Chapter 4
Mr. Miller looked stunned, staring at me in complete confusion.
“The educational resources out there don’t compare to what you’d get on the East Coast. Why would you suddenly want to go to New Mexico?”
I delivered the line I’d rehearsed all night through gritted teeth. “I want to serve my country.”
The words tasted like ash in my mouth, but they were better than the truth-that I was running away from the biggest mistake of my life.
Mr. Miller seemed impressed but couldn’t help pushing. “This is a massive decision, Aurelia. Don’t you think you should discuss it with your parents
first?”
I shot down his suggestion immediately, my voice harder than I intended.
“I’m eighteen. I can make my own choices. And Mr. Miller? Please keep this between us. I don’t want anyone else knowing yet.”
Seeing I wasn’t budging, Mr. Miller helped me fill out the paperwork and submitted my early admission application.
“Go home and prepare yourself. If everything goes through, you’ll be leaving early next month.”
I thanked him repeatedly before leaving his office, my heart hammering against my ribs.
The second I stepped outside, Luigi was there waiting, looking like he’d been hit by a truck.
“What the fuck did Mr. Miller mean about you leaving? Where are you going?”
I scrambled for an excuse, walking faster. “Nothing. He just meant we’ll all be going to college soon.”
Luigi caught up, his long strides easily matching my pace down the stairs.
“You didn’t text me goodnight last night. Are you pissed at me? Look, I wasn’t trying to ice you out at the party-everyone kept assuming Rosalia and I were together. I was just trying not to make things weird for her.”
He reached to mess with my hair like always, but I jerked away from his touch.
Luigi’s face went blank with shock, and something inside me finally snapped.
“We’re identical twins, Luigi. Did you want her from the start?”
His eyebrows shot up, shaking his head like I’d lost my mind.
“Are you serious right now? If I wanted her, why the hell would I be with you?”
“Aurelia, I’m yours. You’re not trying to bail on me now, are you?”
The air between us was suffocating. I was about to explode when Rosalia’s voice cut through the tension.
“Luigi! You said you’d help me figure out my scores. What’s taking forever?”
Luigi’s entire demeanor shifted instantly. “Coming right now!”
He turned back to me with that same apologetic expression that used to make me melt.
“Babe, I promised to help Rosalia with her college stuff. Don’t overthink it-I’ll help you with yours after, okay?”
And just like that, he was gone.
I stood there watching him walk away, feeling like I was dissolving from the inside out.
The younger students around us watched them disappear together, practically swooning.
14:57
Done Hiding as Your Packava PL
Chapter 4
“God, they’re such a perfect couple!”
‘I heard they’re both applying to Boston University. So romantic!”
‘Wait, are they actually official now?”
‘Totally! My brother was at their graduation party last night-he saw them making out by the pool tables.”
Each word felt like a knife between my ribs, but I forced myself to smile like it was funny instead of devastating.
o after I’d left in humiliation, they’d gotten even cozier.
it least now I knew applying for early admission was the smartest thing I’d ever done.
Ince I was gone, Luigi could stop pretending, and I could stop torturing myself.
headed to my locker to clear out the last of my stuff.
uried at the bottom was a faded notebook where I’d documented every stupid, meaningless moment Luigi and I had shared over two years.
started ripping out pages and shoving them in the trash, my hands shaking with rage. A photo slipped out from between the pages-Luigi in his ockey gear during practice, sweaty and grinning at the camera.
d taken it during one of his games, thinking I was the luckiest girl alive.
What a fucking joke.
bent to pick it up, but one of my classmates was faster.
Wait, aren’t Luigi and Rosalia dating? Aurelia, why do you have his photo?”
Oh my God, the twins really do share everything. Even boyfriends apparently.”
hey started giggling like it was the funniest thing in the world, one of them looking at me with pure disgust.
That’s so gross. Obsessing over your own sister’s boyfriend? Get some self-respect.”
White-hot fury exploded in my chest. I snatched the photo back and glared at them.
Making up stories without proof is called slander. I don’t give a shit about Luigi, and I sure as hell don’t collect garbage.”
a front of everyone watching, I tore the photo into tiny pieces and hurled them out the window.
he fragments fluttered down like snow, landing directly on Luigi as he walked below.
le caught some of the pieces, examined them, then slowly looked up to meet my eyes through the window.
