ke Hartwell and I had been at war since we were five.


    Kindergarten? He pantsed me in front of everyone. I ripped his gold star off the ssroom chart.


    lementary? He sabotaged my backpack. I filled his cleats with sand-payback’s a BITCH.


    High school was worse. The bastard switched his entire academic track just topete with me. Every test, every grade, every DAMN thing became a battle.


    Crushing you makes my whole fucking day,” he’d smirk.


    o I made sure his thirsty DMs to the popr girls’went viral. Got him suspended, ruined his réputation. Worth it.


    ifteen years of this toxic cycle until I finally snapped.


    hen graduation hit, I picked schools down south, specifically avoiding his East Coast targets.


    loving day, he blocked my path, eyes like ice: “Running away, coward? Hope you fucking die out there and stay dead.”


    gripped my suitcase and swore I’d never see his face again.


    ive yearster, we collided at West Valley High’s 50th reunion.


    Well, well, well. Look who’s back. So what are you now-the janitor? Jesus, without me around to motivate you, you really became a total loser. What’s next,


    od stamps?”


    ere’s what he didn’t know: I wasn’t there to clean anything.


    he whole reunion? A charity fundraiser for ME.


    e ditched every interview just toe flex on me.


    ke, you’ve got this wrong. I’m not here to-”


    e cut me off mid-sentence.


    Skr, when are you gonna just ADMIT you’re a loser? That stubborn bitch attitude hasn’t changed one bit!”


    ure, his face had lost that baby fat, but inside? Same old ke-had to win everything, had to prove he was better than me.


    inior year I won State for my architectural model. He said I only got it ’cause my mom knew the judges.


    Then I chose UCLA for design school, he said I was chickening out, too scared topete on the East Coast where the real programs were.


    Face it, Skr-you’re WEAK. Always have been!”


    stared at those familiarpetitive eyes and felt myself grin.


    eah well… I’m dying anyway. After fifteen years of this bullshit, might as well go one more round.


    looked him dead in the face and pointed at the International Design Awards poster behind him.


    ke, what makes you think me being here means you’ve won?” <fn4351> Checktest chapters at find(?)ovel</fn4351>


    le actually blinked-probably wasn’t expecting me to fight back.


    hen he just cracked up. “YOU? You think you’re good enough for internationalpetition?”


    Why not? Pretty obvious, isn’t it?”


    Tra already killing it in the design world. And you’re… what, fetching coffee?”


    He threw his arms up, making sure everyone could see he was sessful, I was trash. Fifteen yearster, he was finally the winner


    Our old ssmates started gathering around like it was some reality show drama.


    Damn, is that Skr? She looks rough.”


    “Girl was a straight genius back in the day. What a waste.”


    ke’s grin got nastier: “Y’all don’t even know. She HAD to go to California, HAD to start her own studio. Five yearster? Can’t even keep a regr job,”


    Right there in front of everyone-teachers, ssmates, random parents-he was shredding what was left of my dignity,


    My fingers went white gripping the medical assistance form Principal Rodriguez had given me


    My mouth tasted like copper.


    “Skr, did you finish your aid application?”


    Principal Rodriguez spotted me and hurried over, all worried.


    My face went red with embarrassment.


    I didn’t want my ssmates knowing about my situation. Especially not ke,