trix

enough, she'd let me

tood there, staring at four pairs of shoes.

you come aro

r. What was I s

o go," I s

oved for

yan step

er why. It was the only gap

had before. I refused to look back,

to be

not to thin

ian, took one look at my face and slid his phone acros

ed Mum'

th ring, and I knew she'd

supposed to

alk to you ab

len

n a

this a

nsfer anywhere. I'll do

people would cry over. You're not throwin

said so

To walk into a room and wonder who was looking at you,

not about th

ountered. "How many schools did we have to move

Mu

to explain that this

ded I was something they

er voice rising. "All you ever do is ru

came out almo

he said. "And go to

t my chest, that old feeling creeping up again. The

that never stayed interested in someone like me for long. If I

usin said, hold

return to his desk. rather sa

don't want to b

rked so hard to get i

me a know

re the day my admission came through. It

en my dream. I had worked for it, sacrificed for it, and im

es never seemed t

d me that I was still the same girl who

see it, right? No one talks to me. And when they d

idn't i

of myself and look more like the other girl

llowing the lu

lk to. The only person who never made me fe

hing," I whispered.

mmm

ack, studying

ow what

oked

ecome someone people would like that you've for

ow how to re

is being harsh right now, there's a

oked

ze for a moment

er. Their opinions are only i

ough he could physically

e says something you don't like,

lp but let out

not tha

s. I'm just saying you shouldn't let people who don

down at

ul Elite School of Business. You worked your ass off to get here. Don

led fa

he wa

out how everyone else saw me that I'd forgo

just stared at him, le

nced at his ph

eally need you to

ed. "Ser

oor. "I can't have my supervisor come in a

t I was already on my feet, picking up my

u later,

e him a small smi

eul was that everyth

everything in between. And when the last lectu

chance they'd get near me. I was sure of it. T

eating that l

d sat through my lecture. Then lunch came, and I fo

sat down right next

God,

nk it before Cruz dropped

he said, unwrapp

fingers tightened around my spoon before I set it down and stared at my

to meals. Were they reall

eating alone

d, to put on a smile.

ke he underst

you eat wi

No

ck, startled, and the whole hall went silent. I knew they were all

le popped, and the no

arty,"

re the resemblance ended. He looked like he'd just come off

said, his voice low. "You should

did someth

poon, because looking

eminded myself. H

rd slipped

Ok