I Studied With the Last-Ranked Boy… Then Came in Second Chapter 08

I Studied With the Last-Ranked Boy… Then Came in Second Chapter 08

The next morning, when I found everything inside my desk, I didn’t even look at it.

I quietly returned every single item to Adrian’s desk.

At breakfast, when Declan and I walked to the cafeteria, Adrian trailed us.

He tried to wedge himself into our conversation, forcing small talk.

“Elena. How far did you get with your practice problems today?”

“I’ve got an internal copy of next week’s competition mock exam. I can—”

Before he could finish, I simply picked up my pace.

Declan walked beside me, and together we left Adrian standing alone behind us.

Sienna gradually began to realize something was wrong.

Adrian, who used to only have eyes for her, no longer saw her at all.

When she brought him questions she couldn’t solve, he brushed her off coldly.

“Figure it out yourself.”

“I’m busy. Ask someone else.”

“If you can’t even solve the basics, there’s nothing for me to explain.”

But the moment I furrowed my brow at a problem, his head would turn toward me.

Before long, everyone in class noticed.

Adrian regretted everything. And he was desperately trying to win me back.

Some classmates even asked me,

“Adrian’s better than Declan in every way. You’re really not going to forgive him?”

I smiled and shook my head.

“It’s too late. Everything he’s doing now doesn’t mean anything to me anymore.”

That afternoon after school, almost everyone had already left.

Adrian blocked the back door of the classroom. Stopping both Declan and me.

The setting sun shone across his shoulders, washing away the confidence he’d always carried.

He looked straight at me. His eyes were bloodshot. More serious than I’d ever seen before.

“Elena. I’m apologizing sincerely.”

“I shouldn’t have called you stupid. I shouldn’t have accused you of cheating.”

“Do you remember what I said? I told you that if you passed math, we’d be together. Let’s date!”

“My words were harsh. But I only wanted to motivate you.”

His voice was low. Almost begging.

Beside me, Declan quietly raised his eyes.

He didn’t interrupt. He simply stood there. Silently giving me all the support I needed.

I looked at Adrian. The boy I’d liked for years. The one who made me hate myself.

Now he was here, head bowed, full of regret.

But my heart remained perfectly calm. I felt nothing.

I slowly shook my head.

“No.”

“Adrian, you can’t take back hurtful words.”

“I came to you with problems, and you called me stupid, told me to leave.”

“I stayed up all night to improve, and your first reaction wasn’t to recognize it—it was to accuse me of cheating.”

“You never believed in me. Not once.”

I let out a dry laugh.

“I really liked you. I made myself small for you. But I’m done.”

“I don’t need your apology. And I don’t want to start over.”

I said it all. Everything I’d buried.

“Before, I pushed my way into your world. I won’t do that anymore. You and Sienna were always perfect for each other. So please leave me and Declan alone.”

Adrian went pale. His hands shook.

He tried to speak again.

But I’d already stepped past him. Declan fell into step beside me.

The evening breeze brushed across my face.

For the first time in a long time, I felt completely free.