My Childhood Sweetheart Cheered as The Transfer Damsel Ruined My Future — Idiot, She Ruined YOURS! Chapter 01

My Childhood Sweetheart Cheered as The Transfer Damsel Ruined My Future — Idiot, She Ruined YOURS! Chapter 01

Five minutes before the application deadline, Katie called. The girl on full financial aid.

“Hailey, oops-I accidentally changed your college application,”

she said. Voice all shaky.

“My bad! It’s like… some community college now? I didn’t mean to!”

On her end, Austin was with her at a bar. I could hear him laughing with everyone else.

He got on the phone.

“She didn’t mean it. Got confused with the system. Repeat senior year-problem solved.”

Just like that. He hung up.

One minute left on the portal. I called him back. Three times.

He finally picked up, pissed.

“Jesus, Hailey. Katie’s family is BROKE. Her scores sucked. She just wanted you to go with her. Can’t you be

UNDERSTANDING for once?”

Someone shouted in the background, laughing.

“Right? Rich girl can slum it for a year. Stop being so UPTIGHT.”

“Your parents are loaded-worst case, they’ll just donate a building somewhere.”

The system closed.

That trash application locked in forever.

I set my phone down. Ice cold.

Austin forgot what Katie said on the call.

That she swiped the account info from my backpack.

Thing is-I never kept MY login there.

Only thing in there was a slip of paper Austin gave me. Asked me to help register alumni contacts. His exam ID. His password.

HIS information.

Let’s see how generous you feel when it’s YOUR acceptance letter, Austin.

Half an hour later, the class group chat EXPLODED.

Katie posted some long-ass essay. Three screens worth.

“Hailey, I’m so sorry. I really didn’t mean it. Blame me for being stupid.”

She said it was her first time on the application system and she panicked.

Her hand slipped. That’s how she changed my first choice from MIT to Riverside Community College.

At the end, she attached a selfie. Eyes all red.

“My family’s so poor I barely know how to use a computer. I just wanted to help Hailey check if the system was

working right.”

“If Hailey hates me for this and wants me dead, I get it.”

“Who am I kidding? Someone like me-from the poor side of town-doesn’t deserve to touch you rich kids’ stuff

anyway.”

The group went INSANE.

“Katie, don’t cry! It was an accident-not your fault!”

“Poor people matter too, Hailey. You can’t just BULLY her like this. You trying to drive her to suicide?”

Before I could type anything, Austin’s name popped up.

“Hailey, stop playing dead in the chat.”

“It already happened. Katie apologized. What more do you WANT? Want her to get on her knees?”

Katie immediately replied. “Austin, don’t go off on her. It’s my fault.”

Austin completely lost it.

“You’re too NICE, Katie! That’s why she treats you like DIRT!”

“Hailey! Your family has MONEY-repeating one year is NOTHING!”

“Katie’s different! Her family can barely afford her brother’s shoes! She can’t handle this kind of pressure!”

I stared at my phone screen.

My nails dug into my palm. I felt nothing.

This was the childhood friend who’d protected me for eighteen years.

When I broke my arm as a kid, he carried me on his back for two blocks. Running and crying. Said he’d fight anyone

who hurt me.

Now, for Katie-a transfer student who’d been here less than six months-

He just threw away everything I worked for in high school.

Someone tagged me in the group.

“Princess, say something.”

Katie sent a voice message. Voice all soft and sweet.

“Everyone, stop blaming Hailey. She has every right to hate me. Austin’s been helping me with math tutoring lately. She probably got the wrong idea.”

The group went silent for two seconds. Then the gossip emojis flooded in,

“Ohhh, she’s JEALOUS.”

“No wonder she won’t let the application thing go.”

I opened Austin’s private chat.

“Austin, you sure you want me to let this slide?”

He replied instantly. Tone all self-righteous.

“What else? You gonna call the COPS on her? Hailey, when did you become so VICIOUS?”

I bit my lip and typed my final message.

“If YOUR application had been changed today, could you be this generous?”