Chapter 2: Secrets Behind the Curtain

I remember that conversation—he was so matter-of-fact, telling me he’d handled it, that I didn’t need to worry. I never thought it would come back to bite us. For a while, I almost forgot Savannah existed at all.

The last time Savannah confessed to Matt was during the university’s centennial celebration. After her solo dance, she stood on stage and announced, "This dance is for you, Matt Collins," in front of the whole school.

The moment was surreal—spotlights, applause, and then her voice, ringing out over the auditorium. The crowd went dead silent, then broke into awkward laughter and whispers. I felt a hundred eyes land on me, prickling my skin.

The auditorium erupted with laughter and whispers. I was sitting beside Matt, and everyone who knew about us turned to look at me. I tried to stay calm, but my cheeks burned. Then I heard Matt reply to Savannah, his tone composed and respectful: "Thank you, you danced beautifully. My girlfriend enjoyed it too."

He said it with a quiet confidence, reaching over to squeeze my hand. I squeezed back, pride swelling in my chest. Savannah ran off the stage in tears.

Not long after, Matt suddenly stood before me, gentle but unfamiliar, and told me he thought he’d fallen for Savannah.

The world spun on its axis. I remember how his voice caught, how he wouldn’t quite meet my eyes. It was like talking to a stranger wearing my boyfriend’s face.

The girl I helped is named Rachel Nguyen. She shares a dorm with Savannah. Because she accidentally stepped on Savannah’s dance shoes at the start of freshman year, she’s been isolated and bullied by her ever since.

Rachel’s voice was soft, almost apologetic, as she told me her story. Her hands fidgeted with the hem of her sleeve, and I could see the anxiety flickering in her eyes. It was the kind of petty drama that only seems to happen in college dorms—one tiny mistake, and suddenly you’re an outcast.

Maybe she wanted to thank me for earlier, so she confided, "That day, when Savannah ran back to the dorm crying from the auditorium, I was there too, hiding behind the bed curtain, so she didn’t see me.

She kept crying, and then I heard her talking to someone. She sounded panicked, asking, ‘Who are you?’ Then her voice went all hesitant: ‘Can you really make Matt Collins fall in love with me?’ After that, I didn’t hear anything else. I peeked out—she was talking to thin air, like... like someone else was there, but I couldn’t see them."

Rachel’s eyes darted around the hallway, like she was afraid someone might overhear. Her voice dropped to a whisper, and a chill slid down my spine. It sounded wild, but something in her sincerity made me pause.

Rachel looked at me, her gaze steady. "At the time, I thought she was just freaking out from the embarrassment, but not long after, your boyfriend, Matt, fell for her."

I stood there, stunned. Rachel smiled, got up, and as she left, tossed over her shoulder, "I know it sounds nuts, but I’m not lying. I didn’t want to get involved, but watching Savannah act so smug really gets on my nerves."

She left. I stood there, midsummer heat or not—my back was slick with cold sweat, the air suddenly thick and hard to breathe.

The hallway felt tighter, the buzz of the lights sharper. I pressed my palm to my chest, trying to slow my racing heart. I’d never believed in the supernatural, not really, but Rachel’s words kept looping in my mind, refusing to let go.

Distracted, I carried my racket back and happened to see Matt and Savannah together.