That guy wasn't better than Dylan in any way, except for one thing.

His family was wealthier.

Maybe because of her, Dylan had a special resentment for people from wealthy families.

Every time I saw him, if I wore anything with a designer label.

He'd mock me mercilessly.

"Evelyn, are you so insecure that you hide behind these expensive brands?

"Evelyn, those shoes are hideous. Chanel? They make me sick.

"Evelyn, your bag looks worse than a shopping basket from the supermarket. Ugly people should study more instead of trying to stand out!"

...

Dylan's harsh words made me uneasy. His relentless taunts were so unlike the gentle boy I remembered.

When I finally found the courage to ask about the past, he blinked and smiled teasingly.

"So you were that girl who got kidnapped back then? No wonder. You were dumb as a kid, and you still are now."

His words weren't kind, but I was thrilled to know he remembered me.

He hadn't forgotten me after all.

He didn't like me wearing designer clothes? Fine, I wouldn't wear them anymore. No big deal.

I could just wear something cheap from discount stores.

Now that I knew I hadn't mistaken him, I treated him even better.

The boy who used to be so kind had turned into someone so sharp and prickly. The society must have done this to him.

I didn't blame him.

Dylan didn't treat me any better after recognizing me.

He remained as distant as ever.

Things changed in our senior year when Dylan's father got very sick. He had a severe kidney disease and needed a transplant.

Fortunately, Dylan's kidney was a match.

He could donate a kidney to his dad.

Unfortunately, they didn't have enough money for the surgery.

I always knew Dylan's family was poor, but I didn't realize just how poor.

His family lived in a small rural village where his parents were farmers. He was the only one in his family to go to college. Their pride and joy.

He had no real way to make money even as the most successful one.

Dylan had a lot of pride and didn't want anyone to know about his family's situation.

That's why, even though he used student loans to pay his tuition all four years, he never applied for financial aid.

He hid it so well that none of his classmates knew the truth about him.

In fact, because I often gave him brand-name shoes and clothes, people even thought he was a rich kid.

Senior year was hectic for everyone, and Dylan was no exception.