4: 4
I gripped my phone, my hand shaking.
Melody was always like this.
She'd rally the whole class to bully me in the name of sisterhood, then turn around and pretend to defend me.
I typed fast.
"The school I applied to isn't a community college. It's no worse than the Ivy-tier ones. Stop stirring things up."
Melody dropped a screenshot of my applications right away.
"Sis Simon, let's not lie now, hmm?"
I zoomed in on the image.
First choice: Southport Technical College.
The screenshot was time-stamped ten days ago.
For ten days she'd messaged me every single day and never once mentioned that she'd changed my applications.
A chill went down my back.
If I hadn't checked my applications one more time today, I really would have ended up at a community college.
I set my phone down.
I didn't look at the messages in the chat crowing about how I'd been put in my place.
The only thing I had to do now was wait for my Capital University acceptance letter.
Half a month later, the class dinner.
Everyone was buzzing about their acceptance letters.
"I got into NYU!"
"I'm going to Fordham."
"Wow, so jealous. I could only get into the state school."
Someone asked Melody.
"Mel, did you get your letter yet?"
Melody was in the middle of taking selfies with Lester, and she gave a careless shrug.
"Not yet. Capital University screens hard, so it takes a while. But going by past years, it'll be any day now."
Everyone piled on the flattery.
"Mel's got the best school in our whole class!"
"Don't forget the little people when you make it big!"
Melody looked over at me in my corner, pleased with herself.
"And you, Sis Simon?"
I put my phone down.
"It comes today."
The courier had just called to say the letter was on its way and I had to sign for it in person.
Melody snorted, then couldn't stop laughing.
Someone said, I didn't catch who.
"Don't community college letters come like two weeks after the four-year ones?"
The whole room roared.
People slapping the table, doubling over.
I just leaned back against my chair and watched them, quiet.
Melody shot me a glance and shot to her feet.
"Stop laughing! Sis Simon's upset!"
"I'm telling you all, nobody gets to look down on Sis Simon for going to community college. She's my sister!"
Everyone chimed in, choking back grins.
"Fine, fine, we'll give Mel her face."
"Right, Mel, Sis Simon turned down the Ivy schools for you. Aren't you going to do something for him?"
Melody pouted, exasperated.
Seeing Lester step out to the restroom, she picked up her cup and raised it toward me.
"Sis, while Lester's not here, let me be honest with you. I do feel a little guilty about you."
"How about this. Wait for me a few years. If things don't work out between me and Lester, I'll come find you. Good enough?"
The next second, the cheering nearly blew the roof off.
I gave a cold laugh.
"May the two of you live happily ever after, locked in forever."
Melody clicked her tongue.
"Liar. In the end you'll wait for me like a good boy anyway, won't you?"
"But remember, you'll have to transfer to a four-year program, then do grad school. Otherwise the gap in our education is too big and my parents won't approve."
I fired back at once.
"You don't even have a university to go to. What gives you the right to look down on me?"
But my words were drowned out by the cheering.
"Mel's falling for him!"
"Mel's so thoughtful!"
I couldn't stand another minute of it and got up to leave.
Melody frowned and shook her head.
"Come on, sis. Upset again?"
"I'll lend you my acceptance letter so you can take a photo of it, show it off on your feed. That works, right?"
The words had barely left her mouth when the private room door swung open.
A courier stood in the doorway holding a document envelope, several media people behind him with cameras and microphones raised.
The courier looked in.
"Capital University acceptance letter. Whose delivery is this?"
