After senior year exams, my online boyfriend suggested we finally meet in person. I replied nervously, "I'm afraid you'll be disappointed when you see me..." After all, my grades were average, and my looks were nothing special. I didn't feel like a match for Christopher Maxwell, the school's star athlete and academic ace. But he sent a voice message, a soft chuckle in my ear. "Silly girl, I've had a pretty good idea who you are all along." "Just you wait. Tomorrow, I've got a surprise for you." I spent the entire night a bundle of nerves and secret delight, rushing to our agreed-upon meeting spot first thing the next morning. Only to find him, surrounded by cheering students and smiling teachers, all eyes on him, Declaring his love to my family's housekeeper's daughter. 1 "Get together! Get together! Get together!" Students cheered, circling the two of them. Even the teachers were all smiles, clearly thrilled for them. Finally, Sophia Reed smiled, her lips pressed together, as she accepted the roses and diamond bracelet Christopher held out. "Thank you, Chris." She looked up into Christopher's smiling eyes. "I accept." Instantly, the crowd erupted, swirling around the pair. He was the sole heir to one of Fairhaven's most prominent families, the school's golden boy, a living legend. She was a small-town girl from humble beginnings, yet the top student, the pure and sweet campus darling. A real-life prince and Cinderella story. It was impossibly romantic. Only I stood apart, unremarkable. Even though I'd carefully dressed up today just for Christopher, the most I got was a passing classmate's casual remark: "Hey, Audrey, that dress looks pretty good on you today." They complimented the dress, not me. Two other classmates quickly pulled her away. "Why are you even talking to her?" "Wearing that on a day like this... she’s probably doing it on purpose." "It's pathetic, honestly. Miss Audrey Finch, trying her absolute hardest to compete with her own housekeeper's daughter, and still losing every single time. If I were her parents, I'd be furious." "Forget her. Look! Chris and Sophia are holding hands!" "Wow, this is truly a love story for the ages! I heard Chris secretly crushed on Sophia for a whole year, waiting until after exams to confess. I'm so jealous." "You guys are just finding out? I noticed ages ago. Whenever Sophia went to the campus grove to study or fed the stray cats outside the dorms, I’d see Chris hiding in the shadows, secretly watching her." "Really? That’s so sweet! See? Being from a good family doesn’t mean anything. Chris's taste isn’t that shallow." "Exactly. Some people, like a total weirdo, deliberately walk past Chris's class every other day, or go to the track to watch him play ball... and still can't get his attention." They glanced at me as they spoke. I clutched the hem of my skirt, lowered my head, and turned to leave. All the words I'd prepared for Christopher remained stuck in my throat. It seemed I had simply misunderstood. All year, Christopher had been my online boyfriend, listening to me, helping me vent my frustrations, even tutoring me to improve my grades, all because... He'd mistaken me for Sophia. 2 Today was graduation. After we took our class photo, Liam, the class president, suggested a dinner party. "Thanks to Sophia, Chris is footing the bill for our class tonight!" Immediately, applause erupted. Sophia blushed, accepting everyone's congratulations and envy. She then walked over to me, her voice soft and hesitant. "Audrey, you'll come to dinner tonight, won't you?" "Since the exam results came out, you haven't spoken to me. I don't know what I did to upset you. But Chris and I are heading to Northwood University in two months, and who knows when we'll see each other again." "Would you... be willing to make up with me?" The class fell silent. Everyone watched me, their gazes hard to read. I gathered my things and stood up. "You all go have fun. I won't be joining." With that, I turned and walked out of the classroom. Behind me, low whispers began again. "Seriously, what's her deal?" "The top student is practically begging her to make up, what's she playing at?" "Total princess syndrome, I guess. Thinks her family's money makes her special, always picking on Sophia." I quickened my pace, practically fleeing. It wasn't until I reached the school gates that I squatted down, hugging my knees tightly. On my phone, Christopher's chat was still pinned at the top of my messaging app. His profile picture was a little orange cat I'd drawn for him myself. The same stray I always fed outside the dorms. He'd told me I had real artistic talent, that I was the best artist he'd ever seen. He'd even asked me: When we officially get together, will you draw us a pair of matching profile pictures? I actually had them ready. I'd planned to send them to him today. But now... I gritted my teeth, found the hand-drawn avatars in my gallery, and along with his contact, hit the delete button. I'd just pretend those beautiful three hundred-plus days were nothing but a teenage dream. The dream was over. Everything was back to how it was. 3 When I arrived home, Mom was on the phone in the living room. "Sophia, have you decided between Northwood and Eastbrook yet?" "Excellent, excellent. When school starts, I'll send someone to drive you and your mother there for orientation." "Don't be silly, you're practically family. You're so brilliant, I'd love nothing more than to adopt you as my goddaughter." Only after she hung up did Mom look up, her gaze chilling as she swept over me. She snorted. "You actually have the nerve to come back." "I hired elite tutors for you for an entire year, spent hundreds of thousands on tuition alone! And what did you get? Eight points above the minimum admission score, a full eighty points lower than Sophia." "How much worry have I endured for you all these years? And you? You're heartless, going out dressed so provocatively. You might not be ashamed, but I am!" Maria Reed, Sophia's mother, emerged from the kitchen. Seeing Mom lash out at me again, she smiled gently, trying to soothe her. "Please don't be angry, Mrs. Finch. Perhaps Miss Audrey simply isn't cut out for academics." "You could try finding other talents she has. I think Miss Audrey is quite good at drawing; maybe she could go to art school." Mom's face, however, darkened further. "The prestigious Finch family of Fairhaven, spending hundreds of thousands just to produce an art student?" "If that got out, how would I ever hold my head high again?" She finished, glaring fiercely at me. "What are you staring at? Get upstairs and study! Whether you like it or not, you're taking that prep course!" I silently went upstairs and closed my bedroom door. My chest felt numb. I seemed to be growing immune to Mom's words. Her tenderness towards Sophia, she used to show me that, too. But... Ever since she found out Dad was seeing someone else three years ago, she'd changed. Dad was cunning, though; she still hadn't managed to figure out who the other woman was. Only once, when Dad was drunk, did I hear him mumble: "Don't worry, your daughter is my daughter too..." That's how Mom learned the other woman also had a daughter. From that day on, Mom often said to me: "Audrey, you have to work hard, understand?" "You are a legitimate Finch daughter. You absolutely cannot be outdone by that outsider." "From today on, besides piano, dance, and chess, you also need to bring up your academic grades. Get to first in class, first in the grade, first in the whole city!" "Otherwise, your mother and I will truly have no hope left." I was young then, not fully understanding what was happening between Mom and Dad. But for Mom's expectations, I gritted my teeth and gave it my all. Initially, after Mom poured money into my tutoring, my grades did improve significantly. Until two years ago, when Sophia and her mother came to live with us. 4 Maria Reed was the housekeeper Mom had carefully chosen. But Maria had been divorced years ago, raising her daughter alone. To ensure she could focus on caring for my daily needs, Mom invited Sophia to live with us as well. "That girl is your age, but her grades are much better than yours." "From now on, you'll study with her. Ask her if you don't understand something." Mom even allowed Sophia to sit in on my elite tutoring sessions. But whenever the tutor explained problems to me, Sophia would always chime in, looking troubled: "Teacher, I already know all these problems. Can you teach us something else?" "Our time is so precious. I can just help Audrey with these basic concepts later." "Teacher, I think English and literature rely more on daily accumulation; we can just memorize more on our own. Could you teach us some math and physics competition problems?" No teacher dislikes a student who is bright, grasps things quickly, and excels academically. So, the one-on-one sessions, originally tailored for me, gradually shifted their focus to Sophia. I tried to voice my concerns to Mom. But Mom looked at me, exasperated. "Audrey, what is wrong with you?" "Why is it that Sophia learns these problems instantly, but you don't?" "Are you even paying attention in class?" To make me focus on studying, Mom confiscated all my toys and pretty clothes, banning me from all recreational activities. She even gave away my Ragdoll kitten. Gradually, my daily life, apart from eating and sleeping, consisted only of studying, doing problems, and reviewing. I even swallowed my pride and asked Sophia for help with problems. But she would just scribble down an answer, then tell me earnestly, "Audrey, there are no shortcuts to learning." "If you don't understand, just practice more. As long as you try hard, you'll eventually get it." And so, my grades never significantly improved. Mom's outbursts of anger towards me became more frequent. Finally, during the summer between junior and senior year, I developed severe academic burnout. When Mom found out, she slapped me hard. "Worthless! I spent so much money, just for you to give up on yourself?!" "Sophia came from a small-town school and she's doing so well. And you? Where have all your years of schooling gone?" "If it weren't for you, I would have divorced your father ages ago. Why would I stay here and suffer so much?" In an emotional breakdown, I posted an anonymous confessional on the school forum. Why do I try so hard and still can't do well, still can't satisfy Mom? I don't deserve to be Mom's daughter. Would Mom be free if I just died? Christopher appeared then. Just as I posted it and hid under my covers, silently crying, He sent me his first private message: What problems don't you understand? Send them to me. 5 His appearance was like a ray of light in my darkness. At first, I didn't know the person tutoring me every night was him. It wasn't until one time when a teacher projected his exemplary essay on the board that I recognized his handwriting. In that moment, I was overwhelmed. After all, he was known throughout school as the elusive golden boy. But online, he would joke with me. Silly girl, I’ve explained this problem to you twice already. If you still don’t get it a third time, I’m going to have to punish you. I blushed on my end of the phone, asking him how he planned to punish me. On his end, he was typing for a long time before sending a voice message. His voice was deep and mellow: "It's a secret for now. I'll punish you when we meet." Ambiguous feelings, like paint unexpectedly dripping into water, Spread and colored my entire senior year. But facing him, I couldn't help but feel insecure. After all, Mom always said I wasn't smart enough. And not as pretty as Sophia. A wildflower from the countryside could shine so brightly, While I, a hothouse flower, failed to impress anyone. Because of this, I didn't dare reveal my identity. Yet I couldn't resist sharing little snippets of my daily life with him. For example: Today during lunch break, I went to the campus grove to study vocabulary again, but I accidentally fell asleep. ? His tone was a bit stern: Could you be any more careless? What if you ran into trouble? Or: I came online late today because I met up with a good friend. Oh really? A boy or a girl? He even added a warning emoji. I couldn't help but smile at my screen, sending him a picture of me feeding sausages to the little orange cat. It's the kitten from outside our dorms. He was silent for a long time, then sent a message. Very pretty. ? Your hands, they're very pretty. I secretly delighted in this, and we made a date: after exams, I'd let him hold my hand. But I never expected that when that day finally came, The hand he affectionately held, Was someone else's.
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