Love Diaries : The Good Girl

Elle Reyes knew exactly what it felt like to lose. She simply refused to get used to it. The results were projected across the lecture hall on a Monday morning, displaying the rankings for the midterm examinations. Elle sat in the third row, her notebook open in front of her, her pen resting between her fingers as she stared at the screen. **1. Adrian Cole — 98.6%** **2. Elliana Reyes — 98.1%** Half a point. That was all. Half a point separating her from the top of the class, from the position she had worked so hard to maintain, and from the satisfaction of seeing her name above his. Behind her, whispers traveled through the room. “Cole did it again.” “Only by half a point.” “Elle's going to kill him.” Someone laughed. Elle ignored them. A ninety-eight was an excellent score. Her mother would be proud. Her professors would be impressed. Anyone else would probably be celebrating. But Adrian Cole had scored higher. Again. And somehow, that was the only part that mattered. She didn't need to look across the lecture hall to know he was watching her. She could feel it. When the professor dismissed the class, Elle calmly closed her notebook, slipped it into her bag, and stood. She had barely taken three steps when a familiar voice stopped her. “Well, Reyes.” She turned. Adrian stood a few feet away, his exam paper folded loosely in one hand. His tie was slightly crooked, his sleeves were rolled to his elbows, and that irritatingly confident smile was already on his face. “Congratulations,” he said. Elle stared at him. “For what?” “You came second.” “I know how rankings work.” “I was just being polite.” “You're incapable of being polite.” He laughed. “That's not true.” “Name one polite thing you've done this semester.” Adrian pretended to think. “I let you sit in front of me during Professor Bennett's lecture.” “You were late.” “Exactly. I gave you my seat.” “You stole my seat.” “Details.” Elle shook her head and started walking. Adrian followed. “You're taking this surprisingly well.” “I don't care.” “Really?” “Really.” He studied her for a moment. “You say that every time you lose.” Elle stopped. “I don't lose.” His eyebrows lifted. “You're standing in second place.” “Temporarily.” “That's what you said last time.” “And I won the next exam.” “You lost the one after that.” “By one point.” “A loss is a loss.” Elle's eyes narrowed. That was Adrian's favorite phrase. He had been using it since their first year. Their rivalry had started almost by accident. During their first semester, Adrian had beaten her by two points in economics. Elle had spent the entire evening convincing herself that it didn't matter. The next morning, she beat him by four points in accounting. He congratulated her with a grin and promised to take the lead back. He did. She took it again. Since then, their competition had become a tradition. They fought over grades, scholarships, academic awards, presentations, case competitions, internships, and even the attention of professors. Their classmates had stopped asking who was better. Everyone knew that wherever Elle went, Adrian wasn't far behind. “I'll see you around,” Adrian said. “Hopefully not.” He smiled. “You'd miss me.” “I'd celebrate.” “You'd get bored.” “I'd finally have peace.” “Same thing.” Elle rolled her eyes and walked away. Behind her, she heard him laugh. She hated that laugh. Mostly because she secretly liked it. --- At seven that evening, Elle was in the university library. She had told herself she was there because of the upcoming finance assessment. That was partly true. The other reason was Adrian. She had seen him studying there almost every evening during exam season. There was no way she was going to let him get ahead of her again. Elle claimed a table near the windows and arranged her books in neat stacks. Her laptop was open, her notes organized, and three highlighters sat beside her notebook. She had been studying for almost forty minutes when someone pulled out the chair across from her. “You're kidding.” “Good evening, Elle.” She looked up. Adrian dropped his backpack beside his chair. “Why are you here?” “Studying.” “There are plenty of other tables.” “I like this one.” “You mean you like annoying me.” “That too.” Elle sighed and returned to her notes. For the next twenty minutes, they worked in silence. The library was quiet enough for her to hear Adrian turning pages and tapping his pen against the table. She tried to ignore him. Then he spoke. “You calculated that wrong.” Elle looked up immediately. “What?” He pointed at her laptop. “Your projected revenue.” She checked the spreadsheet. Then the formula. “I did not.” “You did.” “Where?” Adrian leaned forward and pointed at the screen. “You used the quarterly growth rate instead of the annualized rate.” Elle stared at the numbers. He was right. She corrected the formula. Adrian leaned back with a satisfied expression. “Don't.” “I didn't say anything.” “You're thinking something.” “I was thinking that you finally made a mistake.” “I didn't make a mistake.” “You did.” “It's corrected.” “Because I caught it.” Elle closed her laptop. “You know what your problem is?” “I have several. Which one?” “You're arrogant.” “I prefer confident.” “You're impossible.” “And yet you keep sitting across from me.” She stared at him. He smiled. That smile was the reason half the girls in their department had developed crushes on him. Elle was determined not to become one of them. “You know,” Adrian said, “you're very predictable.” Her expression hardened. “Excuse me?” “When you lose, you get quiet. Then you study twice as hard. Then you pretend you don't care. Then you beat me the next time.” Elle said nothing. He had noticed. That irritated her more than his teasing. “You've been paying attention.” “We've been competing for three years.” “That doesn't mean you know me.” “I know enough.” Elle opened her laptop again. “Focus on your own work.” “I am.” “Good.” “I'm just enjoying watching you prepare for revenge.” “This isn't revenge.” “What is it?” “Competition.” Adrian smiled. “Whatever helps you sleep at night, Elle.” --- Two weeks later, the final rankings were announced. Elle sat in the same lecture hall, waiting for the professor to reveal the results. She wasn't nervous. At least, that was what she told herself. The professor adjusted his glasses. “For the highest overall academic performance this semester, congratulations to **Elliana Reyes**.” The room erupted in applause. Elle smiled and looked toward Adrian. He was already looking at her. There was no irritation on his face, only a small nod. She returned it. After class, she found him waiting outside the lecture hall. “You won,” he said. “I did.” “Congratulations.” She smiled. “That sounded painful.” “It was.” She laughed. “Enjoy it,” Adrian said. “I will.” “Because I'm taking it back next semester.” Elle adjusted the strap of her bag. “Then you'd better work harder.” “I always do.” She walked past him, but after a few steps, he called her name. “Elle.” She turned. He stood beneath the hallway lights, watching her with that same confident expression. “Don't get comfortable.” Elle smiled. “I never do.” She walked away, already thinking about the next semester, the next exam, and the next opportunity to beat him. Their rivalry wasn't over. It had barely begun. And neither of them knew that the competition they had spent years building would eventually become the one thing neither of them could walk away from.