Before the College Application Deadline My Boyfriend Unplugged My Mouse Chapter 05

Before the College Application Deadline My Boyfriend Unplugged My Mouse Chapter 05

The security footage began fifteen minutes before the deadline.

I was sitting in the third row of the computer lab, looking down as I reviewed my application.

Hailey stood outside the door.

She did not come in right away. Instead, she stared through the glass at my screen for a long time.

She even stepped closer to make sure the red NOT SUBMITTED banner was still showing on my screen.

Then she glanced down at her phone.

When she looked up again, her eyes were already full of tears.

A second later, she rushed into the computer lab and headed straight for Nolan.

The office was deathly silent.

I looked at Hailey.

“You saw it.”

Her face was bloodless, and her lips were trembling violently.

“I didn’t.”

The college counselor’s voice turned cold.

“The footage is perfectly clear.”

Hailey suddenly burst into tears.

“I only wanted Nolan to double-check my application. I really didn’t think Natalie would run out of time!”

“So you knew I hadn’t submitted mine?” I asked.

Her sobbing stopped for a moment.

I asked again, “And you knew there were only ten minutes left?”

She twisted the hem of her shirt in her fists.

“I was panicking.”

I gave a small laugh.

“Hailey, you weren’t panicking.”

“You timed it.”

Nolan stood beside her, growing paler by the second.

I turned to him.

“Are you still going to tell me she didn’t do it on purpose?”

His throat seemed to close up.

After a long silence, he said quietly, “The footage proves she saw your screen. It doesn’t prove she meant to

sabotage you.”

My heart sank.

Even Hailey stared at him, as if she had not expected him to defend her after everything we had just seen.

I looked at Nolan and suddenly felt completely calm.

“You’re unbelievable.”

His eyes turned red.

“Natalie, I’m not making excuses for her. I just think-”

“You think what?”

I moved closer, one step at a time.

“Because you felt sorry for her?”

“Because she was crying?”

“Because I had better grades and parents who looked out for me, you thought I should be the one to sacrifice my future for her?”

Nolan’s lips turned pale.

“No.”

“Then what was it?”

He could not answer.

I turned to the college counselor.

“Can I get a copy of this footage?”

She nodded.

“Yes, but all of you should have your parents come in first.”

The parents arrived quickly after being contacted.

My parents, Nolan’s parents, and Hailey’s mother all sat in the counselor’s office.

The moment Mrs. Dawson walked in, she began crying and grabbed my mother’s hand.

“Mrs. Wells, the girls are close. Hailey couldn’t have done this intentionally.”

“Her father has barely been in her life. She has always been timid and panics whenever something goes wrong. Please don’t be too hard on her.”

My mother slowly pulled her hand away.

“My daughter is the one who lost her chance to submit her application.”

Mrs. Dawson fell silent.

My mother looked at Hailey.

“If she’s so timid, how did she manage to stand there for so long, staring at the NOT SUBMITTED banner on my daughter’s screen?”

Hailey shook with sobs.

“Mrs. Wells, I’m sorry. I really didn’t mean any harm.”

My mother gave a humorless laugh.

“Someone who means no harm doesn’t choose the most important moment of another person’s life to cause

trouble.”

Mrs. Carter’s expression had grown grim.

She turned to Nolan.

“Did you take Natalie’s mouse?”

Nolan lowered his head.

“Yes.”

“She told you she hadn’t submitted her application yet. Did you hear her?”

He said nothing.

My heart gave a small jolt.

Everyone in the office turned toward him.

Nolan’s fingers slowly curled into fists.

After a long time, he answered hoarsely.

“Yes. I heard her.”