- 2.
Jake quickly arranged my transfer.
The whole school knew I was leaving.
As I packed my things, people whispered.
“No way, Jake’s really kicking Sarah out for
Mia? I thought they were childhood
sweethearts?”
“Yeah, ‘childhood sweethearts can’t beat the
one who comes after.‘ Jake used to be so
good to Sarah. Ever since Mia showed up, he
hasn’t walked home with Sarah once.”
“Such a shame. Sarah’s grades are so good,
she had a shot at Harvard or Yale.
Transferring now will really hurt her chances.”
“I heard she’s going to Northwood. That place
L
is known for being a troublemaker’s den. If
Sarah goes there, all her hard work will be
ruined.”
Under everyone’s sympathetic gazes, I carried
my things and prepared to leave.
As I walked to the stairwell, I overheard Jake’s
best friend trying to talk to him.
“You know Sarah has a hearing impairment,
right? Do you think she’ll be okay at another
school alone? Won’t she get bullied?”
“You guys grew up together, you used to like
her so much. Can you really bear to send her
away?”
Jake leaned against the wall and chuckled.
“What’s there to not bear? That was then.
‘First love can’t beat the one who comes
after,‘ haven’t you heard?”
“Besides, I’ll have her back in three months.”
He seemed to sense something and looked
L
- up.
He saw me standing at the top of the stairs.
His gaze fell on my slightly swollen ear, and
he frowned.
He instinctively stepped forward and took my
hand.
“Come on, I’ll take you to get a new hearing
aid.”
“Consider it my apology.”
I shook my head.
“No need. That hearing aid was a gift from
you anyway.”
“Now we’re even.”
The moment he broke my hearing aid, the
stinging in my ear made me decide I didn’t
want anything to do with him anymore.
