18:12Ava suddenly spoke
22:18Pour la première fois, Chase's expression changé.
22:21Nina, be honest.
22:24Am I vraiment pas good enough pour toi?
22:26My boyfriend est bien pour moi aussi.
22:28Si je veux quelque chose, je vais demander.
22:30Je ne veux rien.
22:31Ethan Bennett, right?
22:33Je sais qui il est.
22:35Mais je ne suis pas plus pire que lui.
22:36Anything qu'il peut donner, je peux donner aussi.
22:38À première fois, watching Chase regrette tout tout était satisfait.
22:41Maintenant, c'était juste déjeuner.
22:43Je l'ai aimé une fois.
22:44Je l'ai aimé le gars qui était au téléphone avec moi toute la nuit.
22:46The guy who told me he was there when I cried.
22:48The guy who got an entire game lobby to cheer me up when I was upset.
22:52But I couldn't connect that person to the man standing in front of me now.
22:55Now I understood.
22:56Chase only liked what he could see.
22:58A pretty face.
22:59That was it.
23:00I stood up.
23:01I don't like you.
23:04So please stop following me around.
23:07I was done wasting time on Chase Whitmore.
23:09He wasn't worth it.
23:11I nearly rolled my eyes when I saw Chase at the MMA club.
23:14He acted like nothing had happened.
23:16Coincidence, Nina.
23:17And gave me a bright smile.
23:18Chase did not know MMA.
23:20I had dated him for over a year.
23:21I knew he surfed every summer and went skiing every winter.
23:24He had never once mentioned knowing how to fight.
23:26He glanced at my bare feet, then back at me.
23:28Think you can teach me a few moves?
23:30Fine.
23:31If he wanted to get hurt that badly, I could help.
23:33I looked at him calmly.
23:34Chase was exactly as bad as I expected.
23:36The second we started, I swept his leg and sent him stumbling back.
23:40He froze for a second, then smiled and raised his hands again.
23:44Damn.
23:46You're strong.
23:47He clearly thought we were flirting.
23:49With that lazy smile still on his face, he reached for my wrist.
23:52I stepped aside, caught his arm, and twisted.
23:54A second later, his knee slammed into the mat.
23:57Fuck.
23:59He sucked in a breath.
24:00The smile finally disappeared.
24:02I didn't give him time to recover.
24:03The second he tried to stand, I swept his leg again and took him down.
24:07Then I locked my legs around his neck and arm.
24:09Chase's eyes went wide.
24:10The veins at his temple stood out.
24:12For a second, I thought he was finally going to tap.
24:14Then his face slowly turned red.
24:16And he just kept staring at me.
24:18That look in his eyes.
24:19Was he actually enjoying this?
24:21Gross.
24:21I tightened the hold and leaned closer.
24:23Still want another lesson?
24:24A muffled sound came from his throat.
24:26But instead of tapping, he looked even more pleased.
24:29I immediately let go and backed away.
24:31Then I wiped my hands against my shirt.
24:33I felt contaminated.
24:34Chase stayed flat on the mat, breathing hard.
24:36I looked down at him.
24:38Stop following me.
24:39Next time I won't go this easy.
24:41He turned his head and smiled at me.
24:42Nina.
24:44I think I like you even more now.
24:46I stared at him.
24:47What the hell was wrong with this guy?
24:50The late summer rain came down fast.
24:52I stood outside the classroom building, staring at it.
24:54I had forgotten my umbrella.
24:59Suddenly, an umbrella appeared over my head.
25:02No umbrella?
25:03Too bad I only brought one.
25:04But I can walk you back.
25:08I'd rather drown than need your umbrella.
25:11Then I spotted Ethan coming out of another building nearby.
25:14Ethan!
25:21I forgot my umbrella, too.
25:23What do we do?
25:26Then we run.
25:28Okay.
25:29Ethan pulled off his jacket and held it over my head.
25:33took off into the rain without looking at Chase once.
25:37The jacket barely helped.
25:38By the time we reached my dorm, both of us were soaked.
25:41Rain poured around us while students rushed past under umbrellas.
25:48Neither of us moved.
25:52Nina, something I need to tell you.
25:54You go first.
26:00His smile disappeared.
26:02Part of me wanted you to never find out, but I don't want to keep lying to you.
26:05I don't want whatever we have to start with a lie.
26:08You're not gonna mend.
26:09When I didn't look surprised, he froze.
26:12You already knew?
26:12I said nothing.
26:13I just looked at him.
26:15But there's something else.
26:17Nina, this actually wasn't the first time I met you.
26:19Before all of this, before that account, I already knew you.
26:23That caught me off guard.
26:25I would remember a face like Ethan's.
26:28It can't be.
26:30I don't remember you.
26:32He pulled out his phone.
26:35You wouldn't.
26:36I didn't look like this back then.
26:40Ethan.
26:41No way.
26:42He was cookie?
26:45Three years earlier, I had tried to lose weight once before.
26:48Back then, I begged my mom to send me to a weight loss summer camp.
26:51The coaches didn't use our real names.
26:52Everyone had to pick a nickname.
26:54The camp was brutal.
26:55We worked out until our legs shook,
26:56and every meal was some tiny, low-calorie plate that barely counted as food.
27:00I was hungry all the time.
27:02One night, I woke up starving and decided to walk around for a bit.
27:06As I turned the corner near the stairs, I saw someone crouching in the dark.
27:10I almost screamed.
27:10The boy whipped around, his cheeks stuffed completely full of food.
27:14He tried to say something, panicked, and immediately started choking.
27:17I rushed over and slapped his back until he finally popped it out.
27:21His eyes were red when he pressed a finger to his lips.
27:24Don't tell anyone.
27:26I was just really hungry.
27:27The chubby boy was clutching a pack of cookies like his life depended on it.
27:31I stared at the cookies and swallowed.
27:33Where did you get those?
27:34He lowered his voice.
27:35My friend lives nearby.
27:37I told him I was starving, so he threw them over the back fence.
27:41Then he looked at me nervously.
27:42Please don't report me.
27:43I didn't move.
27:44My eyes stayed on the cookie.
27:46After a few seconds, he finally got the message.
27:49He slowly held the package to...
27:51Do you want some?
27:53I grabbed his hand at once.
27:55You're my best friend now.
27:56That was the night I learned his camp nickname was Cookie.
27:59Mine was Pumpkin.
28:01And Cookie apparently took the friendship seriously.
28:03Every time he managed to sneak in food after that, he came looking for me.
28:06We spent the next two months secretly eating together.
28:09The downside was obvious.
28:10Everyone else lost weight.
28:11We barely did.
28:12Then I had to leave camp suddenly.
28:14My grandma was hospitalized, and I had to go home before I even had time to say goodbye.
28:18As I was leaving, Cookie came running after me, sweating and out of breath.
28:21His eyes were red when he shoved a piece of paper into my hand.
28:24My number.
28:26You have to text me when you get home.
28:27The way he said it made us sound like we had just survived prison together.
28:31I laughed and waved goodbye, but I never contacted him.
28:33Grandma got worse fast.
28:35She passed away a few days later.
28:37I stayed at the hospital with my family and completely forgot about the note.
28:40By the time I remembered, my mom had already washed the clothes I wore that day.
28:44The paper was ruined.
28:45I tried going back to the camp later, but it had already shut down, and no one seemed
28:48to know where the staff had gone.
28:50After that, Cookie disappeared from my life.
28:52I regretted it for a long time.
28:54He had been one of the only people who was genuinely nice to me.
28:57The only person who never cared how big I was.
29:00And now, somehow, he was standing right in front of me.
29:04I stared at Ethan.
29:06But how did you turn into this?
29:07Seriously.
29:08How did that chubby kid turn into a model?
29:11Ethan rubbed the back of his neck, looking embarrassed.
29:13After you left, eating alone just wasn't as fun anymore.
29:17I don't know.
29:18I stopped craving food as much.
29:19Then I started playing basketball.
29:21Eventually, I lost the weight.
29:23He paused.
29:24Later, I randomly found that post online.
29:27The guy hadn't covered your U-turn name.
29:28You were still using pumpkin, and your profile picture was that tabby cat you told me about
29:32at camp.
29:33The one with the little white patch on its forehead.
29:35Your age matched too.
29:38So I figured it had to be you.
29:40I didn't want you to get hurt.
29:41And I made a stupid decision.
29:44I messaged him.
29:46He looked at me.
29:47I didn't recognize you when we met either.
29:48I never thought you'd look so...
29:51so pretty.
29:52His eyes dropped.
29:54I'm sorry, Nina.
29:56I shouldn't have lied.
29:58I just didn't know how to tell you.
30:01If you want to break up with me, I'll understand.
30:03I stood there for a moment.
30:04I honestly had no idea what to say.
30:07Then I reached for his hand in the rain.
30:09Break up over what?
30:10I looked at him.
30:10Didn't you say you'd stay with me?
30:12Ethan's eyes lit up.
30:14A second later, he pulled me into his arms.
30:17Yeah.
30:17I will.
30:19I had just walked out of in class when someone called my name.
30:22Nina!
30:23I turned.
30:23Chase stood a few feet away, half hidden in the shadows.
30:26I frowned.
30:26What do you want?
30:28He shoved his hands into his pockets and walked toward me.
30:30You really like him that much?
30:32I rolled my eyes.
30:33He's my boyfriend.
30:34Who else am I supposed to like?
30:36I turned to leave.
30:37Then Chase spoke again.
30:38What if he wasn't the guy you were dating online?
30:40I stopped.
30:40My face went cold.
30:42I turned back slowly.
30:43What do you mean?
30:45Chase stared at me for a long moment.
30:46Then he finally said it.
30:48Nina, I was the guy you dated first.
30:50For that whole year, I was the one talking to you.
30:52I just screwed up.
30:54I found out what you looked like and handed the account over.
30:56His voice got faster.
30:58Ethan's the one who lied to you.
30:59He's been pretending this whole time.
31:01You and I were the real couple.
31:03I looked at him.
31:04I already knew.
31:05Chase froze.
31:07You knew?
31:08Then why are you still with him?
31:09I gave a short laugh.
31:11So what exactly are you trying to tell me?
31:13That you regret it now?
31:15That you like me again?
31:17Yes.
31:17He stepped closer.
31:19I do like you.
31:20I was an idiot before.
31:22I cut him off.
31:22You actually had the nerve to say this to my face?
31:25His expression tightened.
31:26Nina.
31:28You're unbelievable, Chase.
31:29I know I messed up.
31:31He took a breath.
31:32I'll make it up to you however you want.
31:33But you used to like me.
31:34You can't seriously say you never did.
31:35You lost all that weight because you wanted to meet me.
31:37And now I really do like you.
31:38I looked at him.
31:39What do you like?
31:40My face?
31:41His mouth opened.
31:42I didn't let him answer.
31:43You're disgusting.
31:44His face changed.
31:46The guy I liked back then wasn't this version of you.
31:48I looked him straight in the eye.
31:50And I'm never going to like you again.
31:51So get over it.
31:52I don't know.
31:57I'm never going to like you again.
31:58So get over it.
