Chapter 2
Madison froze, then realized her makeup had run.
“I…” she started.
But Ethan frowned, cutting her off.
“What’s with the makeup all of a sudden? Trying to be like everyone else?”
Madison was taken aback. She glanced at her reflection in a nearby window and understood, her makeup was a smeared, blurry mess, completely obscuring her real features.
Because her ‘ugly‘ disguise was designed to look like a plain, makeup–free face, Ethan naturally assumed she had applied heavy makeup to look prettier, and it had now melted.
Madison gave a bitter smile. Truth was, she had never intended to hide her true appearance from
Ethan.
Shortly after they started dating, she had even removed her makeup and asked Ethan to meet, planning to tell him the truth. But Ethan hadn’t shown up. Thinking back now… that was the day Chloe happened to post on social media, saying she had a cold.
A dull ache settled in Madison’s chest. Just then, Sarah, the RA from her dorm’s duty rotation, happened to walk by.
Seeing Ethan, she sounded surprised, “Ethan? I thought you’d be halfway across campus by now. Don’t worry, I checked on Chloe like you asked. She’s settled in fine.”
Madison stiffened. Her gaze fell on the dripping wet umbrella in Ethan’s hand, and she finally understood, He had just brought Chloe back.
“Ethan,” she finally spoke, her voice barely a whisper. “Do you like me?”
After all, other people’s words were just that. She wanted to hear the answer directly from him.
To her surprise, Ethan seemed momentarily thrown by her question, then he laughed.
“Madison,” his tone was as casual and indifferent as ever, “does it matter? You like me. Isn’t that
enough?”
It felt like she’d been dumped into a frozen lake. A bone–deep chill shot through her veins, leaving
her utterly numb.
He had agreed to be with her because she liked him. Because she liked him, even if he didn’t feel the same, her affection was already a great privilege in his eyes.
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Madison was so angry she almost laughed. “Ethan,” she heard her own voice as if from a great distance, “let’s break up.‘
The smile finally froze on Ethan’s face for a split second. “What did you say?”
Without a word or a second glance, she turned and vanished up the stairs. Under the cover of darkness, her shattered composure fell to pieces; she cried until her head throbbed and the pillow
was soaked.
When morning came, she pieced herself back together with foundation and grit, presenting a perfect mask to the world as she walked into the exam hall on lead–heavy limbs.
When the exam finally ended and the bell rang, everyone started pouring out of the classroom. Suddenly, someone exclaimed, “What the…?!”
Madison walked over and saw a row of men kneeling right outside the classroom door. She recognized them, they were the same group who had kidnapped her and locked her in the warehouse a few days prior.
She’d later found out they were also spoiled rich kids from Northwood who had lost a street race to Ethan and took their frustration out on her. But now, these usually arrogant young masters were all on their knees, not daring to make a sound. Ethan stood before them, a cigarette dangling from his
lips.
Seeing Madison come out, he bent down and patted her head with a smile. “Got your payback for you,” he said in a coaxing tone, like talking to a child. “So don’t be mad anymore, okay?”
Finally, Madison understood. “Ethan,” she felt it was absurd, “you think I broke up with you because you didn’t get revenge for me?”
Ethan raised an eyebrow. “Then why else?”
Madison suddenly found herself at a loss for words. She remembered how Ethan had furiously beaten that man by the lake yesterday.
And then she remembered being locked in the warehouse all night, nearly passing out from hypothermia, waking up in the hospital to find Ethan sitting by her bed, playing a game on his
phone.
When she woke up, he’d looked up unhurriedly, smiled lightly, and said, “You’re awake? Hold on, let me finish this round.” What angered her was never about revenge or not. It was the stark contrast in Ethan’s concern, or lack thereof.
A coldness spread through her heart. Before she could speak, one of Ethan’s friends spoke up, unable to stand it any longer. “Madison,” they grumbled, “don’t be so ungrateful. Ethan went
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through the trouble of teaching these guys a lesson for you, and you’re still putting on airs?“.
Even some of Madison’s own classmates chimed in. “Yeah, Madison, with Ethan’s status, you hitting the jackpot just by him noticing you! Stop playing hard to get.”
Madison finally lifted her head and looked at everyone. “What do you mean?” she asked calmly.
“Just because I’m not as good–looking as Ethan, not from as wealthy a family, I don’t even deserve to ask for an equal relationship?”
Everyone fell silent. Then they heard Madison continue, enunciating each word clearly.
“If that’s the kind of relationship this is, then I don’t want it.”
With those words, she turned to leave. A muscle in Ethan’s temple twitched, and he instinctively
reached out to grab her. But just then, Screech!
A sharp sound of a chair scraping against the floor echoed. Everyone turned and saw Chloe Grant, who had been sitting in the last row, stand up.
“The exams are over today,” she said with a smile. “Let’s all go to the bar around the corner to
celebrate. Drinks are on me. And… Ethan.”
She looked up at Ethan, her smile radiant. “Thank you for helping me yesterday. Please bring your
friends along too.”
The group arrived at the bar next to campus. Madison felt she couldn’t very well refuse, After all, whatever was between her and Ethan, Chloe hadn’t done anything wrong. She didn’t want to make
things awkward for the other girl.
The party slid into the familiar rhythm of drinking games. Someone produced a deck of cards for a round of Truth or Dare, losers either had to answer an embarrassing question, perform a dare, or
take a shot.
Madison was distracted the whole time, until Jake Miller, the captain of the intramural basketball team, lost a round and drew a dare card. He read it aloud with a grin, “Dare, You have to kiss someone wearing white… for a full minute!”
A wave of laughter and whoops swept through the group. Everyone’s eyes immediately swept the room. The only two people wearing white were Madison and Chloe.
Jake’s grin widened. He glanced back at the card. “Oh, but there’s a footnote,” he announced, playing up the drama. “Says here if there’s more than one option, the choice goes to… the person on my left.”
Everyone looked and realized the person sitting to Jake’s left was, coincidentally, Ethan.
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Ethan’s friends immediately started egging him on.
“Whoa, fate’s decided this! Ethan, you choose. Should Chloe or Madison kiss Jake?”
“Ground rules, everyone plays fair! Whoever gets chosen, Chloe or Madison, has to go along with it! And Ethan, make your choice, don’t be a buzzkill!”
Amid the rowdy chaos, Chloe’s face had already turned pale. Ethan, for once, wasn’t smiling. His usually playful expression was grim. The people around them sensed the tension and gradually quieted down.
But then Ethan suddenly let out a soft laugh. He looked up, his manner casual and offhand.
“Then… Madison.”
