Chapter 4 - The Trap is Set
Over the next two weeks, college life settled into a bizarre, surreal rhythm—largely dictated by the elaborate fiction my parents had established on day one.
Word had apparently traveled fast through the freshman dorm building. Within forty-eight hours, the entire floor was operating under the collective assumption that I was attending university purely on a desperate financial hardship scholarship, surviving on instant noodles and whatever charity I could find.
And Chloe? Chloe played her part to perfection.
True to my parents' prediction, she didn't abandon me entirely—which would have looked too obvious. Instead, she kept me around as her designated pet project. She adopted me with a patronizing, condescending brand of "charity friendship."
Whenever we walked to lecture halls together, she would subtly walk a half-step ahead, making sure everyone saw who she was associating with. She would make excruciatingly backhanded comments designed to highlight our supposed financial disparity.
"Oh, do you need help buying your textbook access code? I know they're terribly expensive for people who have to... well, budget carefully," she’d say with a sweet, sympathetic smile while clutching her designer coffee cup.
"It's so brave of you to wear the same three sweaters every week! It’s giving such a cute, minimalist vintage aesthetic," she told me one afternoon while showing off her brand-new designer jacket.
I played along brilliantly. I channeled every ounce of acting skill I possessed, offering shy smiles, playing the humble, grateful scholarship kid, and keeping a mental tally of every single condescending remark she made. Behind closed doors, my parents and I laughed until our ribs hurt during our nightly FaceTime calls, where they eagerly asked for progress reports on the "social experiment."
"How is Her Royal Highness treating you today?" my dad would ask over video chat, sipping coffee from our back patio.
"She lent me a highlighter today because she looked at my cheap plastic pens with visible physical pain," I reported back, grinning. "She also offered to let me keep her leftover takeout box so I wouldn't have to spend money at the dining hall."
"Magnificent," my dad beamed. "Keep building the lore. The climax is coming."
You see, my parents hadn't just orchestrated a moving-day prank; they had set up a massive, high-stakes reveal. And the stage was already booked.
University tradition dictated that the entire freshman dorm floor host a massive welcome-to-college dinner party at the end of our third week. Every student was expected to invite their parents, showcase their dorm setups, and attend a formal reception hosted in the grand university alumni banquet hall—a sprawling, luxurious venue featuring catered food, live classical music, and strict formal attire.
Chloe had been bragging about the event for days. Her parents had rented out a luxury suite at the city's finest hotel, and she had spent a small fortune on a custom evening gown specifically for the banquet.
"Too bad you probably couldn't afford a dress for the formal reception," Chloe told me sweetly two days before the event, examining her manicured nails. "My mom actually packed an old cocktail dress of hers that you can borrow if you want. It's a bit dated, but beggars can't be choosers, right?"
I bit the inside of my cheek so hard I almost drew blood, maintaining my wide-eyed, grateful expression. "Oh, Chloe, you're so kind. I don't know what I'd do without your help."
"Don't mention it," she sighed graciously. "We all have to help the less fortunate."
Oh, sweet summer child, I thought to myself. You have no idea what is coming.
The night of the banquet arrived, bright, glittering, and packed to the brim with high-society parents, wealthy alumni, and expectant freshmen. The grand ballroom was bathed in golden chandelier light, ringing with the gentle clinking of crystal champagne flutes and polite laughter.
Chloe stood near the entrance in her glittering designer gown, looking like a queen presiding over her court, eagerly awaiting my arrival so she could introduce her "impoverished charity project" to her wealthy friends and parents.
May you like
Little did she know, my parents were parked outside in their actual vehicle—a pristine, midnight-black luxury sedan—wearing custom evening wear worth more than Chloe's tuition deposit.
And the curtain was about to go up.
