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Short filmTranscript
00:00I was just a broke, nerdy girl no one noticed at school.
00:03And the star quarterback, a straight-A student, wanted to date me.
00:06I felt insecure, so I rejected him.
00:09Seriously?
00:10You're rejecting me?
00:14I...
00:14I...
00:15I...
00:15I...
00:15I hate you.
00:18Alright.
00:23I'll remember you.
00:26I never thought we'd end up at the same grad school years later.
00:29The moment Ethan stepped onto campus, he blew up again.
00:32People couldn't stop speculating about his type.
00:35Then he showed up in the comments himself.
00:37Someone who doesn't feel insecure.
00:40That night, outside the crowded dorm, I stopped him.
00:46Didn't you say you hated me?
00:50I don't feel insecure anymore.
00:53Can you like me again?
00:57Ethan?
00:58I had just pulled an all-nighter in the lab and looked like a mess.
01:01The day Ethan showed up on that Instagram page with the girl who had bullied me.
01:05It wasn't the first time I'd seen him on Instagram.
01:07Ethan had gone viral the day he arrived on campus.
01:10Someone posted a candid shot of him signing in at orientation.
01:13The university's official Instagram reposted it.
01:16People started digging.
01:17Near perfect SAT scores.
01:19Straight A's at an Ivy League undergrad.
01:22Top ranked admission into our grad program.
01:24Hashtag cold genius.
01:26Ethan started trending across campus.
01:28After that, seeing him on those campus pages became normal.
01:31But this time, it was the first time he was seen with a girl.
01:34Too intimate to ignore.
01:36I stared at the post in silence and scrolled down.
01:38The comments were exploding.
01:40Some were asking who the girl was.
01:42The girl, Chloe Bennett.
01:43I would never forget her.
01:45Back in high school, my teacher asked me to submit an essay.
01:48The next thing I knew, Chloe won first place in a statewide writing competition with my essay.
01:53The certificate had her name on it, not mine.
01:56That version of me, 17 and scared of everything, found the courage, for the first time, to confront her.
02:02You cannot steal the results of other people's labor.
02:06That was originally mine.
02:08The next day, she turned her entire circle against me.
02:11Her family was rich, so all the teachers and students sided with her.
02:15Competing with me?
02:20You think you're worthy of that?
02:22Not long after arriving, she became head of publicity for the student association.
02:27Always on stage.
02:29Always shining.
02:30Of course, Ethan would like someone like her.
02:35Emma!
02:36This is bad!
02:37You saw that Instagram page, right?
02:39The genius is dating someone!
02:42I saw.
02:43What are you, heartbroken?
02:44Not that!
02:45It's Chloe!
02:46Ethan's joining her competition team!
02:49Look, look, look!
02:51The competition she was talking about was our department's graduate engineering challenge.
02:55First prize, $5,000.
02:57Almost everyone in our program had signed up, including me.
03:01Hey, professor, can we add one more member to our team?
03:04Who are you adding?
03:05Wait, is it Ethan?
03:06Ethan did his undergrad at an Ivy League school.
03:09He published research as a sophomore and has won tons, and has won tons of national awards.
03:15If Ethan joined, it was basically over for the rest of us.
03:18The usually quiet group chat exploded.
03:21Messages flooded in non-stop.
03:24I'll talk to the professor privately.
03:26It's not confirmed yet.
03:28If it gets confirmed, we're done.
03:31Look at this.
03:32She pulled up Chloe's Instagram feed.
03:35The genius joined our team.
03:37So grateful for the help.
03:39For a moment, I didn't know what to do.
03:41$5,000.
03:42The prize was the real reason I signed up.
03:44I was raised by my aunt and uncle.
03:46They weren't well off, but they gave me everything they could.
03:49Now my uncle needed surgery for early stage liver cancer.
03:52They were still short about $3,000.
03:55If I could win this competition, the money wouldn't be a problem.
03:58But if Ethan joined Chloe's team, I didn't stand a chance.
04:01I took out my phone.
04:02I still had Ethan on my WhatsApp contacts from high school,
04:05even though we hadn't spoken once since that confession after graduation.
04:09I hesitated, then texted him.
04:11Ethan, are you joining Chloe's team?
04:14I held my phone, waiting.
04:15The message was marked as red.
04:17No reply.
04:18After a long while, I put my phone away and headed back to the dorm.
04:21He probably hated me now.
04:23We met on the first day of high school.
04:25We didn't have uniforms yet.
04:26Hey, did the English teacher assign-
04:28I was wearing a washed-out white t-shirt and cheap, wrinkled jeans.
04:32He tapped my shoulder, mistaking me for someone else.
04:34That was how we met.
04:35Sorry.
04:36Wrong person.
04:37But I had a habit of pushing people away.
04:39The first time, he offered to tutor me.
04:41We agreed to meet on the rooftop after evening study.
04:44Then, I told the most popular girl in school where he'd be.
04:47Ethan tutors his classmates on the rooftop after evening self-study.
04:51You can head over there.
04:52For real?
04:53I'll definitely be there.
04:54She went in my place.
04:56The next day, he walked straight into my classroom and stopped at my desk.
05:00Emma, that was really messed up.
05:03The second time was after graduation.
05:05He blocked me in the hallway.
05:07Emma, I like you.
05:09Now that we've graduated, we can date.
05:11I looked down at my cheap shoes, my clothes.
05:14I didn't belong next to him.
05:16I don't like you at all.
05:17I don't even want to see you.
05:19I only stayed close to you because you had things I didn't.
05:22It made me feel better about myself.
05:26Alright, then never see you again.
05:30After he left, I stood there for a long time, staring at his back.
05:34I never told anyone.
05:35I liked him, but I always thought I wasn't good enough.
05:39I climbed down from my bed, turned on my desk lamp, and opened my laptop.
05:44Emma, it's midnight.
05:45You're not sleeping?
05:46I want to revise this a bit more.
05:48I knew she was trying to comfort me.
05:50Don't stress too much.
05:51Now that Ethan's in, losing isn't embarrassing.
05:54Okay?
05:54My eyes burned as I stared at the screen.
05:57It's not the same.
05:59What's not the same?
06:00I don't want to lose to him.
06:02Or to Chloe.
06:03I worked until late into the night,
06:06slept for four hours, then got up early the next morning.
06:09I ran into Ethan at the dining hall while grabbing breakfast.
06:12We were in the same major, but different tracks, different classes.
06:16This was the first time I'd seen him since the semester started.
06:19He was at a counter, leaning slightly as he took his order.
06:22He was about to leave.
06:23Never mind.
06:24I don't want the sandwich.
06:25Huh?
06:25I don't know where the courage came from.
06:27I blurted, dropping my order and rushing after him.
06:30Ethan!
06:31I looked terrible that day.
06:33No makeup, playing closed.
06:35Are you joining Chloe's team?
06:37Why does that matter to you?
06:39I just want to understand my competition.
06:42Emma, you came to me multiple times just to ask something this pointless?
06:46Does it have to be her?
06:50Emma, you might want to go read the competition rules again.
06:54I… I'm sorry.
06:56Private scouting of opponents was strictly prohibited.
06:59That night, I gathered everything Ethan had ever given me into a large plastic storage box.
07:05Back in high school, he'd given me a lot of things.
07:07A coaster, a galaxy lamp, a bracelet I didn't even recognize the brand of.
07:11A watch that was definitely worth more than I should have owned.
07:14After evening study, he'd pull me aside into some corner, his backpack like a magician's bag.
07:20Emma, I got this for you.
07:23It's nothing special.
07:24I decided to return everything.
07:26That night, I stood outside the men's dorm, waiting.
07:29With nothing to do, I opened that campus Instagram page again.
07:32The comments about Ethan and Chloe were still exploding.
07:35Then suddenly, the comments shifted all at once.
07:38I frowned and refreshed.
07:40And then I saw a comment posted one minute ago.
07:42Personally, I like girls who doesn't feel insecure.
07:47Excuse me.
07:48Are you Ethan's roommate?
07:49Could you ask him to come down?
07:50I brought him something.
07:52He's not in.
07:53Still at the lab.
07:55Thank you so much.
07:56It was Chloe.
07:58Then she noticed me.
08:00Well, we haven't properly met yet, have we, Emma?
08:08What is this?
08:09Planning to lose to me again?
08:11There's a monitor.
08:15So what?
08:16Her phone rang.
08:18She answered it and quickly left.
08:21At some point, I realized my vision was blurry.
08:24I was crying.
08:25I didn't even know when it started.
08:27Rain poured down around me.
08:28I crouched down to pick up things.
08:30The plush toy Ethan gave me, now stained with mud, was impossible to clean.
08:34About to stand.
08:35A voice came from behind me.
08:37Emma.
08:38Through the thin curtain of rain, Ethan stood there, holding a black umbrella.
08:42I clutched the box and ran toward him.
08:44Was that you?
08:45On the Instagram post?
08:47He didn't answer, but the umbrella in his hand tilted slightly in my direction.
08:51I understood then.
08:52I wasn't getting an answer.
08:53These are all the things you gave me.
08:55I kept everything.
08:57I'm returning them to you now.
09:00I don't want them.
09:03Oh, then that's it.
09:06Anything else?
09:18Ethan!
09:26I don't feel insecure anymore.
09:29Do you still like me?
09:31The rain fell cold and heavy around us.
09:34And for a moment, it felt like I had been dragged back to those years in high school.
09:38Back to that lonely, empty version of myself.
09:41He had been the only light I had.
09:43I took two steps forward, but tripped accidentally.
09:46He reached out instinctively, catching me by the arm.
09:49I wiped the rain from my face and looked up at him.
09:51I don't feel inferior anymore.
09:53I don't.
09:56I...
09:58I like you.
10:02Ethan, can you like me?
10:03No.
10:04You think too highly of yourself, Emma.
10:05What made you think that after all these years, I'd still be hung up on you?
10:08Of course.
10:09I already knew this was how it would end.
10:11And yet, I still came.
10:14Okay.
10:17I'm sorry.
10:18I won't bother you anymore.
10:22I stood there for a moment, chest tight, then sniffed lightly and started walking back,
10:26hugging the box, letting the rain soak through me.
10:29I hadn't gone far when I heard it.
10:31Fuck.
10:32Footsteps behind me, fast.
10:39He took the box from my arms and threw it to the ground.
10:42Before I could react, he grabbed my arm and pulled me forward.
10:45I stumbled, barely keeping my footing as he dragged me along.
10:49He pushed open a classroom door and pulled me inside.
10:52The door shut with a sharp click, locked.
10:54Then he pressed me back against the wall and kissed me.
10:58Everything happened too fast.
10:59The quiet, distant genius, the one who always seemed so controlled, was nothing like this.
11:06There was nothing restrained about him now.
11:08Outside, the rain hammered against the windows, wind howling through the night air.
11:13Inside, the space felt suddenly too warm.
11:16His breath uneven, his movements urgent, like something he'd been holding back for too long.
11:22My mind went blank.
11:24I could barely stay upright, my fingers instinctively clutching his hoodie just to steady myself.
11:30At some point, he lifted me onto a desk, closing the distance again, leaving me no room to escape,
11:36no space to think.
11:38Time blurred.
11:40Eventually, he pulled back, breathing hard.
11:43His lips parted slightly.
11:45His eyes, dark, intense, locked onto mine behind his glasses.
11:48My thoughts were still scattered, slow to catch up.
11:52Emma, you think I don't know?
11:54Know what?
11:56You came to me for that prize money.
11:59Don't tell me this is about liking me.
12:01You just want me to go easy on you.
12:03I didn't.
12:06If you like someone, act like it.
12:10What do you want?
12:12Take off my glasses.
12:21I don't know how long I stayed there that day.
12:24Time passed strangely.
12:25By the time I left, the rain had already stopped.
12:28My legs felt weak.
12:29My lips probably looked suspicious.
12:31On the way back, I stopped by a convenience store and bought a mask.
12:37Emma, what happened to you?
12:40Nothing.
12:40Just caught a bit of a cold.
12:44You looked fine this morning.
12:47I'll just take some medicine.
12:49I'll be okay.
12:50She lay back down, scrolling on her phone.
12:52Ethan didn't show up at the lab tonight.
12:54Do you think he went out with Chloe?
12:56I said nothing.
12:57Just grabbed my clothes and headed to the shower.
12:59Wow, even he skips work for love, huh?
13:04As I turned on the water, a message popped up.
13:06I unlocked my phone.
13:08From Ethan.
13:09Sweet.
13:10My mind snapped back to that moment.
13:13The rain.
13:13The dark classroom.
13:15The heat between us.
13:16His finger resting lightly against my lips.
13:18And his voice, low and quiet.
13:20It tastes sweet.
13:21The next day, we had a shared lecture.
13:23All first-year grad students were there.
13:25Sophie and I arrived early and grabbed seats in the back row.
13:28In college lecture halls, the front rows are usually empty.
13:31But this class was packed.
13:33By the time Ethan and the others walked in right as the bell rang,
13:37When he stepped inside, his gaze swept briefly toward the back.
13:40I immediately pulled my laptop closer.
13:42Emma, why are you hiding?
13:45It's nothing.
13:46Chloe showed up even later.
13:47The moment she walked in, she headed straight toward Ethan.
13:50His backpack was on the seat next to him.
13:52His long fingers kept typing on his laptop.
13:55Ethan, can you move your bag?
13:56As if she didn't exist.
13:58Chloe's smile stiffened.
13:59Then awkwardly walked to the row behind him.
14:02After class, I deliberately stayed in my seat, pretending to pack slowly.
14:06I waited until almost everyone had left.
14:08A message popped up on my phone.
14:10I have a meeting at noon.
14:11Heading out first.
14:12My face warmed slightly.
14:13Why was he updating me?
14:15I was about to reply.
14:16Chloe, how's your prep for the competition going?
14:19A group of girls stood chatting by the door.
14:21Just okay.
14:22You're definitely winning.
14:23You're strong.
14:24And you've got Ethan backing you.
14:28Weren't you ranked first when you got into the program?
14:31Seriously?
14:32Chloe, that's insane.
14:33You and Ethan together?
14:34That prize is yours for sure.
14:37Wasn't...
14:38Wasn't Emma ranked first?
14:42I walked past them without a sound.
14:44My mind flashed back.
14:46His breath warm against my skin.
14:48His voice low in the dark.
14:50I'm not interested in that competition.
14:51I'm not joining.
14:52I finished lunch and went to the lab.
14:54At that hour, the hallway outside was empty.
14:56From the corner of the stairwell, Chloe's voice carried clearly, even though she was
15:00trying to keep it down.
15:01Senior, can you send me your results so I can submit them?
15:05Please.
15:06I can't lose to Emma.
15:09Ethan?
15:10No, that's not...
15:12That was just something I put out to confuse people.
15:14He's never even talked to me.
15:17Please, I'm begging you.
15:19The deadline is in two hours.
15:21I've written everything else, but the experiment's too hard.
15:24Thank you, senior.
15:25You're the best.
15:27I stayed hidden behind the wall until she hung up.
15:30Then I watched as she glanced around and slipped into our lab.
15:33Something felt wrong.
15:34I followed quietly to the door.
15:36Inside, she leaned over our setup.
15:38Within seconds, she tampered with the control device and altered the data on our computer.
15:42Just a tiny change.
15:44But with circuits, even the smallest shift could ruin everything.
15:47And we were about to submit.
15:49She knew we wouldn't have time to fix it.
15:51I pulled out my phone and started recording, silently capturing everything.
15:55Then I stepped away.
15:56That afternoon, I finished the final calibration.
15:59For the first time all day, I picked up my phone.
16:01Sophie had flooded my messages.
16:03Emma, check the page now.
16:05They clarified it was the angle, it was just the angle.
16:08Clarified?
16:08I clicked the link she sent.
16:10A new post.
16:11Same place, same people.
16:12There was at least 10 feet between Ethan and Chloe.
16:15That was it.
16:16The comments exploded again.
16:17I was shipping them so hard.
16:19So what even are they?
16:21Nothing.
16:22Literally nothing.
16:23Nothing.
16:24So he's single.
16:25If you were my boyfriend, I'd share him with all of you.
16:28Then opened the chat with Ethan.
16:30Will you come watch my presentation tomorrow?
16:32I wanted him to see me.
16:34Not the insecure version of me.
16:35The one standing on that stage.
16:38He replied almost immediately.
16:40Meet me tonight.
16:41Same place.
16:42My heart skipped.
16:43Was I overthinking this?
16:44Or did he mean exactly what I thought he meant?
16:47That night, the classroom was empty.
16:49Rain tapped softly against the windows.
16:51The lights were dim.
16:52The air felt heavy.
16:53Without his glasses, there was nothing blocking his gaze.
16:56Everything in his eyes felt closer.
16:59Emma, you want me there?
17:03If you're busy then...
17:04I do.
17:06Emma, it's not a bad thing to admit what you want.
17:09The word came out quietly, but it was honest.
17:12On the day of the competition, the department went all out.
17:14Our university was a top-tier school,
17:16and the electrical and computer engineering department
17:19was one of its strongest.
17:20Besides the panel of judges, students from the media club
17:23were there with cameras and tripods,
17:25and plenty of students showed up just to watch.
17:27The auditorium was huge, 20 rows.
17:29Chloe's team presented a trending, smart, interactive lighting module.
17:34Flashy visuals, strong aesthetics, perfect for going viral.
17:37The judges gave them high scores.
17:39As she walked off the stage, she glanced at me, smug.
17:42I had drawn the last slot.
17:43By the time I stepped up, the judges already looked tired.
17:46My project was the opposite of hers.
17:48Low-cost, mini-emergency backup power circuit for industry, field, and disaster situations.
17:56Practical.
17:57Reliable.
17:59Not pretty.
18:00This isn't as cool as the first one.
18:02Who even works on stuff like this anymore?
18:05Chloe watched me with a confident smile, like the result was already decided.
18:09But I saw something else.
18:10The judges directly in front of me.
18:12The fatigue in their eyes had been replaced with interest.
18:15I stayed calm.
18:16Then I cut the main power on stage.
18:18The room went dark.
18:20And then, the small module in my hand lit up.
18:23A steady red glow, like a lighthouse in a storm,
18:26holding its ground, lighting the way.
18:28This was something my team and I had built from scratch.
18:31It wasn't inferior to anything.
18:33In engineering competitions, real-world impact matters.
18:38In emergencies, when power is gone, this is what saves lives.
18:44The field is getting too obsessed with trends and aesthetics.
18:48That's impossible. I sabotaged that wire.
18:52The lights came back on.
18:54Chloe's face had gone pale.
18:55She didn't understand.
18:56A real system never relies on just one path.
18:59The wire she broke was from an earlier failed version.
19:02The judges handed me the certificate.
19:04I stood on stage, gripping it tightly, and looked toward the back.
19:07That was where Ethan stood.
19:09He had come in right as I started, slipping in unnoticed.
19:12He didn't sit.
19:13Watching my presentation through the reflection of the screen in his glasses,
19:17I felt nervous, and at the same time excited.
19:19I wasn't that girl anymore.
19:21Not the one who stayed small.
19:22Who always felt like she didn't measure up.
19:25I didn't let poverty, insecurity, or other people's judgment swallow me whole.
19:30I had grown.
19:31Step by step, I had become someone stronger.
19:34In my heart, I said to him,
19:36Ethan, I've become someone worth noticing.
19:38When it was over, I placed a USB drive on the judge's table.
19:42Inside it was the recording.
19:44Chloe tampering with our equipment and the audio of her call.
19:47I didn't say anything.
19:48I just left.
19:49Truth would speak for itself.
19:51The weather was clear for once.
19:52Sunlight spilled across the ground.
19:54My phone rang.
19:55It was my aunt.
19:56Something tightened in my chest.
19:59Emma, your uncle suddenly had severe abdominal pain this morning.
20:03He needs emergency surgery.
20:05Can you come to the hospital right now?
20:06Yes.
20:07Yes, I'm on my way.
20:08I ran, pushing past people, already booking a ride on my phone.
20:12While waiting outside the auditorium, I saw Ethan.
20:15He was standing under a tree with another guy, talking to one of the judges.
20:19The professor patted his shoulder.
20:21Ethan smiled faintly.
20:22My car arrived.
20:23At the same moment, my phone lit up.
20:25A message from him.
20:26I'm waiting outside the auditorium, sent three minutes ago.
20:29I'm waiting outside the auditorium.
20:31My messages were always delayed.
20:33I looked at the screen, then at him.
20:35After a moment, I replied.
20:36No need.
20:37Something came up.
20:38You can go.
20:39At the hospital, the surgery required immediate payment.
20:42The stipend and scholarship we had just received,
20:44about $1,500 were already used.
20:47We were still short around $1,000.
20:50I had nothing left.
20:51My uncle was still in surgery.
20:53My aunt stood outside, calling people, asking for help.
20:56No one agreed.
20:57I stepped into the stairwell and called Sophie.
20:59All right.
20:59My aunt told myrer's family.
20:59All right.
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