The day before the college entrance exam, I watched the school heartthrob slip an elopement letter into my childhood friend's desk.
She went on to become valedictorian. He threw himself into the river.
Years later, she and I graduated from Harborbridge University together. Our families pushed us toward marriage, and we went along with it.
On our wedding day, she straightened my tie with her own hands.
Then she shoved me into a private room with a dozen hired thugs.
She ignored my screams for help. Just stood outside the door, staring at his photograph.
"His parents died right before the exam. He was falling apart."
"If you hadn't taken that letter, I could have saved him."
"If you hadn't meddled, he wouldn't have died alone in that river."
Ten hours later, every finger broken, limbs twisted at wrong angles, I dragged myself to the tenth-floor window and jumped.
When I opened my eyes again, I was watching Myron Mason slide that elopement letter into Christina Sullivan's desk.
I picked up my backpack and walked away.
This time, I was running my own race.
——
Christina came bursting into the classroom, out of breath.
The moment she saw me, she grabbed my wrist and searched me from head to toe.
Finding nothing, she paused to think, then rushed to her own desk.
The letter was still there, exactly where Myron had left it.
She didn't even glance at me. Just shoved past and ran out.
Myron hadn't gotten far. Christina was tall with long legs—she caught up in seconds.
I stood at the top of the stairs, watching them embrace on the floor below.
Myron struggled briefly, but after Christina said something to him, he pulled her into his arms.
I turned to leave, but I still caught the key parts:
"I promise. I promise I'll never leave you in this life."
"I can retake the exam. You're the only test that matters."
So Christina had been reborn too.
Myron sighed softly. "Aren't you afraid I'll hold you back?"
"As long as I'm with you, what does college matter..."
I almost laughed.
In her last life, Christina had sailed through everything. She had no idea what it felt like to fall.
She couldn't see how her degrees had opened doors, brought her wealth and connections. All she remembered was that I'd cost her the love of her life.
Fine. I hoped she wouldn't regret it.
I was home reviewing when Christina texted me:
[Don't say anything you shouldn't.]
I replied with a single word: [Okay.]
She didn't need to tell me. This time around, I had no intention of getting involved in her life.
Our families were neighbors.
I'd just finished a practice test and stepped outside to take out the trash when I saw Christina being hauled out of a car by her parents.
Yolanda Sullivan smacked Christina on the back of the head.
"Look at you! Eloping right before the exam! Do you have any idea what you're doing?"
Christina struggled against them. "Mom! Dad! Myron and I are in love!"
"Disgraceful!"
Hubert Sullivan slapped her across the face.
When they spotted me, they immediately pulled me over.
"Thank god you're here, Alvin Fox! Now we can relax. This idiot girl's fallen for some boy at your school—wants to run off with him. Talk some sense into her!"
Growing up, Christina had always been the wild one. I was the good kid every parent approved of.
Whenever she stepped out of line, I was always the one reining her in.
Now she turned to glare at me, hatred flashing in her eyes.
"It was you! I knew it—you ratted me out to my parents again! Why can't you just mind your own business? Why do you always have to interfere with my life?"
