Picking A New Major

Without a second of hesitation, Cleo caught Maya's wrists and firmly pressed the sleek medal box right back into the younger girl's palms. She let out a soft, airy laugh, casting a knowing, subtle glance over Maya's shoulder straight at Declan.

"Oh, don't be silly, Maya," Cleo announced. Her voice rang clearly down the quiet hallway, ensuring every single senior heard her. "It was Declan's grand idea to force me into a public apology today. He clearly harbors a massive soft spot for you."

Cleo tilted her head, locking eyes with Declan. Her gaze held a silent, mocking challenge. "Since you are his absolute favorite junior, he surely will not mind if his precious little medal is used to cheer you up. Right, Declan?"

That calculated remark struck a deep, raw nerve. Declan stood frozen. The calm, composed mask he wore so well fractured in an instant. A dark flush of anger crept up his neck. His jaw clenched tight. Cleo was discarding his past affection like garbage. That medal was not just some random trinket. It was his proudest achievement, his first major victory. He had given it to her back then with genuine care, treating her like a little sister. Now, she was tossing it away just to score points in a petty argument.

A low, angry growl escaped his throat. He closed the distance between them in two long strides and snatched the velvet box right out of Maya's loose grip.

"Nice try, Cleo," Declan snapped. He glared down at her.

Cleo did not flinch. She maintained her unfazed, challenging expression. Her lips curved into a faint smirk. "What is wrong? I thought you would jump at the chance to make your little star smile."

Maya pouted, looking down at her empty hands before glancing up with wide, watery eyes. "Cleo, please," she claimed in a weak, fragile voice. "Regifting such an item is just improper. You cannot do that."

Cleo widened her eyes, feigning perfect innocence. "Improper? But you are the undisputed darling of the team. You deserve nothing less than the best." She shot another glance at the seething senior. "Declan is thrilled to give it to you. He just does not want to say it."

Unable to maintain his composure under Cleo's mocking gaze, Declan let out a sharp breath. The frustration boiled over. He grabbed Maya's hand and shoved the gold medal directly against her palm.

"Here, kid," Declan told her, his voice rough. "Keep it safe." He shot a bitter, glaring look back at Cleo. "Do not be like some people who lack basic gratitude."

Without another word, Declan spun around and stormed away in a rage. His heavy footsteps echoed down the corridor until he disappeared around the corner.

Maya stood holding the heavy metal. She felt thoroughly unsettled. The triumph of finally obtaining Declan's prized medal felt tainted by the sudden friction. She stared at Cleo's relaxed posture, wondering if the older girl was deliberately trying to get kicked off the team.

Marcus stepped forward. He angrily confronted Cleo, his brows furrowed deep. "What is your problem? Why are you intentionally provoking Declan? Do you even want to keep your spot in the lab?"

Cleo merely sighed. She lifted her shoulders in a show of mock innocence. "I have no idea why he flipped out. I was simply trying to support his obvious interest in Maya. How was I supposed to know he would throw a tantrum?"

She gave them a brief, dismissive wave. "See you all later."

Cleo sauntered away down the hall. Marcus, Caleb, and Maya exchanged thrown, baffled looks. The quiet, submissive research geek they all knew was gone. This sudden, bold shift in her personality left the remaining seniors deeply disturbed.

The following morning, Cleo slipped into the quiet sanctuary of the campus library. The high ceilings and rows of ancient texts offered a welcome cover. She had a definitive mission today. She must select a new major.

Remaining in her current program was academic suicide. It would mean enduring a relentless, soul-crushing struggle against Arthur Kenrick and the powerful figures she had just alienated. They controlled the lab. They controlled the grades. Escaping their sphere of influence was her only viable path to surviving this second chance. Only by stepping out of their domain could she gain the freedom needed to dismantle Maya's intricate web of lies.

She spent hours pacing the narrow aisles. She felt desperate to find an alternative major that she could realistically complete within her senior year. Switching to another intensive science program at this stage was nearly impossible. She needed a loophole.

Lost in thought, Cleo spun around too quickly in the tight space between two tall shelves. Her foot collided sharply with the heavy wooden leg of a study table.

The sudden impact shook the table. It violently jolted a male student who had been napping facedown on his arms. He jerked awake. His elbow caught the edge of his heavy textbook, sending the massive volume crashing to the floor with a loud thud.

"Oh, shoot," Cleo whispered. "I am so sorry."

She quickly bent down to retrieve the volume. As her fingers brushed the thick cover, the bold, faded letters caught her eye. *Acupuncture*.

Before she could lift it, a large hand shot down. The student violently snatched the book right from her hands.

"Who gave you permission to touch my property?" he snapped. His voice was a harsh, gravelly bark. He stood up, towering over her. Dark hair fell over piercing, irritable eyes.

Cleo stood up, opening her mouth to apologize again, but the guy did not care. He shoved his chair in, clutched the acupuncture textbook against his chest, and stormed out of the library in a visible huff.

Cleo watched him go, blinking in surprise. Before she could process the brief, hostile encounter, a familiar voice called out.

"Why did you go and mess with him?"

Nolan approached her from the main walkway. He carried a neatly packed lunchbox in his hand. He stopped beside her, offering a casual smile. "Marcus and Caleb were too busy sorting data to come themselves. They sent me to drop this off."

Cleo smiled as she accepted the food. The container felt warm against her palms. "Thanks."

But behind her polite smile, her mind was instantly flooded with a dark, freezing memory from her past life. Back then, things had played out very differently. She had refused to apologize to Maya in Kenrick's office. She had stood her ground. As a result, the entire team isolated her.

She remembered sitting in this exact library, starving and exhausted. Nolan had walked by with a lunchbox just like this one. She had begged him for a small portion of the food. Nolan had looked down at her, his face twisted in a cruel sneer. He had mockingly declared that an academic nobody did not deserve to eat Maya's meals. He left her there with nothing.

The memory faded, leaving a bitter taste in her mouth. She looked down at the lunchbox in her hands. She realized their current kindness was conditional on her submission. Because she had played the obedient senior and apologized yesterday, they were treating her well. She refused to be fooled by their fake warmth.

Cleo walked over to a quiet corner of the library and sat down at an empty desk. She opened the food, but her mind locked onto the title of the book she had just seen.

Acupuncture.

A spark of realization lit up her thoughts. Acupuncture was the perfect escape route. It was an unpopular major with virtually nonexistent career prospects on this campus. Modern medicine ruled the school. Traditional practices were treated like ancient relics. That meant she would face zero competition. With barely any students enrolled in the program, she would enjoy direct, undivided attention from the department's professors. She could easily catch up and graduate on time.

It was a brilliant plan.

"Hey. Are you zoning out?"

Nolan interrupted her thoughts. He pulled out the chair across from her and sat down, leaning his elbows on the table.

Cleo snapped back to reality. She flashed a sheepish grin. "Sorry. I was just thinking. Who was that hot-tempered student I disturbed earlier?"

Nolan's face immediately twisted in disgust. He scoffed, leaning back in his chair. "That was Vaughn Sinclair."

"Vaughn Sinclair?" Cleo repeated. She had heard the name floating around the campus rumors, but she had never seen his face until today.

Nolan nodded, his expression growing serious. He lowered his voice, delivering a stern warning. "He is Declan's fierce academic rival. The guy possesses a dark, dangerous vibe. He is bad news. You need to stay far away from him."