Let Him Stumble While You Climb Chapter 02

Let Him Stumble While You Climb Chapter 02

Mom noticed how distracted I was.

“Vera, the bonfire is tonight. Do you have everything ready?”

I finally snapped out of it.

When I looked at the screen again, the post had been hidden. OP had left only one new message.

OP: [None of you are allowed to ruin my surprise!]

“Is Caleb picking you up?” Mom asked as she bustled around, helping me pack.

I shook my head.

“That’s strange,” she muttered. “You two used to be joined at the hip. How come you started talking less once senior year began? From what I’ve seen, you two should be…”

She let the sentence trail off and asked instead, “Is this about that girl again?”

I said nothing. Mom understood and sighed helplessly.

Caleb had changed ever since he met Vivian, a community college student, during our senior year.

He grew reckless and short-tempered and started treating me like a boring nerd who had no idea how to have fun.

He stopped going to the library with me and started skipping class to see movies with her instead.

One day, on one of Vivian’s whims, the two of them turned the class notes I had made for Caleb into paper airplanes.

Within six months, Caleb’s grades plummeted. His practice SAT score dropped from 1550 to 1200.

In the end, I made Caleb and Vivian stop seeing each other, kept Caleb on a strict study schedule, and tutored him every day. That was how I got him back on track and helped him earn an excellent SAT score.

I had believed that because we were true mates, Vivian was merely a temporary infatuation. Caleb had simply been distracted by the excitement and freedom she seemed to offer.

All I had to do was wait patiently for the right moment to make my move. As true mates, we were naturally drawn to each other, so perhaps we would still have a chance to be together someday.

After the SAT results came out, Caleb threw his score report down in front of me.

“1580. More than enough for an Ivy. Are you happy now? I haven’t spoken to Vivian in three months because of your selfish little dream.”

I stared at him through gathering tears, unable to believe that was what he thought of me.

“Caleb, you don’t seriously think I pushed you to study just so I could force you to attend the same school as me, do you?”

Caleb shrugged.

He did not answer, but the look on his face made his answer obvious.

I was completely crushed. Yes, part of me had wanted us to attend the same school, but I had been far more worried about his future.

After our scores were released, Vivian showed up in a tiny tank top. The moment she saw me standing nearby, disgust crossed her face.

“She’s so obsessed with getting into an Ivy, she’s lost her damn mind.”

Caleb casually slipped an arm around her shoulders and gave me a cold look.

“I already did what you wanted.”

“Is one peaceful summer really too much to ask? Stop clinging to me all the time. I need my own space too.”

With that, he walked away with his arm still around Vivian.

For the next several days, he ignored my calls and texts. He even bailed on the graduation trip I had planned two weeks in advance.

It felt as though Caleb was punishing me for keeping him away from Vivian.

I had only been trying to protect his future, yet somehow I had become the villain who tore them apart.

My wolf was furious.

“Vera, stop wasting your time on him! The more you interfere, the more he’ll resent you.”

Then she snarled, “How did the Moon Goddess stick us with such an ungrateful bastard?”

I murmured a few reassurances to her in my mind, then climbed into the used red sedan Dad had given me as a graduation present.

I did not need Caleb to pick me up.

During the time he had spent ignoring me, I had gotten my driver’s license.