The Night He Forged My Signature, I Confirmed My Exchange Spot Chapter 02

The Night He Forged My Signature, I Confirmed My Exchange Spot Chapter 02

Ten minutes later, he sent back a voice memo.

“Don’t panic. Just don’t confirm anything yet. I’ll explain tomorrow.”

His tone was still that same steady, managing calm.

Like everything should run on his schedule.

I typed: [Explain now.]

The bubble appeared and disappeared a few times.

Finally, a single line came through.

[Bethany, don’t make this harder right now. Megan needs this opportunity more than you do.]

I laughed, quiet and sharp.

The porch light flickered on and off.

I crouched down, pulled that old hoodie back out of the suitcase, and ran my thumb over the faded marker on the cuff.

The name was still there, smudged but legible.

I rubbed at it. It didn’t budge.

The verification code arrived just then.

I was about to hit confirm when Nathan’s next message popped up.

[I’ll lay everything out between us tomorrow at the banquet. In front of everyone.]

At the senior awards dinner, Nathan slid a gift box across the table toward me.

A few classmates whistled. “Whoa, Holloway, you didn’t even celebrate with Bethany on results night, and now you’re showing up with presents?”

Nathan sat close beside me, fingertips nudging the lid open. “Had some urgent stuff come up last night. Bethany knows how to prioritize.”

I looked at the box but didn’t reach for it.

Megan sat on his other side, eyes red-rimmed, her white cardigan cuffs twisted in her fists.

Someone asked, “Megan, you did well too, right? Why the long face?”

She dropped her voice. “I’m just scared about adjusting overseas. Nathan said he’d come with me for the first year.”

The table went quiet.

Eyes drifted toward me. “Bethany, didn’t you also apply for that exchange program?”

Nathan answered for me before I could open my mouth. “She decided to stay local for undergrad. More stable that way.”

I turned to him. “I decided?”

His brow creased just slightly, but his voice stayed calm. “Bethany, don’t make a scene in front of the faculty.”

Our teacher awkwardly lifted her coffee cup. “It’s good for young people to plan ahead. You two can work it out together.”

Megan immediately shrank. “I’m sorry—it’s all because of me. Maybe I just shouldn’t go.”

Nathan rested his hand on the back of her chair. “That’s not on you.”

Then he looked at me. “You have a better shot at scholarship money here. Megan only has this one window.”

I watched his hand.

That hand had texted me less than twenty-four hours ago saying he’d set things straight.

Apparently, “setting things straight” meant making decisions for me.

“So that was your explanation?” I asked. “Last night’s promise?”

Nathan opened the box. Inside was a charcoal gray scarf.

“Ashton City gets cold. I was going to get you one anyway, but since you’re staying, you can use it here.”

Megan leaned in. “Nathan, is mine the same color?”

He paused. “Yours is in the car.”

Someone at the table giggled. “Matching scarves? Or just prepping for Megan?”

Nathan’s face cooled. “Don’t start. She’s not well.”

I reached out and touched the scarf.

The tag was still on.

Inside the size label, a small receipt slipped out.

Two identical scarves. One engraved “N.” One engraved “M.”

No “B.”

I placed the receipt back in the box. “This isn’t for me.”

Nathan barely glanced at it. “Store clerk screwed up. Don’t get hung up on a letter.”

Megan bit her lip. “Bethany, don’t misunderstand—M could stand for you too. ‘M’ for Megan? No wait, I mean—”

I didn’t answer.

The yearbook photographer raised his camera. “Group photo time! Nathan in the middle, both top scorers flanking him.”

I started to stand, but Nathan’s hand pressed down on my wrist.

Not hard, but enough to hold me in place.

“Bethany, go stand by the teachers instead. Megan’s been crying—don’t make her take the edge spot.”