My Childhood Sweetheart Cheered as The Transfer Damsel Ruined My Future — Idiot, She Ruined YOURS! Chapter 08

My Childhood Sweetheart Cheered as The Transfer Damsel Ruined My Future — Idiot, She Ruined YOURS! Chapter 08

“Hailey, don’t leave. I still have things to say.”

I walked out of the auditorium holding my admission letter. Austin chased after me.

His face bore slap marks, his shirt wrinkled from his dad yanking him around-completely wrecked.

I stopped. “Say it.”

“I was just confused earlier. I didn’t NOT believe you. I just-”

“Just wanted to believe Katie more.”

His face went pale. “No. She was too good at playing victim. Said she was her family’s only hope. Said she couldn’t afford food. Said you had everything handed to you. I just thought-what’s the harm in you giving a little?”

“So I deserved it?”

“Not deserved. I was just USED TO IT. You’ve always been stronger than me, smarter, needed less help. Katie was different. One tear and I felt like she’d break.”

I looked at him, finding those words incredibly cheap.

“Austin, I hurt too.”

His eyes reddened instantly.

“I know now. Hailey, I GET it now. Help me just once. Please.”

“Help you with what?”

He spoke urgently. “Go tell MIT admissions. Prove I’m also a victim. If they’re willing to make a special admission, or hold my spot-”

“Austin, even now you’re coming to me for YOURSELF.”

“I just want my FUTURE back!”

“When you two were ruining MY life, you told me to suck it up.’

“I can apologize. Post a clarification in the group. Let everyone know I was wrong.”

“When Katie spread rumors that I threw everything away for some guy, why didn’t you ask ME first?”

His lips trembled. “I was jealous, okay? She said you were into someone else and I just-I SNAPPED. I thought you were done with me.”

“You don’t GET to be jealous.”

He suddenly went quiet.

We’d had something going before.

Everyone assumed we were together-our families, our friends.

But we never made it official.

Then Katie transferred in.

She’d hover by Austin’s desk with her homework.

“Austin, can you help me?”

When I won awards, she’d say “Hailey’s so smart-not like me, I just work hard.”

When Austin brought me breakfast, she’d say “You guys even get fancy food delivered-I used to grab whatever was

cheapest.”

Every single time, Austin would frown at me.

“Hailey, stop making her feel bad.”

I tried explaining back then. He said I was being sensitive.

I wasn’t sensitive. He just liked being needed.

Austin’s voice dropped.

“Hailey, we’ve known each other forever. You can’t really let me end up at some community college.”

“What’s wrong with community college?”

He choked.

“Didn’t you tell me to go experience life? Now you can experience it yourself.”

Austin’s face turned ugly. “Do you have to be this CRUEL?”

“You should’ve asked yourself that yesterday.”

Mr. Hayes approached from behind, voice cold.

“Hailey, ignore him. What happened today-Austin wronged you. I’ll make sure he publicly apologizes and cooperates with the police investigation.”

Austin panicked. “Dad, you CAN’T just abandon me!”

His father finally looked at him.

“I raised you for eighteen years. Raised you into someone who can’t tell right from wrong. From now on, deal with the consequences yourself.”

Austin stood there frozen.

I turned to leave. He suddenly grabbed my wrist.

“Hailey, don’t do this! I REGRET it!”

I pulled away.

“Too late.”

“Austin, we were done the second you hung up on me.”