The Toxic Best Friend, Sunscreen And Survival

Summer was my best friend. After the college entrance exams, she insisted on applying to the same university as me.

She always said, Daisy, you're so naive. If I'm not there to look out for you, people will eat you alive!

But later, Summer used the excuse of saving me money to make me eat her leftovers. During our freshman orientation camp, she forbid me from using sunscreen. She claimed a sun-scorched look was healthier and more attractive.

I grew uglier and heavier while she dieted and pampered herself until she became the campus belle. Even the guy I liked, the campus heartthrob, ended up becoming her husband.

I eventually developed severe kidney failure due to my poor health. I knelt and begged her to lend me money for treatment.

She just looked down at me and said, "You need to stand on your own two feet, Daisy. I've helped you for years. I've done more than enough!"

Then, I opened my eyes and realized I was back. I was back at the first day of orientation camp!

"Daisy, why are you being so vain? It's just orientation. Why are you putting on sunscreen?"

My best friend, Summer, was lecturing me with a self-righteous look on her face.

She grabbed my expensive bottle of sunscreen, ready to toss it into the trash.

"Do you know how hard your parents work? How could you waste their hard-earned money on something so pricey? Just throw it away!"

Her voice was loud. Everyone else in the dorm turned to look at us.

In my past life, Summer had successfully thrown my sunscreen away. After a week in the sun, my skin was burnt black and covered in painful acne.

My face actually started peeling in layers. I looked horrific.

Because of that, I missed the chance to host the freshman gala. I lost my confidence and hid in the shadows.

Summer, on the other hand, became the star of the show. She soaked up all the spotlight.

The rumor spread that I was a vain girl from a poor family who spent money I didn't have on luxury brands. Everyone looked down on me.

Summer would pretend to comfort me in private.

"Don't listen to them, Daisy. You might be a bit chubby and burnt, but you have a good heart!"

Then, she'd hand me the rest of her oversized sundae. "I'm on a diet and can't finish this. Help me out, okay?"

Slowly, I became obese. I developed a slouch and didn't dare to wear a dress.

Once, during a group project, I stayed up all night working on a 3D model. Our class genius, Xavier, looked at me with genuine surprise.

"Daisy, did you make this? It's incredible."

He invited me to lunch to talk about the project.

But Summer intercepted us. "Oh, Daisy is so shy, she'd be awkward alone. I'll come too!"

She wore a tiny new dress and a full face of makeup. She kept flipping her hair and laughing at everything Xavier said.

I didn't get a single word in during the whole meal.

By the next project, Summer had somehow convinced Xavier to let her join his group instead of me.

"I'm so sorry, Daisy! Xavier said he was impressed by my wide range of knowledge. He practically begged me to join him."

That project won a national award. Summer and Xavier became the golden couple of the department.

After graduation, I worked a low-paying job with brutal overtime. Eventually, my body gave out.

The doctor sighed as he looked at my charts. "Your body fat is too high, and your insulin resistance has led to complete kidney failure..."

I remembered Summer's voice in my ear. "Daisy, you look so cute when you're plump!"

I went to Summer's mansion to beg for help. She was already married to Xavier.

She didn't even let me in. She had her housekeeper push me out the door.

"Daisy, you need to rely on yourself. I've been your crutch for years. I'm done."

In the end, I couldn't afford dialysis. I died in a hospital bed, my body swollen and my lungs gasping for air.

Back in the present, I felt a cold chill. I reached out and snatched the sunscreen back from Summer's hand.

"I worked a part-time job all summer to save up for this. Why shouldn't I use it?"

Summer froze. She didn't expect me to fight back.

"Well, you should save that money for tuition or food! You shouldn't waste it on vanity."

She lowered her voice, acting concerned. "I'm from the city, Daisy. You're from a ranching town. Don't try to keep up with me just to feel included."

She grabbed my hand. "I won't look down on you for being poor, I promise!"

"I know your parents are out there in the heat, tending to cattle and orchards. Think of them!"

I looked her dead in the eye. "It's true I'm from the country, but we aren't poor."

"We have over a thousand head of cattle. Selling just one would cover my tuition for four years."

While she was stunned, I reached out and wiped a finger across her pale, perfect cheek.

I held up my finger, showing the thick, white residue to the entire room.

"If you hate sunscreen so much, Summer, why are you wearing such a thick layer of it yourself?"

Summer's face turned bright red as the girls in the dorm began to whisper.

"My skin is naturally fair and sensitive! It burns so easily," she stammered.

"I actually envy your darker skin. It's so... exotic and trendy!"

I smiled thinly. "If you keep wearing sunscreen, you'll never get that trendy look."

"Why don't you wash it off? I promise you'll look just as exotic as me by this afternoon."

Summer's eyes darted around. She put on a hurt expression.

"I can't believe you don't trust me after all these years. Fine! I'll go wash it off!"

She turned to run toward the communal sinks.

I grabbed her arm. "That's waterproof formula, Summer. Water won't touch it."

I pulled a bottle of high-end cleansing oil from my bag.

"Here, use my new cleanser. Best friends are supposed to share, right? I don't mind!"

Summer's face went from pale to blue to white. Under the watchful eyes of the dorm, she had no choice but to take the oil.

I saw her hands shaking as she scrubbed her face.

That afternoon, under the scorching sun, Summer's fair skin turned several shades darker and angry red.

She didn't say another word about my sunscreen for the rest of the week.

By the end of orientation, because I was diligent with my skincare, my skin actually looked clearer and brighter than before.

I remembered how in high school, every time I wanted to try a beauty product, Summer would stop me.

"Daisy, we should focus on our studies. Beauty is a distraction."

Then she would put her soft, white hand next to mine.

"Skin quality is just genetic. Look at me, I don't use anything, and I'm still this pale."

Looking at her, I always felt like a clumsy, ugly duckling.

It wasn't until graduation day that a tube of expensive brightening cream fell out of her pillowcase.

I realized then that she had been using premium products in secret for years.

She also did little things to stand out while keeping me plain.

She'd subtly curl her bangs, hem her skirt to show off her legs, and wear colored contact lenses.

She always stayed glued to my side so my plainness would make her look like a goddess.

I was so grateful that such a pretty girl wanted to be friends with a dork like me.

My grades were always good, and I got into Northpoint University, a top-tier school.

Originally, I could have gone to an even better Ivy-league level school, but Summer talked me out of it.

"You're so gullible, Daisy. People at those elite schools are sharks. They'll bully you."

"Stay here at Northpoint with me. I'll protect you."

And so, we ended up in the same major.

After orientation, the auditions for the Freshman Gala host began.

The day before the sign-ups closed, my roommates suddenly started panicking.

"When did the auditions start? Why didn't we know?"

Summer slapped her forehead. "Oh my god! The advisor sent the notice to me, and I totally forgot to post it in the group chat!"

Summer had volunteered to be the floor rep as soon as we moved in.

She opened her laptop. "If anyone wants to try out, I can help you prepare tonight!"

But there was only one night left. It was impossible to prepare a proper routine.

The other girls felt awkward complaining since she offered to help, so they just gave up.

In the end, only Summer and I went to the auditions.

The process was simple: a short prepared speech on stage.

Summer had dressed up beautifully and clearly practiced. I had seen her script on her desk days ago.

When it was my turn, I took a deep breath and stepped onto the stage.

"Good evening, everyone. Tonight's gala isn't just a party; it's a bridge for us to connect."

"We want to create a space where every freshman feels at home. A place to release your energy and show your true selves..."

In my past life, I had practiced public speaking in secret to try and win back some confidence.

Now, my words were filled with genuine emotion and power.

As we waited for the results, girls around us started whispering.

"You were amazing, and you're so pretty! You've definitely got this."

Summer tossed her long hair casually. "Oh, I just came to support my friend, really."

Just then, the professor opened the door.

"Daisy Miller? Please come inside."

Summer froze. "Professor, there must be a mistake. I'm Summer. She's Daisy."

The professor looked past Summer in her fancy dress and focused on me.

"No mistake. Daisy, come with me."

He gave Summer a meaningful look.

"When we choose a host, we look for more than just a pretty face."

Summer's face turned a deep, humiliated crimson.

To celebrate my selection, my roommates insisted on going out for Korean BBQ. Summer tagged along.

The moment we sat down, she started ordering the fattest cuts of pork belly.

"You guys have no idea, Daisy lives for this fatty stuff!"

Actually, I didn't even like greasy food or sweets that much.

But since high school, Summer always used the excuse of "saving money" to push her leftovers on me.

The extra frosting from her cakes, the greasy skin from her fried chicken, her unfinished chips.

Back then, I didn't want to hurt her feelings, so I ate it all. My appetite grew, and so did my waistline.

Summer would usually only take two bites before giving the rest to me.

By the time I graduated high school, I had gained thirty pounds. I was a total butterball.

At the restaurant, Summer piled a plate high with greasy pork belly in front of me. There wasn't a single vegetable in sight.

"Eat up, Daisy! It's no good when it gets cold!"

In the past, I would have forced myself to finish it. Then I wouldn't have had any room for anything healthy.

This time, I didn't touch the mountain of grease. I reached for a piece of grilled lettuce instead.

"I think I'll stick to what I actually like today."

Summer's smile faltered. She tried to act playful.

"Are you dieting? That's great! I need to lose some weight too."

She pinched her waist. She was wearing a crop top, and her waist was tiny.

She was easily half my size back then.

In the past, every time I mentioned dieting, Summer would discourage me.

"Don't diet! You're like a cute little piggy. I love my little piggy!"

If I got upset, she'd say, "It's just a joke, Daisy! Why are you so sensitive?"

It destroyed my self-esteem and kept me in a cycle of binge eating.

But this time, I wasn't moved. I stopped eating the moment I was full.

Summer seemed to take it as a personal challenge.

She bought a scale for the dorm and weighed herself every night.

She'd announce her weight loudly. "Ugh, ninety-two pounds? I'm still not down to eighty!"

I ignored her. I ate balanced meals and went for a run every evening.

After two months, the change was visible.

My roommate remarked, "Daisy, you actually have a really nice jawline hiding under there!"

Summer couldn't take it. she started a brutal crash diet.

She stopped eating carbs entirely, survival only on a few pieces of boiled cabbage.

When people asked, she'd just give a weak smile.

"I have a bird's appetite. I'm actually stuffed!"

Then came the physical fitness test. We had to run the 800-meter dash. Summer fainted.

She was so afraid of gaining leg muscle that she never exercised.

Our coach had just announced that these results would count toward our GPA and scholarships.

Summer tried to push herself, but she was moving like a snail.

I was in the group before her. Thanks to my two months of training, I finished with a perfect score.

Seeing me succeed must have tipped her over the edge. She collapsed on the track.

When she woke up in the infirmary, she cried to the advisor.

"I don't know what happened. I've had terrible diarrhea since this morning."

"That's the only reason I failed the test!"

The campus clinic ran some tests. The results were shocking: Summer had ingested a high dose of laxatives.

Summer immediately started wailing.

"How did laxatives get into my food? Is someone trying to hurt me?"

The school administration got involved immediately. A potential poisoning in a freshman dorm was a huge scandal.

They called everyone from our room in for questioning.

One roommate said, "Daisy and Summer are best friends, but things have been tense lately."

Summer chimed in, wiping her eyes.

"Daisy has always been very competitive, but I refuse to believe she'd do this to me!"

The administrators decided to search the dorm.

They found a packet of industrial-strength laxatives hidden right under my pillow.

Summer burst into tears on the spot.

"Daisy, we grew up together! Why would you do this?"

"I know you were jealous because I was thinner, but this is too far!"

Poisoning or tampering was a massive deal. I could be expelled or even face charges.

Everyone was staring at me with disgust. I stayed perfectly calm.

"Since the deans are here, if I have proof that those pills belong to someone else, what happens?"

the advisor looked at me skeptically.

"What kind of proof could you possibly have?"

I looked straight at Summer.

"The rumors about this are already destroying my reputation. I've been called a criminal."

"I want a public apology and a formal punishment for the person who actually did this."

The Dean nodded. "That is only fair."

I climbed up to my top bunk and pulled a tiny, camouflaged security camera from the headboard.

"I installed a small nanny cam to watch my own bed. Let's see what really happened."