I Let Them Have Their Romance And Claim The Scholarship Myself

In my previous life, the school's notorious bad boy made a bet that he could conquer the untouchable ice-queen of our high school within a month. He asked me to pass a love letter to her, my childhood best friend. Back then, I had her bright future in mind. I hid the letter, and as a result, they missed out on each other for five whole years. By the time she returned from studying abroad, the bad boy was already married to someone else. She firmly believed my jealousy had ruined her epic romance and torn them apart. She used her newfound power to destroy my family, and I was tortured to death in the freezing snow, my eyes wide open in unmerited agony. In this life, facing the bad boy's request once again, I simply made a hundred photocopies of his love letter and stuffed every single one into her locker. Then, I happily took the elite overseas scholarship for myself. Fine by me. You get your epic, world-shattering romance, and I get the bright, limitless future! 1 Staring at the obnoxious pink envelope Jaxon handed me, a dizzying wave of realization washed over my mind. I had been reborn. The familiar scent of chalk in the classroom, the mundane chatter of teenagers, and the face of the guy standing right in front of me. It all felt like a waking nightmare looping endlessly in my head. I died in the dead of a bitter, unforgiving winter. A group of thugs had laughed like hyenas while stomping my bloodied body into the frozen pavement. My white shirt was stained beyond recognition. Someone had mercilessly dumped a bucket of freezing saltwater over my battered body. The salt seeped into my open wounds, bringing a violent, burning agony that shot through every nerve like high-voltage electricity. The bone-deep pain literally suffocated me. I lay on the ground, groaning in pure torment as crimson blood slowly trickled from the corner of my mouth. That was the exact moment the girl I had always placed on a pedestal walked toward me, her chin raised in absolute arrogance. Her eyes were clouded with a toxic, concentrated hatred, looking at me as if I had slaughtered her entire bloodline. "Arthur, you make me sick! You tore Jaxon and me apart just to satisfy your own twisted, selfish desires. If it weren't for you, we would have been together years ago!" "Didn't you claim to love me? How does it feel to be destroyed by the very person you supposedly loved?" "Do you think your death will earn my forgiveness? No! I will never forgive you!" After venting her twisted fury, Lily turned on her designer heels and walked away without a single backward glance. Watching her retreating figure, my heart had shattered into unrecognizable pieces. I never imagined that a girl so fiercely proud could push me into the abyss all for a piece of trash like Jaxon. Even worse, she genuinely believed I was the villain who ruined her life. Lily and I grew up on the same suburban street. We were childhood friends who constantly competed yet pushed each other to be better. Over time, a quiet, tender affection had bloomed in my chest. In high school, Lily was gorgeous, top of her class, and had an endless line of suitors. I was right there with her, always scoring just a fraction of a point lower, forever trapped in second place. Then Jaxon transferred in. He was the school's rebellious heartthrob, the guy every girl whispered about, while Lily was the untouchable, brilliant ice-queen. One was wild and charismatic, the other cold and beautiful. To everyone else, they were a match made in heaven. That was when Jaxon asked me to pass a love letter to her. Even though I had feelings for Lily, I never actually wanted to sabotage her happiness. But I had personally overheard Jaxon bragging in the locker room, laughing about how he just wanted to mess around with her and see what it felt like to corrupt the perfect straight-A student. Plus, Lily was on the verge of accepting a prestigious scholarship to study in Europe. To protect her, I chose to hide Jaxon's letter. I never expected them to miss each other for five years. When she finally returned, Jaxon was already married. Lily decided my possessive jealousy was the culprit. Utilizing the wealth and connections she built overseas, she hired people to humiliate and beat me, watching coldly as I froze to death. Even my parents, the kind neighbors who had watched her grow up and invited her over for the holidays, were killed in a staged car accident orchestrated by her. Thinking of all this, the blood in my veins ran ice cold. Since they were so madly in love, why shouldn't I play the perfect wingman? I carefully took the letter from Jaxon. Just to be absolutely certain it wouldn't get lost, I went to the library, printed a hundred copies, and crammed every single one into Lily's locker. This time, there was no way they could miss each other. Let's see if their true love could actually survive reality. After doing my good deed for the day, I sat down and furiously powered through two advanced placement mock exams. The affection I held for Lily in my past life wasn't even pure love. It was just the natural admiration you feel for someone brilliant, mixed with a healthy dose of teenage rivalry. Yet my innocent crush became her definitive proof of my "toxic jealousy" and ultimately signed my death warrant. Now, I was totally done with that fruitless, one-sided infatuation. I was going to focus entirely on myself. I would never let blind emotion dictate my choices again, nor would I ever beg for someone's affection. I finally understood a universal truth. You only get to dictate your own life when you are strong enough to stand alone. 2 It didn't take long for the entire school to buzz with the news of Jaxon and Lily's insanely romantic rooftop confession. This time, they were officially a couple. Watching Lily lean into Jaxon's chest, giggling softly and acting completely unlike the fiercely ambitious girl I knew, felt surreal. It made me think of the pathetic version of myself from the past. The guy who practically handed her his beating heart on a silver platter. The idiot who would run across town at midnight just because she texted, "I'm craving ice cream." The fool who buried his favorite jacket at the bottom of the closet just because she once casually mentioned the color was ugly. But all that pathetic behavior evaporated the second I opened my eyes to this second chance. I gave the happy couple one brief, indifferent glance before diving back into my textbooks. Over the next few months, the gossip mill never stopped churning. Lily started skipping classes for Jaxon. She threw him lavish surprise parties, got into screaming matches with other girls over him, and even followed him to sketchy underground clubs to get matching tattoos. Her signature composed, icy demeanor was entirely gone, replaced by a frantic, uncontrollable euphoria. She was drowning in teenage rebellion, entirely forgetting the promises she made to herself about conquering the academic world. Natural talent only gets you so far. The consequences of blowing off school eventually caught up with her. Her grades plummeted, and she shockingly dropped out of the top fifty in our grade. Jaxon knew I used to have a crush on her. He purposely walked up to my desk, draping an arm around Lily, and smirked. "You two used to hang out all the time. Never felt a spark for the boy next door?" Lily scoffed, rolling her eyes in disgust. "Arthur? He's so rigid and boring. Who would ever like him?" Jaxon laughed out loud, grabbing her waist and pulling her into a messy, aggressive kiss right in front of the whole class. The other students gasped, their faces turning red as they awkwardly looked away. I didn't even blink at the two clowns performing their little circus act. I just flipped the page of my calculus workbook. My relentless grind paid off immensely. In the final statewide mock exams, I absolutely shattered my previous plateau. I successfully turned the tables and claimed the undisputed number one spot. Even better, the school counselor called me in and told me that the coveted full-ride scholarship for a joint program in London was going to be awarded to me. He patted my shoulder, telling me to keep up the stellar work and make the school proud. In my past life, that golden ticket belonged to Lily. Now, the gears of fate had shifted, and the reward for unwavering dedication belonged to me. With the overseas offer secured, I didn't even need to take the final SATs, but I didn't slack off. Instead, I studied harder than ever, devouring college-level material and expanding my horizons. As for Lily, she was rapidly fading into the background of my life. 3 I didn't hear Lily's name again until I went to drop off some paperwork at the counselor's office. Fierce arguments and heavy sighs echoed from behind the partially open door. "Lily, what is going on with you? Ever since you started dating, your grades have completely tanked. If you keep this up, forget about the Ivy League, you'll be lucky to get into a local community college!" Her parents were sitting on the couch, looking utterly defeated. "Honey, you're still young. Your main focus right now needs to be your education." The counselor tried a softer approach. "Lily, you're standing at a major crossroads. One wrong turn right now can derail your entire future, do you understand? We're adults, we've seen this happen. If you really want to date, you can do it in college." Lily lifted her chin, her eyes blazing with stubborn defiance. "You all keep saying it's for my own good, but you just want to control me! You want to mold me into your perfect little trophy to satisfy your own egos! Jaxon showed me what actually matters in life. I'm happy right now. Is it a crime to want to live my own life? You guys just don't get it!" Her parents were left speechless, their faces twisting in genuine agony. "Sweetheart, how could you say that? We've poured everything we have into you for years. Not for our egos, but so you wouldn't have to struggle later in life." Lily crossed her arms and sneered. "Stop acting like saints. I know the truth. You talk a big game, but you're just terrified I'll embarrass you! Jaxon isn't the deadbeat you all think he is. He has his own dreams, and he treats me like a queen. I would give up everything for him!" Without waiting for a response, Lily spun on her heel and stormed out, slamming the door. She froze for a split second when she saw me standing in the hallway, but then she aggressively looked away and brushed past me. Standing there, processing the absolute circus I had just witnessed, a wave of complicated emotions hit me. So this was how Lily had viewed things all along. Right then, I felt a deep pang of pity for her parents. They had poured every ounce of love and every dime they had into her, never denying her anything. Yet their unconditional devotion was twisted into "toxic control" in her eyes. I let out a breath, walked into the office, and handed the papers to the counselor. "Sir, here are the forms you needed." He took them, rubbing his temples in exhaustion. "Great, just leave them on the desk." I put them down and turned to leave. "Hold on, Arthur!" he called out. I stopped and looked back. The counselor hesitated for a moment before speaking softly. "Whatever you just heard in here, keep it to yourself, alright?" I nodded calmly. "Understood." Stepping out of the building, the crisp air filled my lungs. Lily's path and mine had officially split into two parallel lines that would never intersect again. She could walk her tightrope, and I would walk my solid bridge. We were destined to become strangers. I buried myself in my work, shutting out the noise of the world. Finally, the day of my departure arrived. Friends and family threw a lively farewell dinner. Lily's parents came to see me off too, though their smiles were incredibly strained. "Congratulations, Arthur. Make sure you keep in touch when you're in Europe. If only our Lily could have been more like you..." The sudden blare of the airport boarding announcement drowned out the rest of their sentence. I politely said my goodbyes and hurried toward the gate. I felt bad for how much they were suffering, but it simply wasn't my problem anymore. The moment the plane's wheels left the tarmac, I knew my life was about to transform in ways I couldn't even imagine. Living abroad, I pushed myself to the absolute limit. I practically lived in the university library. The grind paid off, and I graduated with a prestigious dual degree, top of my cohort. My old high school friends had also gotten into solid universities back in the States, and we kept in touch through group chats. Every now and then, a piece of news about Lily would filter through. Because of her obsessive romance, she bombed her SATs and barely scraped into a no-name state college. Her parents were heartbroken and tried every desperate tactic to break them up. Naturally, this only fueled Lily's rebellious fire. She packed her bags and ran away from home to move in with Jaxon. One of the girls from our old class quietly mentioned in the chat that she had spotted Lily at a free women's clinic. She said Lily looked sickly, exhausted, and had lost a frightening amount of weight. I read the message and felt absolutely nothing. A hopeless romantic like Lily, as long as she stayed tethered to Jaxon, would always worship at the altar of love while letting her actual life burn to the ground. 4 The next time I saw Lily in person was at our five-year high school reunion back in the States. Everyone had changed so much, eagerly swapping stories about frat parties, college finals, and corporate grind. "Arthur, man, I read your latest paper in that journal! Absolute genius!" "Isn't your mentor some legendary professor? I saw a picture of you two in an article. Makes us all look good having a celebrity in the group!" "I literally brag to my coworkers that I went to school with you. You're like a mythical creature to them." I sat at the table, offering polite and humble replies, enjoying the warm atmosphere. Everything was perfect until someone nervously piped up and asked the golden question. "Hey, Lily. Are you and Jaxon still together?" The loud chatter in the room instantly died. Every single pair of eyes darted toward the girl sitting quietly in the corner. Lily looked nothing like the radiant prom queen she used to be. She was wearing heavy, expensive-looking makeup, but it couldn't hide the deep exhaustion etched into her features. There was a rough, cynical edge to her that hadn't been there before. She forced a tight smile, her tone unnervingly flat. "Oh, we broke up a while ago." A collective murmur of shock rippled through the room. The legendary rebel and the ice-queen, the couple that practically demanded the spotlight, had crashed and burned. Back in the day, their contrasting dynamic was thrilling. But once they were stripped of the high school bubble and the halo of good grades, reality hit hard. There was nothing charming about their differences anymore. After ruining her college prospects, Lily had followed Jaxon to a mediocre city. Desperate to reclaim her lost glory, she tried to completely isolate herself and focus on studying to prove everyone wrong. By doing so, she ended up ignoring her beloved bad boy. Jaxon might have stopped getting into fistfights, but a leopard doesn't change its spots. His wandering eye and charismatic smile drew a lot of attention in the real world. His most persistent admirer turned out to be a wealthy older woman, a literal sugar mama who was beautiful and thrilled to throw cash at him. Jaxon got hooked on the easy money and luxury cars. He grew increasingly irritated with Lily, who had lost her sparkling charm and was always stressed about exams. Eventually, he dumped her and moved into the rich woman's penthouse. The betrayal broke Lily. She spiraled into a deep depression for months. Eventually, she clawed her way back to reality and tried to finish her degree. But her desperate, frantic need for instant success led to burnout. She graduated with mediocre grades and ended up in a mind-numbing, entry-level corporate job. Jaxon, just like in my past life, ended up marrying a well-off woman, and rumor had it they were living a comfortable, happy life. After briefly gossiping about the drama, the classmates smoothly changed the subject, losing interest. In my previous life, Lily had gone to Europe, networked with the elite, and returned as a high-powered investment banker with a massive net worth. People at the reunion had practically tripped over themselves trying to compliment her and kiss her feet. But now? She was just another exhausted office drone. No one wanted to waste their breath on her. Watching the scene unfold, a heavy sigh escaped my lips. The visceral memory of what Lily had done to me for Jaxon's sake still echoed in the back of my mind. Yet it was wild to realize that one tiny decision of mine to deliver those letters had fundamentally rewritten her entire existence. But honestly? Who cares. I had my own brilliant life and a future to build. I didn't have to live in her shadow anymore, nor did I have to look over my shoulder constantly, fearing she would murder me. I was untouchable now. To me, Lily Mercer was nothing more than an insignificant speck of dust in the grand scheme of my life. 5 I genuinely thought that after the reunion, my path would be entirely wiped clean of Lily. Our parents were technically still neighbors, but Lily hadn't returned home since the day she ran away. Her parents had spent years crying behind closed doors, gradually pulling away from the neighborhood social scene. Then, one evening, while I was casually reviewing an academic journal on my couch, my phone buzzed. It was an unknown number. When I answered, Lily's heavily slurred voice leaked through the speaker. "Hey, is this Arthur? It's Lily. Can you... can you come pick me up? My head is killing me." "Sorry, I'm busy. I can call your parents for you," I replied coldly. "No!" she shrieked, the sudden volume piercing my ear. "They don't want me anymore. Please, Arthur, I'm begging you. Just for old time's sake, we grew up together." I massaged my temples, feeling a headache coming on. My instinct was to hang up, but I figured it would be better to drive over and permanently shut this down face-to-face to avoid future harassment. So, I grabbed my keys. I found her slouched outside a dingy dive bar downtown. Apparently, her corporate firm had just done a massive round of layoffs, and she had been given the axe. Looking at her now, there was zero trace of the arrogant girl I used to know. Her mascara was smeared down her cheeks, and she reeked of cheap tequila and stale smoke. When she saw me, her eyes immediately welled up. She weakly raised a half-empty glass she had smuggled out and let out a pathetic laugh. "Arthur. If I hadn't dated Jaxon, do you think... do you think things would have been different?" Her eyes were swimming with raw regret and desperation, like a lost child asking for a lifeline. I didn't offer her an ounce of comfort. I just stood under the flickering neon sign, staring at her with eyes as cold as ice. Seeing my blank reaction, she just kept rambling. "I regret it. God, I regret it so much. If only I hadn't let some stupid teenage romance ruin my brain. I didn't know I would end up like this! Why didn't the counselor or my parents try harder to stop me? Maybe if they had just dragged me out of there, I wouldn't be sitting in this gutter." "You know what? I'm so incredibly jealous of you. You have everything, Arthur. And I... I literally have nothing left." Tears streamed down her messy face, her voice cracking with genuine sorrow. Yet, looking at the sobbing mess in front of me, my heart was a stone. Not a single drop of pity materialized. I stopped myself from turning away, taking one step closer. "You're right," I said, a cruel smirk touching my lips. "Your life is a tragedy. But you absolutely deserve every second of it." Lily froze, the glass slipping from her hand and shattering on the concrete. She stared at me, utterly blindsided. "W-What did you say?" I leaned in, pronouncing every word with crystal clarity. "I said you deserve it, Lily. Even sitting in the dirt, you're still pointing fingers. Everyone tried to save you. They practically begged you to stop, but you plugged your ears and screamed at them. And now you have the nerve to blame them for not trying hard enough? You are an insanely selfish person. You aren't crying over the great romance you lost. You're crying because you threw away the money, the status, and the vanity you think you were owed. That's why you're a failure." "How... how dare you speak to me like that!" Lily's whole body shook with rage. She pointed a trembling finger at my chest. "You did this on purpose, didn't you?! If you had just taken Jaxon's love letter and thrown it away back then, none of this would have happened!" I looked at her delusion, a wave of profound disgust washing over me. "Get a grip on reality, Lily. If I had destroyed that letter, you would have just spent the rest of your life resenting me for sabotaging your epic, star-crossed destiny." I looked down at her one last time, my eyes filled with nothing but contempt. "You and Jaxon. Honestly? You two were made for each other." Without another word, I turned my back on her and walked away into the night, officially cutting the dead weight from my life.