Chapter 10
The auditorium erupted as students stared at Aurelia’s photo in complete shock.
“Holy fucking shit, I know that program! They only take thirty people from the entire country each year. You need perfect academics AND pass insane physical tests. Only the absolute elite get in.”
“Wait, so is Aurelia volunteering or going to college? I’m so confused right now.”
“Obviously she’s already at school, you idiot! Mr. Miller wouldn’t put up a fake photo. The government doesn’t screw around with classified programs.”
Luigi stood frozen in place, his world tilting off its axis as conversations exploded around him.
When the hell had Aurelia applied to New Mexico Tech? Why hadn’t she said a single word to him?
Then white-hot rage started coursing through his veins like poison.
Not only had Aurelia completely blindsided him with this-she’d just fucking disappeared without explanation.
All this time he’d been beating himself up with guilt, planning to wait for her while she retook the SATs, and she’d already moved on to some elite
overnment program without giving him a second thought.
The realization that he’d been agonizing over how to apologize while she was already gone made him feel like the biggest idiot alive.
uigi shoved through the crowd, his jaw clenched so tight it hurt, and cornered Mr. Miller after his speech.
When did Aurelia get into New Mexico Tech? How the fuck did nobody know about this?”
Mr. Miller’s eyebrows shot up at Luigi’s aggressive tone, but he answered calmly. “You know Aurelia-she’s never liked attention. We kept it onfidential at her specific request.”
He tried to put a friendly hand on Luigi’s shoulder, but Luigi jerked away. “This graduating class has been truly exceptional. Not only do we have Aurelia in that prestigious program, but our overall college acceptance rate is-”
Did she say anything before she left?” Luigi interrupted, his voice cracking with desperation. “Any messages? Did she mention… anyone?”
He hated how pathetic he sounded, but he needed to know if Aurelia had thought about him at all before vanishing from his life.
Mr. Miller looked confused by the intensity. “No, son. She handled everything very quietly and professionally.”
Nothing. She’d left him absolutely nothing.
Luigi felt like he was suffocating, his chest tight with a mixture of rage and something that felt dangerously close to heartbreak.
Nearby, Rosalia was facing her own nightmare as students closed in on her like vultures.
‘Rosalia, were you so insanely jealous of your sister that you straight-up lied about her failing?” sneered Jessica Martinez, who’d always despised Rosalia’s princess act.
“Maybe you’re the one who didn’t get into college and will be asking if people want fries with that!” added another girl, and the group erupted in vicious laughter.
“I always thought you two were close, but damn-this is some serious fake sister energy right here.”
“Shut the fuck up!” Rosalia’s careful mask finally cracked, her voice shrill with panic. “You don’t know what you’re talking about!”
But even to her own ears, she sounded weak and desperate.
Her parents rushed over, looking bewildered and increasingly suspicious. “Rosalia, is what Mr. Miller said actually true? You told us Aurelia bombed her tests and was running away to do charity work.”
Chapter 10
They might not understand the intricacies of college admissions, but the students’ reactions made it crystal clear-Aurelia had achieved something extraordinary.
Rosalia’s stomach dropped as she realized her lie was crumbling in real time. It was humiliating enough having classmates call her out, but having her own parents question her felt like a knife twisting in her gut.
She dug her nails into her palms until they drew blood, then switched to her practiced victim voice.
“Mom, Dad, I swear I had no idea! Aurelia got these amazing scores but didn’t tell us anything. The second results came out, she just disappeared to school. It’s like… it’s like she doesn’t even consider us family anymore!”
Her voice broke convincingly as she continued, “And New Mexico is thousands of miles away! She left without even saying goodbye. Maybe she really does want to cut us out of her life completely.”
At first her parents had just felt proud that Aurelia’s success would reflect well on their family name.
But Rosalia’s words ignited something ugly in them-a sense of betrayal and wounded pride.
How dare Aurelia make them look like fools? How dare she achieve something incredible and not even tell them?
Mr. Cooper’s face went red as he furiously dialed Aurelia’s number, only to be sent straight to a disconnected message.
‘Ungrateful little bitch!” Mrs. Cooper’s voice was venomous. “The second she gets a taste of success, she abandons the people who raised her. We
hould have known she’d turn into a selfish snake!”
tosalia put on her most loving, innocent expression. “Mom, please don’t upset yourself. Even if Aurelia doesn’t want us anymore, you’ll always have ne. I’d never abandon you.”
hrough her peripheral vision, she spotted Luigi standing alone by the exit, looking like his world had just imploded.
‘erfect.
fter collecting her own mediocre acceptance letter, she sent her parents home and made her way toward Luigi with predatory focus.
uigi was staring at his phone like it had personally betrayed him, hitting Aurelia’s number over and over only to get the same automated message.
inally, he opened their text thread to send one more desperate message, then froze as he scrolled through weeks of unanswered texts.
he hadn’t responded to him in over two weeks. Not once.
[e’d convinced himself she was just angry, that she needed space to cool off.
ut she hadn’t been angry at all-she’d already been planning her escape.
he realization hit him like a sledgehammer: while he’d been obsessing over her, she’d been moving on without him.
Chapter 11
