Chapter 4: The Tampon Incident

Three years of secret love—I studied day and night just to squeeze into the top AP science class and get closer to Caleb.

But after half a year—

His eyes were only for Aubrey. He never once spoke to me, the classmate who sat right behind him.

So what if we were close in distance?

I still couldn't enter his world.

Feeling miserable, I skipped gym and lay on my desk, half asleep. I pressed my cheek to my hoodie sleeve, breathing in the faint smell of detergent and old pencil shavings.

Suddenly, someone knocked on my desk a few times.

Looking up, I saw Caleb's proud, aloof face right in front of me.

For the first time ever, he took the initiative to talk to me. My heart thudded so hard it almost drowned out his voice.

"Hey, uh… do you have a tampon for Aubrey?"

For a moment, I thought I'd misheard.

I blinked, waiting for him to say something else. But of course, why else would Caleb ever talk to me?

It was just that someone happened to be in the classroom, and that someone happened to be a girl.

I pulled one out and handed it to him, then lay back down on my desk.

Half an hour later, Caleb came back to the classroom with a dark expression and coldly questioned me:

"What did you give me? After Aubrey used it, she kept saying she was cold. Now she's fainted and is getting an IV in the nurse's office."

His words hit like a bucket of ice water. I froze, about to explain, but Caleb really laid into me:

"If you're going to give someone period products, can't you buy better quality? I can't imagine what kind of girl you are—you almost hurt Aubrey!"

The words stung more than I expected. I was speechless, not even sure where to start explaining the basics.

So much frustration and anger welled up inside me, but in the end, I just stayed silent.

He was sure it was my fault—no matter what I said, he'd just pile on more ridiculous accusations.

Why waste my breath?

The only sound was the hum of the old classroom radiator.