Envy, a dangerous craving for something that doesn't belong to us. It can drive us to do things that aren't true to ourselves, all in pursuit of something we think will fill the empty void. But at the expense of what?

Later that week, Dexter cornered June right after class.

He hadn’t had a moment alone with her since the project ended, and the silence between them gnawed at him. He needed something that would keep her attention to him. Something that would push Ryan out of the picture.

“Molly." He started, his voice low "are you still curious about her?”

June stopped in her tracks. She had plans with Ryan that evening, she always did... but this was Molly. Dexter was finally opening that door.

“Can it wait?” she asked. She didn’t want to disappoint Ryan. “I… I have plans.”

Dexter’s jaw tightened. Ryan. Always Ryan.

" June, if you can't make time today I won't ever speak of her name ever again..." Dexter insisted, slightly raising his voice. " June, what do you really know about Ryan?" 

“June, if you can’t make time today, then I won’t ever speak her name again,” he insisted, voice rising with frustration. Then, softer but sharper: “Tell me… what do you really know about Ryan?”

June’s heart dipped. She was caught between the secret Ryan refused to talk about and a promise to meet him.

After a long moment, she whispered, “Dexter… tell me everything you know about Molly.”

The smirk that broke across his face made June’s stomach twist. Someone had finally chosen him over Ryan... or at least he believed she had.

He led her to a small restaurant on campus. He ordered ice cream for her, coffee for himself.

June’s phone buzzed again and again...Ryan was calling ...and she texted back:

I’m sorry. I’m caught up in something.

Dexter noticed the frown she tried to hide. It stung. She should smile like she did with Ryan.

“So… How have you--”

“Molly.” June cut him off sharply. “Just tell me about Molly.”

Dexter swallowed hard. Of course. It wasn’t him she cared about.

“Molly," he began. "was a person Ryan can never forget,” Dexter said, his voice low. " She was the person he cared about the most, they grew up together, went to the same school."

"Then what happened to her," June asked. 

"Her suicide letter... Was addressed to Ryan."

June’s chest tightened. “Dexter… is she… dead?”

“No.” Dexter scoffed. “She survived. It was a failed attempt. She wanted to hurt Ryan the way she thought he hurt her.”

"No!" Dexter laughed. " Her suicide attempt was a fail...she tried to get back at Ryan, for hurting her." 

“Molly is someone Ryan can’t forget,” he said, voice low. “They grew up together. Same schools, same neighbourhood.”

June leaned in. “Then what happened?”

Dexter’s eyes flickered.

“Her suicide letter… it was addressed to Ryan.”

June’s chest tightened. “Dexter… is she… dead?”

“No.” Dexter scoffed. “She survived. It was a failed attempt. She wanted to hurt Ryan the way she thought he hurt her.”

June swallowed. “What did Ryan do to her?”

Dexter stirred his coffee slowly, watching every twitch of June’s face.

“You really want to know?” he asked.

June nodded, even though part of her didn’t want to.

Dexter leaned forward, eyes dark.

“Molly loved Ryan. Trusted him with everything. And when she needed him most… he told her she was irrelevant. That no one would care if she disappeared.”

June’s breath hitched. “He… Ryan said that?”

Dexter nodded,“Word for word. I was there, June. She chased him, begged him, and you know what he did? He turned his back and walked away.”

June’s chest tightened. "And after that… she..."

"Tried to take her life," Dexter finished bluntly. He let the words sink in before leaning back. “She wrote him a letter before she did it. Addressed only to Ryan. Imagine what that means."

He sipped his coffee slowly, his eyes not leaving hers. "Tell me, June… if a guy could do that to someone who loved him, what makes you think you’ll be any different?"

June sat frozen, the spoonful of melting ice cream trembling in her hand.

Molly.

The name pressed against her chest like a stone.

Her mind darted back to every moment Ryan asked,

Would you still be my friend if you knew who I really was?

It suddenly made horrible sense.

And yet none of it did.

Her fists trembled under the table, nails digging into her palms.

Why didn't he tell her?

Didn’t he trust her?

Or was she just another fragile thing he didn’t want to risk breaking?

Tears burned her eyes before she could stop them.

Part of her wanted to run to him...to ask him, why?

 what happened? 

Another part whispered: If he could walk away from Molly when she needed him the most, what would stop him from doing the same to her?

The thought stung worse than she expected.

“June?” Dexter leaned in, a little too pleased with the fracture he’d caused. “Do you understand now? He’s not who you think.”

June swallowed hard, blinking away the blur in her eyes. Still, she whispered, “I’ll ask him myself.”

They stepped out of the restaurant, the night air heavy around them. June walked quickly, not wanting to hear another word.

“June,” Dexter called after her. “I would never hide anything from you.”

She spun around, her voice sharp. “Why are you telling me this now, Dexter? Why not then? Why now?”

He caught up, blocking her path. “Because I couldn’t stand it anymore. You looked so happy with him. Every time you saw him, your eyes lit up... he hated it.”

June stared at him, breath shaking. “Dexter… do you like me?”

His heart stumbled.

She finally saw it.

“Y-yes,” he blurted. “Since the freshers’ party. I’ve liked you since then.” He grabbed her hand, trembling with adrenaline, and cupped her face like she already belonged to him.

“Dext...”

He leaned in, desperate to steal what Ryan already had.

Then a slap.

The sound cracked through the night, sharp as glass.

June’s hand stung, but her anger burned hotter. Dexter froze, cheek blazing red.

“June… why... ”

“You’re a terrible person, Dexter... Really!”She spat, Voice trembling. “I’ve lost every bit of respect I had for you.”

She stormed off, not looking back, tears spilling hot down her cheeks.

By the time she got to Keighley’s dorm, she was shaking.

Keighley opened the door and June collapsed against her.

“I’m scared,” June gasped, barely breathing. “Kay… I’m so scared.”