The chemical blast in the organic chemistry lab blew out the back windows and lit up the room in a flash of blinding white heat. Fire instantly choked off the main exit.

In the panicked frenzy, the crowd shoved Chloe and me straight toward Callum, my secret girlfriend of three years. Instinct took over. I reached out for her hand. Callum flinched.

To maintain her precious ""professional boundaries,"" she grabbed my wrist and shoved me into the arms of a female student passing by.

Then, without missing a beat, she scooped Chloe up from the corner where she’d collapsed, cradling her close to her chest, and charged through the flames. She didn't look back once.

Not even as the dark, heavy smoke filled my lungs and I crumpled to the floor.

When I finally woke up, it was to the agonizing sting of a nurse scraping charred skin and debris off my back at the campus clinic.

In the hallway outside, my classmates were gathered in a noisy queue, their hushed, animated gossip drifting through the thin curtain. ""The department head is still trying to figure out who messed up the chemical ratio,"" one guy said. ""Nobody’s allowed to leave yet.

Whoever caused this mess is definitely getting an F for the semester."" ""An F is getting off easy,"" another piped up. ""Look how many of us got burned!

We’re all sitting here bleeding, while Callum took Chloe straight to the university medical center!

Did you see how she shielded her when the flask detonated?"" ""She’s usually so cold to everyone, but she treats Chloe like she’s made of glass.

I swear, those two have to be dating."" The curtain pulled back, and one of them glanced in. ""Oh—hey. Are you okay?

Why are you crying?"" She offered a flimsy paper napkin, her voice softening with superficial pity. ""It’s alright. Shortterm pain is better than longterm suffering.

You’ll feel better in a bit."" I took the napkin, wiped my wet cheeks, and nodded. ""You're right,"" I whispered. ""Shortterm pain is better."" This relationship needed to end.

Today. … ""We’re done. Let’s break up."" I sent the text. It vanished into the void, unanswered. I was used to it.

Callum kept dozens of contacts pinned at the top of his messages, but I was never one of them. Loud laughter erupted from the far end of the hallway.

I looked out just in time to see Callum pushing Chloe through the double doors in a wheelchair, heading toward the private VIP suites.

A few of our lab mates trotted behind them, exchanging knowing glances. ""Those VIP suites are impossible to book,"" Wayne swooned. ""Callum really cares about you, Chloe!"" ""I know, right?"" another chimed in. ""That stoic, protective energy?

They are so cute together."" I held onto the doorframe so tightly my knuckles turned white. Six months ago, my mother suffered a brain hemorrhage.

I had run into Callum’s office, tears streaming down my face, begging her to use her faculty connections to help secure a private room for her.

She had rejected me in front of the entire department. ""I’m sorry,"" she’d said, her voice stiff and formal. ""I won't abuse my position for a student."" Later that night, she sent me a brief text: ""I had to maintain boundaries in front of the team.

Don't overthink it. Besides, the VIP floor was full anyway.

Your mom will be fine in the general ward for now."" Always that line. ""Maintain boundaries."" For three years in her research lab, whenever grant opportunities or author credits came up, Callum was always the first to scratch my name off the list—even when I was the most qualified person in the room. ""You're talented,"" she would tell me in private. ""But because of that, we have to be even more careful.

If people find out about us, they’ll think you earned your grades in my bed."" Because of her icy attitude toward me, our classmates assumed I had somehow offended her.

No one talked to me. No one sat next to me in seminars.

None of them had any idea that Callum and I had grown up on the same street, or that we had been sleeping together for three years.

I forced a bitter smile. ""Family for Bed One, please come to the desk for billing,"" a nurse called out.

Callum immediately stepped forward. ""I've got it."" The moment she walked off, the guys in the hallway let out a collective whistle and jeer. ""She just claimed the 'family' spot!"" ""Chloe, stop playing coy!

Is she courting you or what?"" Chloe gave a shy, delicate smile, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. ""Callum is just being nice."" ""Oh, please!

Why isn't she nice to anyone else?"" Wayne countered. ""Remember last semester when Nathan begged her for help and she shut him down completely?"" I couldn't stand to listen to another word.

I turned around—and ran right into Callum. She had clearly heard the noise, too.

She rubbed the bridge of her nose, looking exasperated. ""Chloe comes from a tough background,"" she murmured, leaning down so only I could hear. ""Besides, she knows about us.

I have to treat everyone with equal care so no one suspects anything between you and me."" She genuinely expected me to understand. I almost laughed out loud. Equal care?

Is that why she skipped our third anniversary dinner to help her edit her basic literature review?

Is that why, when Chloe casually mentioned she was sensitive to the cold, she took the scarf I had spent a month handknitting for her and wrapped it around her neck? ""She was shivering, Nathan,"" she’d rationalized afterward. ""I couldn't just stand there and give you attention while ignoring her."" And her idea of ""caring for everyone"" usually amounted to buying a single round of cheap coffee for the whole lab—while giving her her undivided attention.

For years, I had lied to myself, pretending they were just a dedicated mentor and an earnest student.

But today, the illusion was shattered. ""Hi, delivery for Bed One?"" A courier stepped up, holding two bags.

One of them contained the specific chicken and ginger porridge Callum always ordered for me when I was sick.

Callum took it from the courier, stepped right past me, and set it on Chloe’s bedside table. ""Chloe, eat something first."" Chloe looked up at me with a sweet, innocent smile. ""Nathan, why don't you join us?

This place is amazing—I actually recommended it to Callum a few weeks ago."" My head throbbed with a dull, sickening ache.

Callum shoved the second bag—a greasy bowl of takeout rice—into my hands. ""You can eat this one."" She helped Chloe back into her room and pulled the door shut.

The moment the latch clicked, Wayne spun around and glared at me. ""Nathan, do you have zero situational awareness? Everyone knows that’s Chloe’s special order from Callum.

Are you seriously trying to leech off her food?

You're always hovering around him—are you trying to be a homewrecker?"" ""Yeah,"" another guy muttered. ""Have some selfrespect."" My hands trembled around the plastic bag. ""I'm not...

I'm actually—"" The door opened again. Callum stood in the entryway, looking at me with cold disappointment. ""Nathan, that's enough,"" she warned. ""Stop causing a scene.

Chloe needs rest."" The door clicked shut again. I stood alone in the sterile corridor, my fingernails digging into my palms until they bled.

My phone vibrated in my pocket. ""Your graduate application for Oakridge University has passed initial review.

Please log in to confirm your final program selection."" I wiped the tears from my face, logged into the portal, deleted my application for Oakridge, and selected a university a thousand miles away, out West. ...

Back in my dorm room that evening, my phone buzzed with an incoming call from Callum. ""Nathan, don't be mad about earlier,"" she said the second I picked up. ""I couldn't acknowledge you in public.

Saving Chloe first was about keeping up appearances. The department chair was standing right outside.

If I’d prioritized you, people would have questioned our relationship."" Chloe’s timid voice bled into the background. ""Nathan, please don't be upset with her.

I really just view Callum as an older brother figure..."" Callum immediately cut back in. ""See? You hear that? Get some sleep.

I’ll come check on you tomorrow."" Before she could hang up, Chloe let out a soft, breathy sob. ""Callum... my head hurts so much. Can you stay a little longer?

Just talk to me until I fall asleep?"" Callum’s voice softened instantly into a tone I hadn't heard in years. ""Shh, go to sleep.

I'm right here."" ""Won't Nathan be angry?"" ""Don't worry,"" Callum replied gently. ""He wouldn't dare."" I hung up, my hands shaking uncontrollably.

Last month, I had cramps so severe I couldn't stand up straight in the lab. I texted her asking if she could drop off a box of painkillers from the campus pharmacy downstairs.

She had texted back: ""There are too many people around. It doesn't look good for me to run errands for you.

Order door dash instead."" Two minutes later, she had added: ""Drink some warm water."" I squeezed my eyes shut against the dark. ...

The next afternoon, after the nurse changed my bandages, Callum finally dropped by.

She frowned when she saw me sitting in a cramped, noisy fourbed ward. ""Why didn't you tell me you were stuck in a general ward?"" she asked, grabbing my hand. ""Come on, I'll transfer you to a private room."" I pulled my hand out of her grip. ""No thanks.

Wouldn't that violate your precious boundaries?"" Her brow furrowed sharply. ""Stop being cynical.

I already apologized for yesterday."" Ignoring my protest, she pulled strings to move me into a private room—right next door to Chloe’s.

An hour later, Chloe popped in to ""visit."" As she reached up to adjust her hair, a worn amber bead bracelet slid down her wrist, catching the fluorescent light. I froze.

My breath hitched in my throat.

When Callum was in a car accident last year, I spent three days traveling to a mountain sanctuary, climbing nearly a thousand stone steps on my knees to pray for that blessed charm to keep her safe.

My knees had been swollen and bruised for weeks after. Callum had held me in her arms, tears in her eyes, swearing she would spend the rest of her life making it up to me.

My voice was barely a whisper. ""That bracelet..."" ""Oh, this?"" Chloe touched the beads gently. ""Callum gave it to me.

He said after the lab accident, he wanted me to have something for protection. It’s so pretty, and honestly, it makes me feel so safe.

Do you know where he got it?"" A cold, hollow ache spread through my chest.

Callum stepped into the room behind her and caught my hand, squeezing it warningly. ""Nathan, I did it for the lab’s sake.

We can't afford another disaster."" ""Right."" I pulled my hand away and offered a faint smile. ""It's your bracelet.

You can give it to whoever you want."" She stunned into silence.

She had clearly expected me to throw a fit, to demand why she had given away something I suffered so much to get for her. She didn't realize that I simply didn't care anymore.

Footsteps echoed outside, and two university officials pushed open the door, accompanied by a campus safety investigator. ""We’re here to take statements regarding the cause of the explosion,"" the investigator announced.

I knew exactly what had happened. I had seen it with my own eyes—Chloe had bypassed the safety ventilation protocol while handling concentrated nitric acid.

I opened my mouth to speak.

Before I could utter a word, Callum stepped forward and pointed straight at me. ""It was Nathan,"" she said smoothly. ""He committed a procedural error, which triggered the reaction."" I stared at her, my mind going blank. ""What?

Callum, it wasn't me! It was Chloe—I was standing right next to her—"" ""I can testify to that!"" Wayne and a few other lab members pushed into the room.

Wayne pointed an accusing finger at my face. ""Don't lie your way out of this, Nathan! We all saw you mess up!

How dare you try to pin this on Chloe?"" ""Exactly,"" another student added. ""Chloe was clear across the table.

How could it be her?"" Chloe’s eyes welled with tears. ""Nathan, I know you didn't mean to do it.

If you just apologize, I'm sure everyone will forgive you..."" I looked at Callum, waiting for her to say something. Anything.

She avoided my eyes, turning to the officials instead. ""As you can see, Nathan was at fault. However, as the teaching assistant, I failed to supervise him properly.

I will personally cover all financial damages to the lab equipment."" Wayne let out a dramatic sigh. ""Callum, you are way too nice to him.

Someone who causes a disaster like this deserves real punishment!"" ""Seriously! He almost got us killed!"" Callum put on her usual noble, forgiving facade. ""It's fine.

Nathan is my student. I'll take responsibility for the cost."" The university official nodded grimly. ""We appreciate your accountability, Callum.

But Nathan will still face formal academic discipline."" ...

Once the room cleared out, Callum caught my arm and dragged me into the quiet stairwell. ""Nathan, I'm sorry,"" she whispered, her voice tight. ""I had to do it.

It’s all about maintaining boundaries. Besides, Chloe is up for early master's program recommendation right now. Her record can't have a single stain on it.

You just have to swallow this for now."" I stared at her, my eyes burning. ""Swallow it?"" Three years ago, I had the highest GPA in the department and was guaranteed a master's recommendation spot.

Callum persuaded me to give it up, claiming that taking the top spot as a junior would make my peers resent me.

The second year, she told me I needed more field experience and pushed me to wait for my senior year. ""You're my boyfriend,"" she had reasoned back then. ""We have to keep our distance.

If people think I gave you the nomination out of favoritism, it will ruin both our reputations."" So this year, I didn't rely on a recommendation.

I studied night and day to take the entrance exams for Oakridge on my own merit.

And now, before I could even take the exam, she had framed me for an explosion to protect another woman. ""Callum,"" I said, my voice eerily calm. ""Are you in love with Chloe?"" ""What?"" Callum let out a dry, incredulous laugh. ""Are you out of your mind?

I've only ever loved one person in my life, and that's you. I just... when I see how hard she works, it reminds me of how you used to be."" I watched her fingers.

She was rubbing her thumb against her index finger—a nervous subconscious tick she always had whenever she lied.

Seeing my silence, she reached out and pulled me into an embrace. ""Nathan, listen to me.

Once you pass your grad exams and officially join the program, we won't have to hide anymore. I'll announce our relationship to everyone.

We won't ever have to maintain boundaries again, okay?"" She petted my hair gently. Her phone chimed.

She glanced at the screen. ""Callum, my arm hurts so much..."" She swiped the screen off and rubbed her nose awkwardly. ""I need to check on Chloe.

Go back to your room and rest."" The stairwell door shut behind her with a quiet click. I reached back and touched the bandage on my shoulder.

From yesterday until today, Callum hadn't asked me a single time if I was in pain. ...

That evening, the campus news broadcast aired a special segment on the accident. ""Callum,"" the student reporter asked, holding up a microphone, ""can you tell us what happened during the explosion?"" Callum gave a smooth, confident smile to the camera. ""It was a dangerous situation, but my student, Chloe, remained completely calm under pressure.

She helped me evacuate the room safely. She showed incredible courage."" By midnight, the story was trending on the university forum. ""The TA is so gorgeous, and Chloe is stunning!

They look so good together!"" ""True love shines in moments of crisis!"" ""Wait, shouldn't the person who actually caused the explosion be expelled?"" Under that last comment, thousands of students posted angry replies demanding my name and calling for my expulsion. ...

When I was discharged two days later, Callum called a mandatory lab meeting.

She slid a formal document across the table toward me. ""Due to ongoing public scrutiny,"" Callum announced smoothly, ""I have decided to suspend Nathan from all current research projects.

His workload will be reassigned to Chloe."" ""Finally!"" Wayne snickered. ""Nathan was always dragging his feet anyway."" ""See?

Callum always does what's right for the lab."" Chloe gave me a polite, triumphant smile. ""Nathan, I'll do my best to take over seamlessly."" I looked down at the paper.

My name had been crossed out in black ink, replaced by Chloe’s in Callum’s precise handwriting. Without saying a word, I picked up a pen and signed my name at the bottom.

It didn't matter anymore. I wasn't staying anyway. As the meeting wrapped up, Wayne called out in a singsong voice, ""Callum! Today is Valentine's Day.

Are you spending tonight alone, or do you have plans?"" Everyone turned to smirk at Chloe, whose cheeks turned a deep crimson.

Callum glanced toward me briefly, clearing her throat. ""I have a date tonight."" The moment she stepped out of the room, the lab erupted into giggles. ""Chloe!

You're going on a Valentine's date with Callum and you didn't tell us?"" ""When are you guys making it official?

The suspense is killing us!"" Chloe smoothed her sweater nervously. ""Oh, stop it, guys.

He didn't say it was with me..."" ""Who else could it possibly be?"" Wayne rolled her eyes, then cut her gaze over to me. ""Some people should really just pack up and leave.

Why are you still standing there?

Trying to play the third wheel?"" I let out a soft, cold laugh. ""Third wheel?"" I turned directly to Chloe. ""Tell me, Chloe—who exactly is Callum's boyfriend?"" Chloe’s face drained of color.

Wayne jumped up, pointing right in my face. ""It's Chloe, obviously!

What, are you going to claim he's ""yours""?"" I unlocked my phone, pulled up a highresolution photo of Callum and me kissing on a beach during a vacation two summers ago, and shoved the screen inches from Wayne’s nose. ""Look closely,"" I said softly. ""I"" am Callum’s boyfriend."" The room plunged into dead silence.

Chloe’s lip trembled. ""Nathan...

I know you’ve always had a crush on Callum, but generating fake AI photos like this... it's really beneath you."" Wayne snapped back to reality, her eyes widening. ""Are you insane?

You're literally psychotic!"" ""What is going on in here?"" Callum had walked back in to retrieve her forgotten laptop. Wayne grabbed her arm like a lifeline. ""Callum!

Nathan has lost her mind!

She’s showing everyone fake pictures and claiming she’s your boyfriend!"" I locked eyes with Callum. ""Callum,"" I said, my voice steady and quiet. ""Tell them.

Am I your boyfriend or not?"" She stared at me, her eyes wide with surprise and panic.

She looked at the surrounding students, at Chloe’s teary face, and finally—she looked away. ""Stop fighting,"" she said gruffly, grabbing her laptop. ""We have a seminar in ten minutes.

Everyone get ready."" Wayne spat on the floor near my shoes. ""Pathological liar."" I stood there in the quiet room.

The very last thread of hope inside me snapped clean in two. ""Fine,"" I whispered. ""I understand."" I stepped up to Chloe, reached out, and ripped the amber prayer bracelet off her wrist with one sharp jerk.

The string snapped, and wooden beads scattered across the floor, bouncing under the desks.

Chloe shrieked, stumbling backward. ""What are you doing?!"" I tossed the remaining broken thread into the trash can. ""Nothing,"" I said calmly. ""Just returning what belongs to me."" I grabbed my laptop, turned around, and walked out without looking back. ...

Three days later, the graduate application deadline closed.

I received a phone call from the head of the Materials Science department at the University of Wyoming. ""Nathan, I’ve reviewed your published papers and research proposals.

You are an exceptional candidate. Welcome to our program."" The next morning, I boarded a train heading west into the mountains. Callum hadn't heard from me in three days.

She told herself I was just being dramatic. Sure, she had gone a bit too far in the lab, but wasn't I the one forcing the issue?

She had explained a thousand times why they needed to keep their distance. Once I passed my grad exams and joined her department, they could announce everything.

Why couldn't I just wait? She opened her faculty portal to organize the new master's applicant files. ""Nathan...

Nathan..."" She searched her roster, but my name wasn't there. ""That's impossible."" Callum’s stomach dropped.

She threw on her coat and hurried down to the registrar's office. ""Dr. Lewis, where is Nathan's application file?

Why isn't he assigned under my department?"" The administrator typed on his keyboard and pulled up the system log. ""Nathan? His file is right here.

He submitted it days ago."" ""His first choice..."" ""University of Wyoming."