After being the "backup girlfriend" to the school’s notorious bad boy for a year, I still didn't get promoted to the main role. He chose the "good girl" instead. Over the phone, he dragged out his words, his tone dripping with mockery: "Sorry, Luna. Compared to Chloe, you're just too cheap." Everyone bet I would throw a tantrum. Or maybe go full psycho, get jealous, and tear the good girl apart. But I just said, "Oh." I hung up and continued booking my flight for studying abroad. No one knew the truth: I only got close to Jax to hide from a creepy stalker who had been obsessing over me. Graduation was here. The act was over. But later, Jax flew through a dozen countries just to corner me at an airport, eyes red and desperate. "Luna, were you just using me as a tool from the very beginning?" 1 It was pouring rain on graduation day. Jax invited me to a party, but I didn't go. So, they decided to livestream it just for me. Everyone was there on camera. When they heard I wasn't coming, the mood shifted. "Wait, wasn't today the day he picks between her and Chloe? I was waiting for the drama. What's up with Luna?" "Probably realized Jax would never pick her. She’s probably crying in a bathroom somewhere." "LMAO. The simp finally realized she’s unworthy. I knew she’d crack." For the past year, my desperate pursuit of Jax had been the school’s favorite joke. The camera zoomed in on Jax’s face. He looked bored. Sitting next to him was Chloe, the quintessential "good girl" everyone thought was perfect for him. Jax grabbed her chin. "Since Luna forfeited, you're my girlfriend now. The only one who gets to kiss me." The room erupted in cheers. Chloe’s face turned bright red. She looked down, acting shy, whispering, "Stop it." Jax leaned in to kiss her, but someone interrupted. "Luna isn't ugly though. Why didn't you pick her, Jax?" "Yeah, I remember you walked her home a bunch of times. Bought her Christmas gifts too." "But she was so desperate. She practically begged for it, right, Jax?" Jax paused. Then he scoffed. "Obviously." Chloe, ears still burning, pouted. "Exactly. And Luna looks so... needy. Who knows how many guys she's been with? She’s probably not even clean." After she said that, everyone laughed. "Maybe I'll chase her next week. See if I can hit it. She’s hot enough. You mind, Jax?" Jax took a sip of his drink, unbothered. "Why would I mind?" His gaze drifted toward the camera lens. After a few seconds of silence, he picked up his phone and dialed. "Hello, Luna." The moment I picked up, the mocking laughter pierced my eardrums. "Gotta say it to her face for it to count." "Yo, put it on speaker! I wanna hear if she cries loud." "Hahaha, bet. Let me record this." I didn't say anything. I just heard Jax’s lazy, drawling voice. Every word was precise. "Luna, look. It's like this." "It's a shame, really. But you're just too cheap. Too easy. I like girls like Chloe. Innocent." "So..." "Oh," I said. I cut him off. Before he could continue, I hung up. 2 I was standing by the window, booking a flight for two days later. After hanging up, I confirmed the time and arrival airport. I stared at the ticket confirmation and exhaled deeply. I watched the livestream. Notifications kept popping up on my phone from classmates. It was hard to ignore. Jax was the school’s untouchable bad boy. When he played basketball, the way his muscles flexed made every girl squeal. They admired him but feared him. No one dared to approach him. Except me. Starting senior year, I "shamelessly" began chasing Jax. I waited for him after school, intercepted him at the gate. By the third week, Jax finally acknowledged my existence. Right after me, the second pursuer appeared: Chloe. Obviously, Jax preferred her type. I ran three blocks to buy Jax his favorite sports drink. He took one sip. Chloe bought a random water from the vending machine. She handed it to him, blushing. He put it on his desk and stared at it all afternoon like it was gold. I waited two hours at the basketball court for Jax. Chloe already had his number. She walked over with him, giggling every step of the way. When she saw me, she covered her mouth. "Jax, is that the girl everyone says is harassing you?" Jax looked at me. That was the first time he looked me in the eye and spoke to me. "Her? She’s not half as cute as you." But even then, I didn't give up. After three months of effort, I finally secured the position of Jax’s "Backup Girlfriend." "Whenever you need me, I’ll do anything. I won't cling to you. It's all one-sided on my part." I kept my head down, standing in front of him. He raised an eyebrow, his gaze a mix of amusement and disgust. "Really? Are you that desperate?" I still didn't look up. I clenched my teeth. "Yes. All I want is to be around you more." Jax scoffed. "Interesting." He walked away. But luckily, after that, everyone knew about my ambiguous relationship with Jax. He’d walk with Chloe, then call me to bring them food. Sometimes when he played ball alone, he’d call me to fetch the rebounds. Classmates couldn't figure out who he actually liked. When asked, Jax smiled openly. "I don't date. They both know that." So I was a backup. Chloe was too. The only difference was that Jax promised Chloe a "status" after graduation. The rumor spread that it was a choice between me and her. Without any suspense, I was destined to be the punchline. But honestly? I never took it seriously. A notification popped up: Jax’s official Instagram post. He tagged me specifically. The photo was a side profile of him kissing Chloe. I didn't look closely. I just noticed a familiar name in the stream of "Congrats" comments. Seth: [Congrats] I grimaced, a mix of disgust and lingering fear. I should thank Jax. If not for his terrifying reputation, I don't know how many times that creepy stalker Seth would have tried something. 3 Back in the private room. After the call ended, Jax hadn't spoken a word. People were whispering. "What did Luna say? Did you hear?" "She just said 'Oh'." "No way. Seriously? No reaction? She used to run miles for him. She’d go for night runs at 2 AM if he called. How could she not care?" "I bet the shock was too big. She’s probably stunned." At the table, people were toasting Jax and Chloe. Jax zoned out several times. He just smirked and gave noncommittal answers, scrolling through his phone. He refreshed his feed. No comment from Luna. No message. Jax’s eyes darkened. Nobody understood Luna like he did. He knew that her tone just now was flat. Emotionless. Like she heard news that had nothing to do with her. But why? Usually, she’d be ecstatic just to see him. Why did she hang up first? Suddenly, Chloe’s best friend stood up, pouring wine indignantly. "Ideally, you guys should have been together ages ago. It’s all because of someone who loves being the third wheel, ruining the vibe. So cheap. Right, Chloe?" Chloe bit her lip shyly. She nodded. "I can't blame her. Even though Jax liked me back then, she probably thought she had a chance." "Well, I don't care. She better not cling to Jax anymore. Can we beat her up first before blocking her?" Chloe giggled. "Violence is too mean! Jax just needs to block her." She turned to grab Jax’s phone. But her hand was pinned down. "What are you doing?" Jax stared at her, eyes cold. Chloe froze. She’d seen Jax angry before; it was never pretty. She swallowed her words. "N-nothing..." Her eyes turned red, tears welling up. Jax acted like he didn't see it. He stood up. "You guys have fun. I'm leaving." He grabbed his jacket and walked out. Chloe sat there, stunned. Outside, Jax stared at his phone for a long time. He looked up at the moon, took a deep breath, and opened the chat with Luna. [Usually you're desperate to stick to me. Are you dead today?] [Just because I'm official doesn't mean we can't be friends. Don't be too sad. Come out, I'll comfort you. You have 30 minutes.] 4 I slept for 14 hours straight at home. Graduation meant no more classes, exams, or studying. I felt like my soul left my body the moment I hit the mattress. When I woke up, it was dusk. My dad called to remind me to pack for my trip. "Most importantly, the recommendation letter. Don't lose it." I scrambled up. "Yes, yes, I know." After packing, I checked my phone. Messages flooded the screen. My throat tightened instantly. Unknown number. I recognized Seth immediately. [Can I come to your house tonight?] [Can you leave the window open? Your security guard pulled my arm really hard last time. It hurt for days. But I was happy because you looked at me.] [Jax has a girlfriend now. You shouldn't waste time on him. He won't stop us anymore.] [I heard you're planning to go to NYU, right? I'll rent a place near your dorm.] ... I scrolled down. My jaw clenched uncontrollably. I was shaking. Seth. The most invisible guy in the class next door. The reason I got close to Jax. He noticed me in sophomore year. The scariest part? It wasn't until junior year that I realized someone had been following me for a whole year. He mimicked my habits. He found out my likes. He sent me love letters written during his nightly fantasies about me. My desk was always missing a used eraser, an opened pack of tissues, a half-drunk water bottle. Every time I realized it, I went numb. The moment my instincts screamed the loudest was that one time. I turned around on the street. I saw him. He was rushing toward me, like he was about to pounce. "What are you doing?!" He snapped out of it and smiled, a痴痴 (obsessive/foolish) grin. "Nothing. Just looking at you." Later, he followed me home. He even climbed through my window at night. We called the cops, but he kept following me like a ghost. Then I became Jax’s backup. He backed off for a year, afraid to offend Jax. Now he was back. Luckily, I graduated. I was leaving the country. NYU was just a smokescreen. Thinking about this, I relaxed my tense nerves. I booked a hotel immediately. My flight was in two days. I needed to hide. Unexpectedly, that night, I ran into Jax at a convenience store nearby. And Chloe. He was staring at his phone. Until we bumped into each other. He looked stunned. "Luna?" I ignored him. I turned to leave. But then I saw a familiar shadow in the distance. Standing in the dark, staring unblinkingly at me. Goosebumps exploded all over my body. I spun around and grabbed Jax’s sleeve. "Where are you going? Can I come?" Chloe froze. Her eyes reddened instantly. She gripped Jax’s hand. "Luna, Jax and I are together now. Can you please stop?" "Jax, ignore her! I'm your girlfriend. She can't steal you!" Jax stared at me. He didn't say anything. After two seconds, he scoffed. "Luna, what's with the drama? I said 30 minutes. You forgot, didn't you?" 30 minutes? I was confused. I had heard countdowns like that a million times. "Be here in 30 minutes or you're fired as the backup." "Five minutes. If you're late, I'm blocking you." ... In that moment, fear consumed me. I clung to Jax. Almost begging: "I apologize for being late. Just this last time! Can I stay by your side for a bit?" The next second, Chloe burst into tears, and my hand was forcefully ripped away. Jax looked indifferent, yet amused. He laughed. "Luna, I thought you ignoring my messages meant you had some backbone." "Didn't expect you to be this cheap. Can't live without a man? I look down on you."
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