The Day She Chose Someone Else

Ella choked at my words, her face flushing with anger.

“What’s so hard about getting into WIT? I just didn’t want to go!

“I’ll just take a gap year and retake the exams. I bet I can make it.”

Benedict puffed up and glared at me arrogantly.

“Yeah! What’s so great about WIT, anyway?”

I nodded. “You’re right. It’s not that big a deal.

“But just a reminder, don’t forget your admission ticket next year. Otherwise, you’ll be retaking it. Again.”

Then I grabbed Simon and left.

…

A couple of weeks later, my university admission letter arrived.

My father, a man rarely moved by emotion, teared up the moment he saw the header.

My mother, overwhelmed with pride, snapped over a dozen photos and posted them all to her social media feed.

“Once you get to university, study hard, Dominic,” she said. “You’ve got to show them how capable you are.”

I nodded. The truth was, I had already bought a stack of books and planned to dive into them before the semester began.

The earlier I prepared, the more capable I’d be of seizing opportunities when they came.

A few days later, Simon and I attended a banquet where classmates, teachers, and parents gathered under one roof.

Our homeroom teacher grabbed my arm and led me up to the stage, his voice full of emotion.

“This is Dominic Benson, the pride of our school and soon-to-be student at Whitmore Institute of Technology. Let’s all give him a round of applause!”

The room erupted into thunderous roars.

But just as the applause faded, a quiet complaint rang clear in everyone’s ears:

“If only our daughter had stayed with him, then maybe she would’ve gotten into WIT too.”

The room fell silent instantly as all eyes turned toward the source of the voice. Then came the quiet ripple of whispers spreading through the crowd.

I looked more closely and to my surprise, it was Ella’s mother, Vanessa Simpson.

Both of Ella’s parents were teachers, known for their strict, effective parenting. They likely never imagined that their daughter would act so recklessly.

Suddenly, Benedict’s mother, Maria Casper, rushed forward, her voice sharp and shrill.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Maria demanded. She had one hand planted firmly on her hip, while the other jabbed at Vanessa’s face.

Startled, Vanessa stepped back a few paces.

Her husband, Harry Simpson, caught her and held her steady, then turned to Maria.

“Did Vanessa say anything untrue? If your son hadn’t pressured Ella to go back for Benedict’s exam pass, she wouldn’t have missed it!”

“What do you mean Benedict pressured her? Your daughter practically threw herself at my son!” Maria barked, her jewelry jingling from head to toe.

“Even if she missed the exam, she brought it on herself!”

Just then, Benedict’s father, Lee Casper, stepped forward with a sneer. “And here I was wondering who was talking. Turns out it’s just a broke little schoolteacher.

“If you apologize now, we might still consider keeping you as our future in-laws.

“But if you keep running your mouth like this, don’t blame us for what happens next.”

Harry was an honest man long respected in the school community, and had never encountered anything like this.

Stunned and speechless, he fumbled for words.

With trembling hands, he pulled Ella closer.

“Ella…tell us the truth. Did Benedict force you to get his admission ticket? Is that why you missed your exams?”