9
During summer break, I found a part–time job to cover my expenses. I kept feeling like someone was watching me, but every time I looked,
there was nothing, so I brushed it off.
The paychecks came every two weeks, and one day, I noticed an extra thousand dollars in my envelope. A thousand dollars was a big deal
then.
When I asked, my boss explained, “Business has been great, so it’s a little bonus for you.”
Delighted, I thanked him and went to treat myself to some fried chicken. The place was running a buy–one–get–three deal, so I ended up with a pile of food.
I thought I was just having a lucky day until the guy behind me ordered one chicken leg and only got one.
“Why did she get four and I only get one?” he complained. “Aren’t you running a special?”
The shopkeeper looked at me briefly, then mumbled, “The special just ended.”
The guy grumbled and left with his single piece of chicken.
Finally, I realized something was up. I looked around but didn’t see Damon.
Taking a thousand dollars from my bag, I tossed it on the ground and walked off.
Of course, Damon appeared, scrambling to pick up the money. He looked up, desperate.
“I told you to stay out of my life, didn’t I?” I said coldly.
Damon’s eyes filled with tears. “Can I just work hard and take care of you? I just want to make things a little easier for you.”
I tossed one of my chicken pieces at his face, hard, and then the other three for good measure.
“You disgust me. Can’t you just stay out of my life?”
Damon’s face went ghostly pale. “I didn’t go to college. I’m just like you were in the past.”
I snorted. Somehow he went to college just fine in my past life, all while watching me struggle.
Even without college, I would’ve managed fine–if he hadn’t tied me down with his fake debt stories just to keep me from ever moving forward.
“Why is that my problem?”
I gave him one last annoyed look and left. Then I quit that part–time job and took up some craft work instead. The pay wasn’t much, but it was enough to support myself and help my parents out a bit.
Damon finally disappeared from my life, and I breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing him was a constant reminder of my past life’s suffering.
After a month, college began. My parents took time off to drop me off on campus, smiling the entire day.
When we reached my dorm, they helped me set everything up and even shared some hometown treats with my new roommates.
One of them recognized me. “You’re the girl whose spot almost got stolen, right?”
I nodded, and her expression changed to one of anger. “Getting Into Washington Ivy was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. If someone tried to take it, I’d want to kill them.”
I smiled. “Well, they didn’t succeed.”
She patted my shoulder. “You’ve got nerves of steel.”
What else could I do? In my last life, they had actually succeeded.
Claire Bright used my name, my identity, and built a great life out of it, and I never even knew.
What a joke.
The next day, Freshman Orientation Bootcamp began. After a grueling two weeks, I fully adjusted to college life.
Our old high school group chat was still active, with everyone sharing their college stories.
Then someone suddenly wrote:
[Damon Everett killed himself.]
The group went silent for a moment before messages flooded in.
I saw it too and paused, but then accepted it easily. Good riddance. I could finally move on without any lingering resentment.
If not for the law, I’d have happily taken care of him myself.
But I couldn’t spend my life tangled up with toxic people.
The class president added:
[Damon left a note saying, ‘I’m sorry!]
It was clear who that apology was for.
I said nothing, turning back to my studies.
College life was exciting. I joined clubs, attended events, even woke up early with my roommate to secure a spot in the library.
Just like that, half a year passed, and Damon Everett was long gone from my mind.
Then one day, I saw Claire Bright at the college gates. She looked thin and hollowed out, and as soon as she spotted me, she turned and scurried away, head down.
Her life was ruined, but it had nothing to do with me.
Justice had been served.
