Part 1I Refuse To Be Your Heroine

It had only been three days since the transfer student, Camille Porter, arrived at our school. Yet, here was Connor, my childhood friend, already demanding she take the seat next to me.

Before I could even open my mouth to protest, a stream of glowing text floated right across my vision, scrolling like a live chat feed on an online web novel.

[Connor is so deeply in love, it hurts. He knows her strength is STEM and she struggles with Humanities, so he’s literally matching her with a literature genius. Talk about a power couple!]

[He’s so terrified she won’t make it into Stanford that he’s basically using the rich girl to carry her. The double standards are wild! He cannot hide his feelings!]

[Connor does so much for her in secret, but he never says a word. She actually thinks he hates her! I swear, she needs to find out the truth!]

Every single comment was deeply moved by Connor's secret devotion.

But inside, I felt absolutely nothing.

Seeing my silence, Connor frowned. "Camille is already packing up her stuff to move over right now. Don't look like you're about to start a war."

I just looked at him, my voice completely flat. "I am starting a war. I’ve sat alone all year. I don't want a partner."

* * *

"Sat alone all year?"

Connor looked at me like I had lost my mind. He slammed his AP calculus workbook onto my desk, his eyes flashing with sudden frustration.

"Elaine, this isn't the time to be stubborn." He stepped closer, lowering his voice. "Camille got a perfect score on her AP Lit diagnostic, but her STEM scores are a disaster. You're the exact opposite. If you sit together and tutor each other, it's the most efficient way to get your GPA up."

I looked up at him. He was wearing a crisp, white button-down, his hair perfectly styled, his jaw tight. Standing there in the morning sunlight streaming through the classroom window, he looked exactly like the flawless male lead from a high school romance novel.

Meanwhile, the text kept scrolling across my eyes.

[Oh my god, he's actually speaking up! He cares so much about her grades!]

[Can Elaine please stop throwing a tantrum? He is literally stressing himself out for her!]

[Camille is a literal genius at literature. Elaine should be thanking her lucky stars that she's willing to help.]

[Camille is an heiress, and she has zero attitude. She's actively trying to help, and Elaine is acting like this?]

I stared at the words, feeling a cold, bitter amusement bubble up in my chest.

Actively trying to help?

Camille walked through the classroom door at that exact moment, catching the tail end of my rejection.

She was beautiful. It was that soft, flawless beauty that only comes from a lifetime of wealth. Clean, delicate, with wide, innocent eyes.

She lingered just behind Connor, her voice soft and hesitant. "Connor, it's fine. Don't push it. Elaine probably just doesn't want to be disturbed." She looked at me, offering a fragile, understanding smile. "It's really okay. I can take one of the desks in the back."

The comments exploded.

[Camille is literally an angel!]

[She's so graceful. No wonder Connor chose her to save Elaine's GPA.]

[Elaine doesn't know how good she has it.]

[I mean, Camille is a Porter. Her family literally owns Porter Enterprises. Even if she fails out, she can just study in Europe or inherit a company. She's giving up her valuable time for Elaine, and Elaine is giving her attitude?]

Connor's expression hardened. "Elaine, did you hear that? Camille is being incredibly accommodating, and you're still trying to humiliate her?"

I slowly packed my workbook into my backpack, my voice calm and steady. "Humiliate her? The only one being humiliated here is you."

Connor blinked, caught off guard. "What is that supposed to mean?"

I looked him dead in the eye. "It means I'm rejecting this because of your self-righteous meddling."

The classroom fell dead silent.

Connor clearly hadn't expected me to call him out so publicly.

We had grown up together. His family was wealthy, his grades were always perfect, the teachers adored him, and our peers idolized him. I was always the quiet girl in his shadow—the STEM prodigy who couldn't write an essay to save her life, always sitting just below him on the academic leaderboard.

In the past, whatever Connor suggested, I did. I had truly believed he had my best interests at heart.

But things were different now.

Connor took a deep breath, visibly trying to control his temper. "Elaine, stop assuming everyone has malicious intent. You know your family's situation." He leaned in, his voice dropping to a harsh whisper. "You aren't like Camille. Even if she struggles, she has a safety net. She can go abroad, or her father can hand her a division of his company. But you? If you don't get into a top-tier college, your life is over before it even starts."

The comments lit up like fireworks.

[Oh my god, he's so incredibly realistic!]

[That was a harsh truth bomb, but he's so right. I feel so bad for him.]

[Camille is already set for life. Connor isn't doing this for Camille; he's doing this to save Elaine.]

[Elaine, stop being so difficult! You forced him to say it out loud. What more do you want?]

Connor was right about one thing: I didn't have room for error. I didn't have a safety net.

I looked at him, and a sudden, sharp smile touched my lips. "Exactly. And that is precisely why I can't afford to sit next to Camille."

Connor froze. "What do you mean?"