drew together slightly.
Ryan pushed the gift box toward me.
"Come on, stop with the attitude."
"It's your graduation gift. Open it."
Piper leaned in too.
"Seriously, we're not fighting over something this small, right?"
I looked at them and asked.
"Where were you guys today? For real."
Asher laughed it off fast.
"Told you already. Getting your gift."
I pulled up my phone and put Delaney's post right in front of them.
In the photos—
Asher was carrying her shoes.
Ryan was draping his jacket over her shoulders.
Piper's arm looped through hers.
The smiles on all three faces froze.
Then I opened the group chat on Asher's iPad.
"Is this my surprise too?"
Piper's eyes went red first.
"Giselle, don't be like that. We didn't mean to hide it from you."
Ryan's voice dropped low.
"Delaney doesn't really have friends."
"She'd be scared going to NYU all alone."
Asher sighed, that same tired tone I'd heard a hundred times.
"Giselle, you've had us your whole life."
"Delaney's different. She's got nobody."
I stared at him.
After Mom and Dad died, he was the only family I had left.
All those nights I woke up crying, it was HIM holding me, telling me he'd always be there.
Now? He was telling me somebody else was lonelier.
I asked, "So which school did you choose—Columbia or NYU?"
Nobody answered.
The answer was already right in front of me.
Ryan looked away.
"They're both in New York anyway. We can visit you at Columbia every week."
Piper jumped in fast.
"Right, it's not like we'll never see each other again."
"Don't make this a bigger deal than it is."
I smiled.
Turns out my next four years, my whole future, everything I wanted—
All of it added up to a weekly visit in their heads.
Asher looked relieved I stopped pushing.
He slid the cake closer.
"Alright, since you already know, we're not gonna hide the rest either."
"We planned the graduation trip. Aspen."
"Delaney's never seen mountains like that."
I looked up.
"You already planned it. Why even ask me?"
He paused.
"Of course we're asking you. You're my sister."
Piper pulled out her phone, showing me the itinerary.
Messages kept pouring into the group chat, lively and excited.
So the poll chat was not the only group they had without me.
There was a separate travel group too.
I gripped my phone tighter.
Then Asher's eyes fell on the necklace around my neck.
"Oh, by the way. Delaney really likes your necklace."
My hand shot up to cover it.
Mom put that on me herself before she died.
On the back of the silver pendant were engraved words:
May Giselle Always Be Safe.
My voice came out cold. "No."
Asher frowned.
"I wasn't finished. I just meant lend it to her for a few days. She'll give it back."
"I'll get you a nicer one after."
"There isn't a nicer one."
His face darkened a little.
"Giselle, quit being so difficult."
I looked at him in silence.
The cake still sat on the table, frosting starting to sag.
I never touched it.
My phone buzzed again.
Piper.
"Oh, Giselle, about tomorrow's class party—I can't match outfits with you anymore."
"Delaney and I bought matching dresses. I already promised I'd wear it with her."
I let out a bitter laugh.
Everyone I loved abandoned me.
Chapter 2
Graduation party day arrived.
When I arrived at the private room, everyone was already having a blast.
Piper was sitting beside Delaney. They were both wearing the exact same white dress.
One of our classmates noticed and teased.
“Wait, you two are matching!”
Piper quickly explained to me.
“Giselle, it’s just a dress. Don’t overthink it.”
I looked at her without saying a word.
She used to be the one who said,
“We’re gonna wear matching bestie outfits forever, and take a million pictures together.”
Ryan was sitting in the middle.
The seat beside him was empty.
He waved me over.
“Come sit here.”
I had barely reached the table when Delaney suddenly murmured.
“Ryan, I’m a little cold.”
He immediately handed her his jacket and shifted closer to her.
The seat was gone.
Ryan noticed me stop and frowned.
“Giselle, don’t just stand there. Sit wherever.”
I took the seat at the very end of the table.
When we started ordering, Asher suddenly spoke up.
“No onions or ginger. Delaney doesn’t eat them.”
I froze for a second.
Growing up, I’d hated cilantro.
But Asher always used to say:
“What’s wrong with cilantro? Giselle, you can’t be so picky.”
Then he’d deliberately pile it onto my plate.
Eventually, I had learned to tolerate it.
I bit down hard on my lip, trying not to let anyone see how much it hurt.
Someone joked.
“I heard you four are splitting up for college."
"But Giselle’s SAT score is basically a lock. Columbia, right?”
The whole room immediately chimed in.
“Obviously. She’s Giselle Calloway!”
Before I could say anything, Delaney suddenly gave a soft laugh.
“Giselle, I really never meant to hurt you. I just…”
“On SAT day, I think I saw a piece of paper tucked behind your admission ticket.”
The entire room went silent.
No one needed her to spell it out.
Everyone was already thinking the same conclusion.
I looked straight at her.
“Are you accusing me of cheating on the SAT?”
Tears immediately spilled down Delaney’s cheeks.
“No! I didn’t! I swear I never said that!”
She waved her hands frantically, her eyes red.
“I just saw it. I didn’t dare say anything."
"I was afraid it would affect you, and I was afraid everyone would misunderstand you.”
“Giselle, please. Don’t push me like this.”
Piper gripped the hem of her dress, her face pale.
“Giselle, maybe Delaney was mistaken—”
I looked at her.
“Do you believe she was mistaken, or do you believe I didn’t cheat?”
Her lips parted.
She said nothing.
Asher spoke coldly.
“Delaney never said you cheated. She only said she saw a piece of paper.”
Ryan frowned too.
“Giselle, Delaney was trying to cover for you."
"Do you really have to twist her words into something this ugly?”
I suddenly laughed.
"So all of you really think I'd bring a cheat sheet into the test center?"
I picked up my phone and hit save on the recording.
Then I looked calmly at Delaney.
“Delaney, making a false accusation of SAT cheating can have consequences.”
Dead silence.
I continued.
“What did the paper look like?"
"What was written on it?"
"Which test center did you see it outside?"
"What time was it?”
The tears on Delaney’s face seemed to freeze.
I stared at her and pressed harder, one question after another.
“Go ahead. Tell everyone exactly what you saw.”
Asher’s face darkened instantly.
“Enough!"
"Do you really have to ruin the whole graduation party?"
Piper stepped in to smooth things over.
“Yeah, Giselle. Delaney was just making a joke.”
I picked up the glass of water in front of me and said nothing.
Then Delaney suddenly held out her phone.
“Giselle, I think my phone is glitching. Can you take a look?”
The moment I took it, she let go.
The phone slammed onto the floor. Screen shattered instantly.
The entire room fell silent.
Asher picked up the broken phone and turned on me, furious.
“Why do you keep going after Delaney today?”
“Apologize!”
I looked up.
“She let go herself.”
Delaney immediately shook her head, tears streaming down her face.
“Giselle, I really didn’t… I know you don’t like me."
"But I wouldn’t joke around with my own phone like that.”
Then, as if afraid of making me even angrier, she added softly.
“Forget it, Asher. Don’t force her. I’m fine.”
The second she said it, Asher’s gaze turned even colder.
Ryan’s expression hardened too.
“Giselle, you’re still denying it?”
I stared at him in disbelief.
It felt like I was seeing him for the first time.
The night after the SAT, he’d stood outside my house with a bouquet and smiled at me.
“When we get to Columbia, I’m officially going to ask you out.”
Piper came over and lowered her voice.
“Giselle, just say you’re sorry. Everyone’s watching."
"Don’t make this any uglier than it already is.”
“Am I the one making it ugly?”
Delaney suddenly stepped toward me, reaching for my arm.
“Giselle, please. Don’t fight with them."
"I really don’t blame you…”
I instinctively stepped back to avoid her hand.
She seemed to lose her balance and fell sideways.
Her hip knocked into a bottle on the table.
It crashed to the floor.
The sound of shattering glass ripped through the room.
Delaney fell hard, her white dress soaking up spilled alcohol.
Within seconds, a bright streak of red appeared along her leg.
Ryan was the first to rush to her.
Asher whipped around and stared at me.
His eyes filled with nothing but disappointment and anger.
“Giselle, you’re seriously spoiled rotten.”
Chapter 3
I stared at Asher in disbelief.
At the same man who had held me at our parents’ funeral, whispering over and over,
“Don’t be scared, Giselle. I’m here.”
I had never imagined that one day he would look at me like this.
Like I was some unreasonable bully who had hurt an innocent person.
Delaney sat on the floor, blood slowly spreading beside her leg.
Ryan knelt in front of her, his face twisted with worry.
“Don’t be scared. I’m taking you to the hospital.”
My throat felt blocked.
“I didn’t push her.”
No one listened.
Piper crouched beside Delaney, frantically pressing napkins against her wound.
“Giselle, she’s hurt. Why are you still denying it?”
I suddenly felt like the whole thing was absurd.
The phone hitting the floor.
Delaney falling.
Every single thing had happened right in front of them.
Yet, they believed nothing but Delaney’s tears.
Asher walked over to me.
His voice was cold, carrying a command that allowed no argument.
“Give me your phone.”
I instinctively tightened my grip on my purse.
“What are you doing?”
Before I could react, he reached into my bag and yanked out my phone.
I lunged for it, but I was too late.
He slammed it against the floor.
The sharp crack of shattering glass rang through the room, sharp as a delayed verdict.
I stood there, frozen.
Asher looked at me.
There wasn’t even a trace of sympathy in his eyes.
“If you don’t understand how much other people’s things matter, then you can learn how it feels to lose your own."
Someone nearby gasped.
"That's way too far..."
But Asher didn’t even look back.
Ryan had already picked Delaney up and was carrying her out.
Piper hurried after them, but stopped at the door and looked back at me.
“Giselle, you really went too far tonight."
"Once you calm down, go to the hospital and apologize to Delaney.”
The door closed behind them.
The room fell into an awkward silence.
I crouched down and picked up the pieces of my shattered phone.
I remembered breaking a glass when I was little.
Asher had knelt in front of me, carefully treating the cut on my finger while gently reassuring me.
“It’s just a glass, Giselle. Forget about it."
"As long as you’re okay.”
But now, he had been the one to smash my phone.
Just to punish me for Delaney.
Someone behind me snickered.
“Guess the little princess finally got what was coming to her.”
I turned around.
It was a girl from my class who’d never liked me much.
She crossed her arms and spoke in a deliberately casual tone.
“They used to follow you around everywhere."
"I honestly thought you were something special."
"Turns out you’re not so different after all.”
Someone else chimed in.
“Delaney knows how to treat people. Sweet, gentle, always so considerate."
"Who wouldn’t like her?”
I said nothing.
Slipped the broken phone into my purse and walked out.
By then, it had started raining.
The wind drove the rain sideways, cold drops stinging my face.
It wasn’t until I reached the hotel entrance that I realized I didn’t have any cash.
My phone was dead.
I couldn’t call a cab.
I couldn’t reach anyone.
Walking home would take more than an hour.
Once upon a time, all I had to do was text Asher, and he’d come get me.
Ryan would complain that I was a hassle while still pushing an umbrella into my hands.
Piper would scold me for not checking the weather, and drape her jacket over my shoulders.
But tonight, all three of them were at the hospital with Delaney.
Rain streamed down my face.
I couldn’t tell whether it was rain or tears anymore.
By the time I reached home, I could barely stay on my feet.
The fingerprint lock failed twice before finally opening.
The house was completely dark.
I leaned against the entryway wall and slowly sank to the floor, shivering uncontrollably.
In a daze, I remembered the year our parents died.
There had been a rainy night just like this one.
I had waited outside school with no one coming for me, then called Ryan in tears.
He rode his bike over in a soaked school uniform and pulled his jacket over my head to shield me from the rain.
“Giselle, whenever it rains, I’ll always come get you and take you home."
But this time, he never came.
He carried Delaney away instead.
My fingers brushed the necklace around my neck.
The pendant was ice-cold, digging painfully into my palm.
Mom…
I think I really don't have a home anymore.
The lights in front of me blurred little by little.
And just before I lost consciousness—
I heard a faint vibration from the shattered phone beside me.
Like someone had finally remembered I existed.
But I no longer had the strength to look.
