Chapter 23 Would stayed in town , I wouldn't have gone anyway . The night of Tanner's celebration party , he was dearly spiraling , borrowing other people's phones to harass me nonstop . first he was asking where I was , then after calling multiple times , he realized I wasn't just running late - 1 wasn't coming at all . He absolutely lost his fucking mind Even his mom frally rottoed something was wrong and called to fish for information . Drelle , sweete , did you and Tanner have a figher " How come you haven't stopped by since you got back from your trip ? Are you upset with me too ? " " When you get back , I'll straighten that boy out myself Don't be mad , honey - you two still need to head to Atlanta together for school I've already bought you a wide care routine and dorm essentials . The maternal concern in her voice made my chest tight . She had no idea her precious son was a lying piece of shit . Tm not angry , Mrs. Whitlock . You don't need to worry about that - my mom already got everything ready . " " We really do have a family emergency . I'm not even in New York right no I was mid explanation when I heard the phone being violently snatched away . " Drielle , you're fucking ruthless . " " One of the biggest nights of my life , and you ghost me with some pathetic excuse . " " What's your endgame here ? We've known each other for eighteen years - not eighteen months , not eighteen days . Does that mean nothing to you ? " The entitlement in his voice made me want to scream . I was just walking out of Grandma's hospital room , heading back to the hotel completely drained . I was running on fumes and had zero tolerance for his melodrama . " Tanner , congratulations on getting everything you wanted . I have a family emergency , so I can't make it … " Before 1 could finish , he went nuclear . " There's a fucking limit to how long you can throw a tantrum , okay ? How many days has this been ? How many times have I bent over backwards trying to fix this ? " " Do you have any idea how much you're messing with my head ? You even ruined parts of my vacation with this drama . " " Are you planning to stay pissed until we move to campus ? Because when it's time to haul your ridiculous amount of luggage up to your dorm , I won't be there to help . See how that works out for you . " The threat was so pathetic I almost laughed . " Whatever . " I gave him the most dismissive response in my arsenal , my voice flat as concrete . But internally , I was thinking about how the MIT freshman group chat was packed with helpful upperclassmen volunteering for move - in day . The world wouldn't crumble without Tanner Whitlock . What a revelation . While he was still processing my complete indifference , I hung up on him . My phone immediately buzzed with a text from an unknown number : a . Wi … I Dagnod & Tycoon ! 20.2% Chapter 23 [ brielle , if you're so tough , don't come crawling back to me at college . When someone else snatches me up , you'll be sobbing your heart out . ] The sudacity nearly gave me whiplash . After everything he'd done , he still thought I'd chase him ? 1 blocked the number and turned off my phone , Some people really never learn .