At that moment , I wasn't alone . Standing awkwardly beside me was a guy from my class . He was pretty good - looking - tall , broad shoulders - and his name showed up in the campus confession forum regularly . I was just about to ask if he needed help with something . During dinner , I'd caught him stealing glances at me like a dozen times . " Drielle , um , so I'm Felix - the guy who's sent you three letters with no response . " " I think you're absolutely gorgeous , and I want to seriously date you - like , seriously seriously . Would you give me a chance to pursue you ? " He stammered through his little speech , scratched his head nervously , then shoved a fourth letter into my hands . Before I could even react , he bolted like his ass was on fire . " Drielle . " I'd just opened the letter when I turned around to find Tanner standing behind me , looking like death warmed over . He seemed exhausted from traveling , dark circles under his eyes , hair slightly messed up . But his crisp white button - down and dark dress pants were still perfectly pressed - still the polished prep school prince I'd grown up with . The formal outfit plus the laptop bag suggested he'd rushed here straight from some business event . Even though I'd moved on , seeing him here made my chest tighten with a mixture of rage and disbelief . " I need to talk to you . Can we sit down somewhere ? " Tanner's question was tentative , like he was terrified I'd say no . " I have to study for my thermodynamics exam tonight . Just say whatever you need to say here . " My voice was perfectly controlled , but my hands were shaking . If Tanner had chased me across the fucking country , he obviously wasn't leaving until he said his piece . But his opening line made me want to punch him . " You guys have known each other for like five minutes and he's already confessing ? That's not serious - guys like that just care about looks . You should stay away from him . " I let out a bitter laugh that could've cut glass . " You flew across the country to give me dating advice ? How is this any of your goddamn business ? Just because I can't make new friends doesn't mean I have to stay loyal to old ones who betrayed me . " Tanner flinched like I'd slapped him , then continued in a more subdued tone . " Drielle , I don't understand why you didn't change your application with me . I'm sorry - I was way too presumptuous . " " I just assumed you'd follow me anywhere … " Fury blazed through my chest . I cut him off sharply . " Stop right there . Don't project your expectations onto me or try to guilt - trip me . I didn't choose to change anything - you're the one who switched up first . " " But before , no matter which school I applied to , you always came with me . You had my login information - why didn't you change yours this time ? " 16:44 Golden Boy Blew Our 13 Years ? Joke's On Him . 1 Bagged A Tycoon ! 22.0 % Chapter 25 FPS WERE PLANE Tanner was getting agitated , grabbing my arm like he was drowning and I was his life raft . The touch made my skin crawl " Why didn't you just tell me straight up that you wanted to go somewhere else ? Would I have stopped you from applying ? Why play games with people's futures ? Is it fun to mess with someone like that ? I stared him down , my voice dripping with contempt . " It's not like that , that's not what happened , I was just … maybe too confident about our relationship . Don't you remember ? When I kissed you , you didn't pull away … I was planning to officially ask you out once we got to college , and I'd already thought about getting married after graduation back in New York … " " There was never anyone else . Harper was just me trying to make you jealous later on . " By the end , Tanner was getting emotional , his eyes rimmed with red , The desperation in his voice almost made me feel sorry for him . Almost , 1 yanked my arm free like his touch burned . " But you never considered how I felt . That's when I realized you don't actually know me at all - you have no idea why I wanted this school . You probably thought I only applied because you did . " " It was never just about you , you self centered asshole , " My voice was rising , months of suppressed rage finally spilling over . " You should know that my dad died in an aircraft testing accident . I used to ask you all the time what was so fascinating about space that my dad would risk his life for experiments . " " The truth is , I've always wanted to find that answer myself . The more I missed him , the more I needed to understand . Did you really think I'd just abandon his dreams for some guy who couldn't even be honest with me ? " Tanner looked like I'd hit him with a freight train " But you … you never told me any of this … " I smiled , but it felt like broken glass in my mouth . He probably never imagined that my casual questions weren't just about missing Dad - they'd secretly planted the seeds of continuing his legacy . So all that sweat and effort , all those sleepless nights studying - none of it was just for Tanner . Finally , I told him everything I needed closure on this toxic chapter of my life . " I'm still grateful that when my father died , you helped me through the worst of it . Even when my mom was overwhelmed with the business , your parents gave me the same warmth they gave their own family , " " But Tanner , from the moment you decided to break our promise without telling me , we were finished . Completely fucking finished . "