Trashing The Sweetheart

The summer we graduated, my childhood sweetheart gave away the necklace he'd promised mehanded it to a scholarship girl instead.

The free stud earrings, the throw-in freebies that came in the box? Those he pressed into my palm, like he was doing me a favor.

Let this be a lesson, he said. If you want something, you fight for it. You don't sit around waiting for someone to hand it to you.

"Doesn't matter what anyone else says. What matters is what you think. Got it?"

His voice had barely faded when the comments flooded my vision.

[Classic ML move. He's such a tough-love mentor, always teaching our girl how life works.]

[Don't cry, bestie. The ML just felt bad for the other girl. It's one necklace. Sweet-talk him a little and he'd give you the world.]

[Relax, our girl's about to pout and turn on the charm. One look and the ML caves. He'll buy her the exact same one tomorrow. So cute.]

The comments said it like it was already written. Like my whole life was some story they'd read the ending of.

But they didn't know what came next.

The Ashfords would lose everything.

Julian would stand outside my dorm, clutching a necklace he'd carved my name into by hand, crying like the world had ended.

And I'd be boarding a flight out of the country, hand in hand with my new boyfriendthe one who took first at nationals.

But I didn't pout. I didn't sweet-talk anyone.

I just nodded. Calm.

That same night, I pulled my spot at Harrington and confirmed Whitfield instead.

He was right about one thing. I should follow my own mind.

Boston was his. I wasn't following him there.

Chapter 1

I switched schools. And somehow, that made me the villain.

[Waitis our girl serious? She actually switched schools?]

[Poor ML. Still waiting for her to pout and make up, and his whole world just caved.]

[Kind of a dumb move? She's basically shoving the ML right at the other girl.]

[For real. Once he and that girl actually catch feelings, she'll be sorry.]

I watched them scroll and almost laughed.

Julian broke his promise. So why was I the one getting blamed?

Wasn't I supposed to be the heroine here?

You'd think they'd love me even half as much as they loved him.

My eyes dropped back to the earrings. The free ones. The throw-in.

It was my birthday.

He'd promised me, ages ago, that the second we finished graduation he'd give me the necklace I'd been eyeing for years.

I'd been counting down to it.

Two days ago I'd even texted him, asking what I should wear to match it.

Julian never texted back.

Busy, I told myself. Now I knew better.

He'd probably already decided to give it to Chloe.

I lifted my hand and dropped the earrings in the trash.

If it wasn't the thing I wanted, I didn't want any of it.

Out in the hall, Chloe was still showing off the necklace to anyone who'd listen.

"I didn't even want it at first," she said, "but Jules insisted."

"I said, let's do rock-paper-scissors, let fate decide."

"And I actually won. Jules said that means I earned it, fair and square."

The others gave her these tight, awkward smiles.

We were all adults here. Everyone could see exactly what she was doing.

I walked over.

"You done? Because I don't remember inviting you. You can go now."

Chloe's eyes went red on cue.

She glanced around the room, and the second she found Julian

she bit her lip, and the tears spilled right over.

Julian stepped in without a word and tucked her behind him.

"I brought her," he said.

"Chlo told me she's never had a birthday party. I just wanted her to see one."

"You invited half the world. One more won't hurt, right?"

I kept my voice flat.

"Oh. But I don't like her. So can she leave?"

Chloe cried louder.

"Laney, I know you've always looked down on me"

Chapter 2

"but is it my fault my family's broke? Broke people don't get birthdays?"

"If you think I don't deserve the necklace Jules gave me, fine. I'll take it off right now and hand it to you."

Julian's hand shot out and stopped her.

His eyes settled on me, dark and full of disappointment.

"Delaney. When did you get like this?"

"If you're really going to throw Chlo out, then I'm leaving too. And I'll never throw you another birthday again. Think hard about that."

"Oh. Then you can get out too."

The whole room froze.

They all knew how long I'd been crazy about Julian. Nobody expected me to toss him out right along with her.

Off to the side, my best friend Dakota gave me a quiet thumbs-up.

Julian went still, staring at me like he couldn't believe it.

Then he pulled in a breath and softened his voice.

"Laney. We're not even together yet, and you're already this jealous over nothing. What happens down the line?"

I shrugged.

"Nothing happens. We just won't be together. Now can you get out?"

My voice didn't move an inch.

A few people couldn't help laughing.

Julian's face went dark.

In the end he just took Chloe's hand and ground out,

"Fine. Delaney. Don't come crying to me later."

Then he walked out without looking back.

[Oh my god, our girl's so dumb. She's literally handing the two of them alone time.]

[I can't. One little pout would've fixed this and she had to go make it complicated.]

[Right? If I had a boyfriend that tall, that hot, that put-together, I'd have him wrapped around my finger.]

[And the ML's only strict with her because he sees her as his future wife. The other girl's just a classmate. That's why he lets her slide.]

So that was it.

Guess I made the right call, not being with Julian. Better deal to just be a classmate, apparently.

The comments were all down bad. I wasn't.

The second a relationship starts feeling one-sided, cutting my losses is the last call I make.

No matter what I already put into it.

That night, we ate, we drank, we kept the party going.

After everyone left, I told my parents I'd committed to Whitfield.

They'd stayed upstairs all evening to give us space, so they had no idea Julian and I had fought.

When they heard Whitfield, they lit up. It was close to home. They'd get to see me all the time.

"And Jules?" my mom asked. "Is he going to Whitfield with you?"

Just hearing Julian's name, my eyes stung before I could stop them.

I'd wanted him for years. Of course it hurt.

But I knew this.

Julian could give away my favorite necklace today. Tomorrow he'd give away everything else that mattered to me.

That feeling

I never wanted to feel it twice.

So I just sniffed, and smiled.

"What does it matter what he does?"

"Whitfield's program was always the better fit for me anyway. I'm not torching my own future for a guy. My future's worth a lot more than any man."

My parents looked at each other and smiled, proud.

And right then, the comments drifted by, slow.

[Don't celebrate yet, our girl. The ML's got plot armor. Just waitshe'll come crawling back in tears, begging him to take her back.]

[Sitting here for the fall. A guy like Julian? He sweet-talks her a little and she folds. How many days can she even last?]

Chapter 3

My dad reached over and ruffled my hair. "That's my girl. Always thinking ahead."

"Whatever you want to do, your mom and I are behind you."

That night, I washed up and climbed into bed.

The comments were still on me for embarrassing Julian earlier.

From the way they talked, I pieced it together: my whole life was supposed to orbit Julian.

Chloe, the scheming other girl, would keep stirring things up. He'd keep misreading me. Keep hurting me.

And then, once he finally saw through her and came crawling backthe whole grovel arcI was supposed to be the bigger person and forgive him.

Even someone who hated my guts would've felt vindicated watching that.

[Can't our girl just tough it out a little longer? The ML gets so good later on.]

[Right? Huge wedding, and then she gets to stay home, keep house, raise his kids, never grind at a job again. Total billionaire-and-trophy-wife goals.]

Not once did anyone ask if that was what I wanted.

I graduated top of my class too. I had my own interests. My own life.

Romance was one small slice of it. That was all.

If being with Julian meant torching everything else, I'd drop him without blinking.

The next morning, I woke up to a text from Julian.

One line.

[Ready to admit you were wrong?]

[Aaah, the ML's giving her an out! Take it, girl, take itbefore it's gone!]

[See? Love makes even the top dog bow. He tossed and turned all night and caved by morning.]

[Just text him two wordsmiss youand he'll be at your door in minutes. Guaranteed.]

And I did text him back. Two words.

[Dumbass.]

Then I deleted his number and blocked him.

That afternoon, Dakota and I met up for lunch.

The second we walked in, I spotted Brandon, our old class president.

He was there with a few people from school and waved us over.

We pushed open the door to the private roomand there was Chloe, sitting right inside.

Things got awkward, fast.

For Brandon's sake, Dakota and I sat down anyway. Figured we'd slip out in a bit.

[Code red. The other girl's about to pull something.]

[I'm begging the author to just kill her off. I only want the ML and FL being cute.]

[This is our girl's own fault. If she'd just talk nicely to him, the other girl wouldn't have room for all these games.]

Sure enough, I'd barely finished reading when Chloe came toward me, a glass of red wine in her hand.

"Laney, whether or not last night was my fault, I want to apologize. I really hope you'll forgive me."

Then she actually bowed to me. The whole picture of sincerity.

A couple of people who'd missed last night leaned in for the story. Once they heard it, their eyes went wide, like they'd been handed the best gossip of the year.

"But I don't think you should've treated Jules like that."

"He was really upset after you kicked him out."

"But he still took me to another restaurant to cheer me up. Bought me my favorite cotton candy. Drove me home."

"A guy as good as Jules doesn't deserve to be treated the way you treated him."

I watched her work herself up, all righteous, and I had nothing.

"And how is any of this your business?"

"I couldn't care less what you two do. You don't need to sit here reporting it to me point by point."

Chapter 4

When I didn't blow up, something flickered across Chloe's face. Surprise.

Fair enough. The old me would've been screaming at her by now.

But now? I was just bored of her.

Chloe kept going.

"I know you're mad that Jules gave me the necklace. But you two aren't even together, remember? Don't you think you're being kind of possessive?"

"Is Jules not allowed a single girl as a friend for the rest of his life?"

The second she said it, the way everyone in the room looked at me shifted.

I actually laughed. "Chloe, you're reaching. I don't have the slightest interest in Julian anymore."

"He can be with whoever he wants. Nothing to do with me."

I stood up to go.

But the second I was on my feet, her fingers went slack around the glass.

The whole glass of red splashed across my white dress. Perfect aim.

"OhI'm so sorry! I didn't mean to."

Quick apology. Not a trace of it in her eyes.

Right then the door opened, and Julian walked in.

[Ugh, the other girl so obviously did that on purpose.]

[Oh no, worst possible timing. The ML heard what she said from the doorway and he's still fuming.]

[Girl, don't just stand therecry like the other girl does! Tell him you didn't mean it and he'll make it right for you.]

[Exactly. One soft look from our girl and none of the other girl's tricks even matter.]

I had two hands and two feet. Why would I need Julian to settle anything for me?

My own scores, I settle myself.

I pulled up a Venmo request and held the screen out to Chloe.

"Pay up."

Chloe just gaped at me. It took her a while to get the words out.

"Howhow much?"

"Six hundred."

"Butbut I don't have that kind of money."

She slid right back into the helpless-damsel routine, eyes shining, turning to Julian.

"You know how it is. My family doesn't have much."

Dakota opened her mouth to lay into her. I held her back.

I looked at Chloe, calm.

"So? Would Ms. Vance rather I call the cops right now, or would you prefer to just get served for small claims?"

The color drained out of her face. She cried harderand this time, for once, some of it actually looked real.

Julian had crossed the room. He didn't look at Chloe. He looked at me, his eyes dropping to the stain on my dress.

"You're not hurt?"

I didn't answer.

He sighed. "Just let this go. I'll buy you a nicer one in a few days."

A pause. Then, "You know Chlo can't afford it."

I just looked at him. And all at once, the guy in front of me felt like a stranger.

The Julian I grew up withthe one who found out someone was picking on me and crouched in the bushes for two hours just to catch them and set it right

that boy was gone. Now the thing he said to me most was, let it go.

Like all of it was just mine to swallow.

I didn't look at him again.

The room had gone dead quiet. Every eye on me, on the stillness of my hand.

I reached over and picked up a glass of red wine.

And threw it straight in Chloe's face