The Fool He Made Me

I vowed to transfer schools with my childhood friend when he claimed he was being bullied.

But the day before we were to finalize the transfer, he backed out.

His friend teased him. "Man, you faked being a punching bag just to get rid of Alice Wiley? That's cold. You two have been thick as thieves since forever. Are you really cool with her going to a new school alone?"

Shane Page brushed it off. "It's just another high school across town. Not a big deal. I'm tired of her always being up my ass. This works out perfectly."

I stood frozen outside the door for a long time. Finally, I turned and walked away.

On the transfer form, I crossed out Oatheport High and filled in the international academy my parents had been pushing for.

Everyone seemed to forget that Shane and I were never equals.

The moment I overheard the truth, my heart slammed against my ribs.

In the past month, my childhood friend, Shane Page, had been feeding me stories of being jumped, framed, and humiliated at school.

I threw myself into shielding him, but I couldn't block every blow. When it became unbearable, I suggested he transfer schools for a clean slate.

That day, he was soaked from a bucket of ice water, his sharp cheekbones ghostly pale. He grabbed my hand, trembling. "I can't face a new place alone."

We'd been inseparable since kindergarten, walking to and from school together for over a decade. Deep down, I'd been nursing a quiet crush on him.

So, in a rush of loyalty, I promised, "Don't worry, Shane. I'll go wherever you go."

But standing outside that private room, I realized it was all a cruel ruse to push me out of his life.

"Does he hate me that much?"

Inside, his friend kept talking, "Alice is crazy about you. What if she falls for someone else out there?"

"Her?" Shane scoffed, as if the idea was absurd. "She is so loyal she'd take a beating for me and not even flinch. You think she'd ever stop loving me?"

His friend muttered, "I don't know, but she doesn't seem like someone you mess with."

"No chance," Shane said lazily. "Our school is full of rich kids, but has she ever given any of them a second glance?"

His tone dripped with disdain as he continued, "She is always up my ass. It's annoying."

The room burst into laughter, sharp and mocking. I wanted to run, but my feet felt rooted to the floor, forcing me to endure the humiliation.

One guy clicked his tongue. "First time I've seen someone push away a girl who is crazy about them. Respect, bro. But if you're sick of her, why not just tell her? She doesn't seem like the type to pester you."

Shane frowned. "She is too intense. Being straight with her wouldn't be that easy."

He paused, then dropped the real bombshell. "Besides, Esther gets all torn up whenever