Ditched on Day One, I Transfer My Heart

My boyfriend, Joshua Carter, my best friend, Alanna Hayes, and I agree to apply to Lakehaven University together. But on the first day of college, I don't see a trace of either of them. I stand outside the university gates under the scorching summer sun, my clothes soaked through with sweat. Then Alanna video calls me. With her hands clasped together and her eyes red-rimmed, she says, "I'm sorry, Clary! It was because I suddenly wanted to go to Bellmere University instead that I changed my college application. I heard they have really luxurious dorms!" Joshua, sitting next to Alanna, speaks casually as if nothing is wrong. "College applications were about to close when Alanna decided on the change, so we only had time to change our own applications." As he speaks, Joshua spears a piece of beef with his fork and feeds it to Alanna. "Why are you crying? It's not like we'll never see each other again. Bellmere isn't that far from Lakehaven. It's only a three-hour train ride away. We can still see each other every month." Alanna pauses, bites down on the piece of beef, and mutters, "Clary, I swear you're the only one who can put up with this grumpy jerk for so long. From now on, I'll help you whip him into shape!" Joshua chuckles and pinches her cheek. "Hah! You? We'll see who ends up whipping the other into shape." I stand frozen. The summer sun is scorching, yet I suddenly feel as though I've been plunged into a frozen wasteland. Joshua is a huge clean freak, so he makes me wash my hands before touching his things, and whenever I serve him food, he makes sure I use serving utensils. But he can feed Alanna with his fork, and even reach out to pinch her cheek. So that's how it is—his obsession with cleanliness only applies to certain people. Suddenly, I feel like there's no point in any of this anymore. If they don't want me around, then I'll leave. Chapter 1 My boyfriend, Joshua Carter, and my best friend, Alanna Hayes, laughed and fooled around with each other without the slightest hint of apology for standing me up. As far as they were concerned, a simple notification was enough. The rest I would have to make up for on my own. My grip on my phone tightened, and after a long moment, I forced a smile. "Care to explain, Josh?" He frowned and snapped back impatiently, "Stop making a fuss, Claire. I've got a class to attend tonight. Bye." Then, he hung up before I could react. That was his usual style—straightforward and efficient. I tightened my grip on the suitcase handle before loosening it again and turned to walk into the university. … By the time I got to the dormitory, it was already dark. Freshmen walked arm in arm, discussing which cafeteria had the best food. My stomach growled traitorously. After a 20-hour train ride, I hadn't eaten a thing. Now, every step I took felt like I had weights tied to my legs. The dormitories had two people assigned to a room, and my new roommate, Maya Collins, had been waiting for me the whole time. "Oh, my dear roommate, had you shown up any later, I'd have starved past the point of hunger!" After making my bed, we headed out to get some food. Along the way, my phone buzzed nonstop in my pocket. I pulled it out to see more than 99 messages in the group chat with Joshua and Alanna. Alanna had sent a message. "Hey Josh, this white cat looks just like you! Check out that arrogant look in its eyes!" Joshua replied. "Alanna, stop dawdling and get here faster! The cafeteria's running out of your favorite anchovy pizza!" As I stared hard at my phone, I felt tears welling up in my eyes. Anchovies were a common ingredient in the town I came from, and I had eaten them since I was a child—so often that just the thought of them made me want to throw up. I had told Joshua this many times before, but he never remembered it. Just because Alanna liked anchovies, he would always order an entire table full of dishes with anchovies in them, and not a single dish that I liked. Joshua would always tell me, "You could at least take a bite. Don't make it look like you're putting on airs." So, I would try to overcome my aversion to anchovies. But one day, I had barely taken a bite when a familiar wave of nausea surged through me, and everything I had just eaten came back up. Joshua slammed his cutlery down with his brows furrowed. "How disgusting can you get, Claire? Other people are dining at the table! Have you got no basic table manners?" Alanna then punched Joshua hard in the chest. "What's wrong with you, Josh? Why are you being so harsh on Clary? It's not like she meant to do that!" I slammed my cutlery down with a heavy clang, so angry that my lips trembled. "Well, you've said everything there is to say, haven't you? Look at all the food you ordered! Is there even a single dish that I like?" Joshua froze for a second, then spoke with complete indifference. "If you don't say anything, how am I supposed to know?" We had been together for three years, yet he still needed me to actively tell him my preferences. But he knew Alanna's tastes, even down to the very shade of lipstick she liked most, by heart. I kept scrolling up through all the messages, but out of more than 99 messages, not a single one of them was for me. Ever since I joined the group chat, the food recommendations and funny posts I shared would almost always go unanswered, or I'd even get replies like, "What garbage do you have in your head? Why are you always looking at such uncultured stuff?" I smiled bitterly. Even though it appeared to be a group chat with three people in it, I was always the invisible one. … Upon returning to the dorm after dinner, I felt waves of dull pain radiating through my lower abdomen. But after a 30-hour journey, I was utterly worn out, so I collapsed weakly onto the desk, pressing my warm palms tightly against my stomach. All of a sudden, my phone rang. "Oh, Clary, you look terrible! It's your time of the month today, isn't it? I bought you some chocolates and had them delivered to your dorm. Get your roommate to collect them for you, okay? I've bought her a cup of coffee too." My heart softened, and my eyes grew warm. The grievances I had held in all day threatened to come pouring out. But before I could say anything, Joshua's next words hit me like a blow to the head. "Remember to apologize to Lana after you have the chocolates." I froze, stunned. "What do you mean?" Joshua's tone was calm, as if stating the most obvious thing in the world. "You've been quiet this whole time. Lana thought you were mad at her and barely ate anything." Something in me snapped all at once. Fueled by the physical pain, my voice came out almost as a shout. "What did I do that I need to apologize to her? Josh! I'm your girlfriend! Why do you always take her side?" Joshua's expression remained aloof, and his voice turned cold instantly. "That's no reason to throw a tantrum." I bit my lip, quickly turning away from the camera as tears slid down silently, salty and bitter to the taste. Joshua clearly paused for a moment, then he softened his tone. "I'm doing this for you, Clary. Lana is your only friend. You should treasure her." I turned off the camera, and my voice came out trembling. "Josh, it's over between us." Chapter 2 Joshua let out a contemptuous laugh, his tone full of disdain. "Don't pull that act on me, Claire. If you're in the wrong, then you've got to admit it. Once you're out in the real world, no one's going to coddle you! "Anyway, get on a video call with Lana later and apologize. I'll pretend that this never happened." Then, the video call ended. The words I was about to say were already on the tip of my tongue, but I swallowed them back. My hands shook with anger. In the past, every argument had ended with me crying and begging for reconciliation. There had been no exceptions. But this time, things were going to be different. "I won't be turning back this time, Josh." Moments later, Alanna sent a message in the group chat. "Hey Clary, do you have any idea how popular your boyfriend is? He just got elected as class president, and a bunch of girls are already surrounding him, asking for his contact info! "But don't worry. I'm practically glued to Josh's side. I'll keep an eye on him for you 24/7! If he dares to cheat on you, I'll beat him up!" Joshua replied almost immediately and steered the conversation back to Alanna. "Those guys sitting in the back row seem pretty interested in you too, don't they?" The two of them chatted on and on about how many admirers the other had, quickly flooding the chat. I immediately lost all desire to say anything. Joshua and Alanna had been popular since high school. With their striking looks, they were greeted with cheers wherever they went. As for me, I was just an ordinary, unremarkable student who had clawed my way out of a small town through years of hard study. Joshua, proud by nature, was extremely intelligent. Everything came effortlessly to him. Even the professors at the state physics research institute had called him the most gifted student they had ever come across. I was never supposed to cross paths with someone like him. But once, during a math test, I pushed myself hard and scored a perfect 100 for the first time. Joshua, however, scored 99. They deducted that one point for his messy handwriting. For the first time in his life, the golden boy tasted defeat. Then, one afternoon, standing under a large oak tree, he called out to me, "Claire Bennett, was it? Dare to take me up on a challenge for the next exam?" The autumn wind rose, scattering the leaves around us. And just like that, our paths crossed. On the surface, we were rivals trading blows. But no one knew that the campus beau, who always came first academically, was dating an inconspicuous bookworm. Pulling myself out of my thoughts, I stopped looking at their messages and exited the group chat. The student council recruitment was tomorrow, and I was going to give it a try. Since Joshua and Alanna had chosen to leave me behind, it was time I carried on my own path. After I was done with my preparations for the interview and about to go to bed, Alanna sent me a private message. "Clary, I heard from Josh that you're on your period. Is your migraine acting up again? Don't tough it out, okay? Remember to take your painkillers. They're in your bag." I unzipped my bag to find a palm-sized transparent pill organizer inside. Each compartment had a label neatly stuck on it, carefully noting the name and effect of each pill. Alanna had made it for me herself. Back in high school, I had left home to attend a boarding school in the city. Alanna had been one of the few sources of warmth I had there. She had come up to me excitedly when I was sick once and exclaimed, "Tada! Look what I've got! A mini medical kit especially for you, Clary!" Then, she put a hand on my burning forehead and took on a lightly scolding tone. "Seriously, Clary, you need to take good care of yourself when you don't have me by your side in the future!" Staring at the pill organizer, I felt my eyes stinging. In the end, I didn't take the medicine. Instead, I threw the pill organizer into the trash, along with the chocolates Joshua had sent me. I could do without the pills. How hard could it be? Chapter 3 The next morning, I passed the student council interview on the spot. On my way back to the dorm, I received a call from a delivery service. But I hadn't ordered anything online. I made quick work of opening the package, and inside, I found a beautifully wrapped velvet gift box that held two lipsticks. One was regular-sized, and the other was a miniature-sized one, both in the exact shade that I liked. Shortly after, Joshua video called me. After a brief hesitation, I ultimately answered it. "That's for you." My heart skipped a beat. Had he finally regained his conscience? Was he calling to apologize? Or had he remembered that my birthday was in a few days and got me a gift early? In that instant, hope surged in me again. I was just about to give in when Joshua rubbed his brow and said with a trace of impatience in his voice, "Alright, can you stop making a fuss now? The small one is yours. As for the other one, Lana got elected as student representative, so you can give it to her in person as a congratulatory gift." I laughed out of sheer anger. In my three-year relationship with Joshua, he had never given me a single gift for any holiday or occasion. Sometimes, I would be envious of other girls who received necklaces or couple rings from their boyfriends. We had all been students back then, so I understood that the things weren't worth much. But the thought behind them was what really mattered. I had cried and made scenes to get Joshua to get me a gift, but he had only looked at me with disdain. "I don't play the simp." Yet, he could remember Alanna's preferences with perfect accuracy and quietly surprise her. When the three of us went shopping, he would, under the identity of my boyfriend, conveniently pay for her things. The most ridiculous part of all this was that the first gift I, his actual girlfriend, ever received from him was a freebie that Alanna didn't want. I let out a cold laugh, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "Is this some kind of charity? A freebie Alanna doesn't want, and you casually pass it to me? I'm not that cheap!" Joshua's brows furrowed, and a lecturing note entered his tone. "Claire, what jealous nonsense are you spinning now? Lana genuinely treats you well! Now that she won the election, don't you think that, as her friend, you should get her a gift? "This is common sense! I'm teaching you how to conduct yourself! Don't be stubborn, okay?" I retorted sarcastically, "And what's the logic in you spending all day getting cozy and ambiguous with your girlfriend's best friend? Is that appropriate conduct too? Oh, wait—ex-girlfriend now!" Joshua's expression darkened immediately, but I just hung up and blocked his number. A week into the semester, I joined the student council's publicity department and took over the school's official social media account. Every day after classes, I went to learn how to write copy, use Photoshop, and edit videos. College life got really busy and fulfilling. Joshua seemed not to have noticed that I'd blocked him. He still chatted enthusiastically with Alanna in the group. But it didn't matter. I was better off without a boyfriend and a best friend with no sense of boundaries. At noon on Saturday, Joshua and Alanna showed up at the school gate. I hadn't wanted to see them again, but I figured this was a good chance to make things clear in person. When I got there, Joshua was leaning slightly forward, helping Alanna tidy her hair. The two of them were so close that their lips were almost touching. A cold sneer tugged at my lips. Wasn't flirting online enough? Did they really have to travel 200 miles to Lakehaven just to put on a show of affection right in front of me? When Alanna noticed me, she pushed Joshua away at once to greet me. "Clary! You're here! I didn't bring a mirror, so I had to borrow your boyfriend for a second! We're all close, so I'm sure you won't mind, right?" I forced a faint smile. "Mm. Do as you like." Joshua suddenly looked up and stared at me. Then, his gaze traveled downward, finally resting on my empty hands. "Well, where is it?" I answered indifferently, "I threw them away." Chapter 4 Joshua's eyes flashed with astonishment, then narrowed. "What do you mean?" I smiled casually and met his gaze. "Just because you gave me something doesn't mean that I must accept it." Joshua opened his mouth, but found that he had nothing to say. I ignored him and asked, "So, what are you two doing here?" Alanna chuckled awkwardly and came over to link her arm with mine. "We're planning to go to Lake Evermere and figured that since you know Lakehaven better than us, you can be our guide!" I subtly avoided her touch and answered in a distant tone, "I'm busy. From now on, don't come looking for me." With that, I turned and walked away without looking back. Watching my retreating figure, Joshua instinctively reached out. A heavy feeling settled in his chest, as if something important was about to slip away from him forever. That night, a short video went viral online. It was footage filmed casually by a passerby. "Clary! Look at this! These two are so good-looking! They're such a perfect match. They look amazing even in a stranger's candid shot! I'm swooning!" Maya exclaimed excitedly. In the passerby's footage taken by the shimmering lake, Alanna wore a flowing aqua-colored dress that fluttered in the wind. She looked like a beauty stepped out of an ancient painting. Beside her, Joshua, dressed in teal, was helping her pin up her hair. His gaze on her was so unbelievably tender that they looked exactly like a real couple. Anyone who saw them would never doubt it. I answered indifferently, "Mm, a good match indeed." In the past, when the three of us walked together, such comments had been common. I would always feel secretly wounded, thinking I wasn't good enough for Joshua. But now, facing it again, I was unexpectedly calm. Soon, people started digging up information about Alanna and Joshua, and a trending topic shot up to the very top. "Bellmere University's Campus Beauty and Heartthrob Take the Internet by Storm!" The two of them seized the opportunity and started a live stream as a couple. Alanna smiled sweetly at the camera as she linked arms with Joshua. "We've been together since freshman year of high school and made a promise to go to the same university." Joshua said nothing. He simply lowered his head and kissed Alanna on the cheek. The live stream's popularity soared, and the comments were uniformly filled with swooning. I frowned and closed the live stream. A while later, messages came in the group chat. Joshua sent a message first. "Clary, it's just for show. I'll make it up to you. We'll go on a date soon, just the two of us." Then, Alanna sent another message. "Clary, don't be mad. It's just a persona. Being a streamer makes good money! I'll pay for your expenses in the future!" I found it somewhat ridiculous because I really didn't care. But I said nothing and quietly left the group chat. However, I never expected that the next day, my name would appear on the trending topics, tied to the term "boyfriend stealer". "I went to the same high school as Claire Bennett. Once, I saw her holding Joshua's hand when Alanna wasn't around. But he shoved her away in disgust." "She looks so innocent! I can't believe she'd steal her best friend's boyfriend. How shameless!" In no time, my ID photo edited into a memorial portrait flooded the comment sections. Then, I started receiving strange packages. First razor blades, then blood-stained dolls, and even dead rats. Every second, I received delivery threats showing up at my door and messages threatening my safety pouring into my phone. Endless malice from all over the world came crashing down on me. I reported it to the police at once, but that didn't stop the overwhelming abuse and harassment directed at me. I picked up my phone and typed out paragraphs of clarification on social platforms. But my hands shook so badly that the words became incoherent, so I had to revise them repeatedly before I could finally post them. What came back was an even more aggressive wave of online violence. The online community called me delusional for aiming way out of my league. When Maya came back with dinner for me, she planted her hands on her hips and shouted in indignation, "What a pair of scumbags! And to think I used to ship them so hard—turns out they're pure evil! His girlfriend is being cyberbullied, and he won't even say a word to protect you!" When I finally received a call from Joshua, his voice held not a trace of warmth. "Delete it. Being an influencer is a good career path for Lana. She has a bright future ahead. We can't ruin it now." I blinked away the tears, my voice shaking beyond recognition. "Then what about me, Josh? So you think that my life should be ruined instead?" When he saw my tears, a flicker of pain crossed Joshua's eyes, and his tone softened a little. "Be good. We just need to get through this. Once this wave passes, everything will be fine. In a year, the internet will find something new to entertain themselves with, and nobody will remember this." My eyes were bloodshot, and my voice came out almost as a roar. "So you think that everything I'm suffering now is just entertainment? Get lost! I never want to see you again!" The second after I hung up, Joshua posted on social media. "I don't really know her. She forced herself on me." The bashing online intensified, and I was publicly condemned. Whispers drifted in from the hallway. "I heard that the boyfriend stealer lives in this dorm. I heard she's even in the student council!" I curled up at the foot of my bed, covering my ears and shaking my head desperately. When Mom called me, she clearly sounded very worried. "Clary, is something wrong? Tell me what's going on. I don't believe those things I see online…" I clamped my hand over my mouth to keep from sobbing out loud and told Mom over and over that I was fine, that I could handle things on my own. Mom had a heart condition, and the town folk from where I came from always loved to gather and gossip, so I was certain that they must have given her plenty of grief. I posted lots of screenshots of my chat logs with Joshua and Alanna, but the netizens were convinced that those were edited. A tidal wave of nausea rose in me, and for the first time, I bore so much resentment for this world. All of a sudden, my phone buzzed, and I received a friend request, along with a message that read, "Want to know who's behind all this?"