Chapter 3

Liam was a year older than me, the brilliant, untouchable legend of the medical school.

He was incredibly hard to get.

I practically worshipped the ground he walked on for four whole years, and finally, just a few months before graduation, I managed to win him over.

Everyone said Liam only got with me because I was so ridiculously dramatic and wouldn't leave him alone.

"Otherwise, why would the esteemed A-list genius fall for someone like Skylar Hayes, who's both chubby and plain, from the History department?"

"Her stomach? When she ate, she looked five months pregnant."

They didn't know that to chase Liam, I'd lost thirty pounds, dropping from 120 to 90.

I deleted all my food delivery apps, munched on apples in the mornings, and cucumbers at night.

I ate like that for months. I was so starved, I swear I could have eaten a housefly.

I did get skinny, but my period became severely irregular, and my sleep was completely messed up.

All of it, just for Liam to give me an extra glance.

One day, I was running on the track, trailing behind him, and he turned around to look at me.

He stared for a long, long time. My entire face flushed crimson.

He liked me. He just had to.

I nervously walked over, rehearsing my opening line—

"Are you Skylar's sister?"

His words hit me like a bucket of ice water, drenching me from head to toe.

I was furious, but also found it strangely funny.

"I... guess so."

He fell silent for a moment, then handed me a bottle of water. "Then go tell her to stop bothering me."

I took the water he offered. It was the first time I'd been so close to him.

His eyelashes were so long, his nose so sharp. And his voice, so gentle when he spoke.

But his words were so cold.

"Alright." I swallowed my hurt.

After that, we often bumped into each other on the track.

After our tenth encounter, he asked for my SnapChat.

That was the first time I felt like losing those thirty pounds was totally worth it!

Because, my entire life, no one had ever asked for my SnapChat, except for people handing out flyers on the street.

I asked him to a movie. He didn't refuse.

I suggested we date. He didn't refuse.

Even when I broke up with him, he didn't refuse.

It was me, actually, who cried for a day and a night straight in my dorm.

My roommate asked, "Is a breakup really that sad?"

I sobbed, "It's alright."

"It's like seeing an old friend off. You just have to cry a little."