I found a ring. The moment I slipped it on, Liam Sterling, the hottest guy on campus, fell head over heels for me, pursuing me with a furious intensity.

I was just… average. Yet, he swore I was the most beautiful girl in the world. Even his friends thought he'd lost his mind, scoffing that love was truly blind, that he’d mistaken a dull pebble for a dazzling diamond.

After six months with Liam, I gradually began to accept this bizarre reality. My defenses crumbled. I let my guard down, opened my heart, and went home with him.

But the next morning, my ring was gone. Liam, his eyes wide with panic, shoved me away. "Who are you?" he demanded, his voice laced with terror.

He broke up with me, painting me as some kind of monster to his friends. "The Sarah I knew wasn't like this," he snarled, a visceral disgust twisting his features. "It's sick. I actually spent half a year with that woman."

Time rewound. The ring had flung me back six months. It turned out this magical artifact could transform me into my crush's ideal woman. I stared at the ring, a profound unease settling in my chest. This time, I didn't put it on. Instead, I locked it away, vowing never to touch it again.

What I hadn't expected was that Liam had been dragged back in time with me.

1

After ditching Chloe Evans, she surprisingly didn't go to the party that night.

"Liam didn't even show up," she mumbled, looking utterly crestfallen. "He's apparently sick or something…"

I paused, then offered a few words of comfort. "Maybe next time, then."

Chloe latched onto my arm, pouting. "Sarah, you have to come with me to the next gathering. It’s always all guys, and I'm the only girl. It's so awkward."

I chuckled, gently pushing her hand away. "Why don't you ask Lucy to go with you instead?"

Chloe’s expression flickered. "She's not going. Please, Sarah, please say you'll come. I'm begging you!"

I knew exactly why Chloe was so desperate to drag me along. Lucy Miller was stunning, and Chloe couldn't stand anyone stealing her thunder. I, on the other hand, was perfectly plain – a dutiful backdrop, easy to overlook.

In my previous life, I’d gone with Chloe to that very gathering. But everyone there had been utterly floored. Liam hadn't even glanced at Chloe. Instead, his gaze had been utterly fixated on me, the unassuming sidekick.

After the party, Liam had launched into a whirlwind courtship. At first, I couldn't wrap my head around it. I figured it was just some twisted game, a prank cooked up by the campus royalty. But Liam's relentless pursuit and genuine demeanor slowly chipped away at my skepticism.

He was undeniably good to me. No matter how much his friends warned him off, he remained steadfast. I saw the sincerity in his eyes, and little by little, he won me over. We became a couple.

But the moment I truly gave him my heart, after a night of shared intimacy, Liam transformed.

He shrieked, practically throwing me out of his apartment, swearing he'd never seen me before in his life. I felt like I'd fallen straight into hell. Back at the dorm, I realized my ring was gone. I had no choice but to return to Liam's place to find it.

When I got back, Liam was surrounded by his friends. His face was a mask of repulsion, pure nausea etched into every line. "The Sarah I knew wasn't like this," he spewed, his voice raw with disgust. "It's sick. I actually spent half a year with that woman! What the hell happened?!"

I stood frozen in the doorway, my soul feeling ripped from my body.

The next second, time rewound. I was back before Liam had ever even known me. That very ring, the one that had dropped from my finger, now sat quietly in my desk drawer.

I tore open the packaging and pulled out the instructions nestled inside the box.

This ring possesses magic. Wear it, and you will become the ideal version of your secret crush.

The explanation stated that because my "mission" to win Liam over had failed, the ring had sent me back six months. I stared at the ring, a profound unease churning within me. But I didn't put it on again. Instead, I locked it away in my closet, vowing never to touch it.

2

A few days later, Chloe was begging me again.

Liam had organized another gathering, specifically inviting Chloe and telling her to bring her roommates.

"Sarah, please, please, just come with me!"

Annoyed, I called out from my bunk, "Liam said you could bring your roommates, right? So everyone in the dorm can go. Why don't you ask them? Whoever wants to go out with Liam can go."

My words instantly piqued everyone else's interest. Sure enough, Chloe had kept this a secret from them. Now that everyone knew, they were all buzzing. In the end, everyone in the dorm agreed to go – except for me.

Lucy even came over to try and convince me. "Everyone else is going, Sarah. Why don't you just come along? We're in college now, it's time to experience some of that college life!"

Lucy's words made me hesitate. It had been almost a month since I'd come back, and I felt my feelings for Liam had settled, like still water. Maybe a calm approach would help me demythologize him.

Besides, this time, without the ring's magical aura, and with my roommates all being gorgeous, no one would bother me. I could just go for a free meal.

Once I agreed, that day I didn't even bother with makeup. I threw on a hoodie and jeans, pulled my hair into a ponytail, and headed out looking fresh and simple.

Liam and his friends had already arrived. It was his buddies who came to pick us up. Just as I'd hoped, I went unnoticed. No one tried to strike up a conversation. I just quietly slipped into the restaurant.

Liam was seated in a corner. His clothes were simple, but his handsome face elevated even the most casual attire, making it look like haute couture. He was undeniably good-looking, came from a wealthy family, and there wasn't a single girl who saw him whose heart wouldn't quicken.

Once I settled into my seat, I heard Chloe's excited whisper. "Sarah, is Liam looking at us?"

I glanced up. My eyes met Liam's. He was frowning, his gaze sharp and complex, as if trying to bore right through me. My stomach fluttered with an unfamiliar unease. "Yeah," I mumbled, nodding. "He's looking at you."

I wasn't much of a talker to begin with, and once the food arrived, I buried myself in my plate, tuning out all the chatter, utterly detached from the table's social dance.

That was until Lucy nudged me, an awkward flush creeping up her neck. "Sarah…"

I looked up. Everyone at the table was staring at me. Liam's face was dark, a rigid sneer twisting his lips.

"Sarah," Lucy whispered, "Liam just tried to say hello…"

Liam chuckled, a hint of mockery glinting in his eyes. "Chloe, is your friend starving? How long has it been since she ate?"

A hush fell over the table. Jake Hayes, one of Liam's friends, was the first to react, quickly jumping in to ease the tension. "What are you talking about, Liam? You just worried there wasn't enough food, right? Waiter, let's get a few more dishes."

Liam didn't respond. I wiped my mouth, then stood up, offering a bland smile to everyone. "My apologies. I skipped lunch and was ravenous. I'll take a penalty drink. You all just enjoy yourselves, don't mind me."

I grabbed a soda and chugged it. But Liam's scowl only deepened. He pressed on, his voice dripping with condescension. "Drinking soda to toast us? That's not much commitment."

I met Liam's gaze, my own eyes flat and unreadable. "I'm allergic to alcohol."

Lucy awkwardly tugged at my arm, explaining to Liam, "Sarah really is allergic. One sip and she's out."

After I sat back down, Liam remained stone-faced, not uttering another word throughout the rest of the meal.

I didn't care what his problem was. After dinner, when they started talking about heading to karaoke, I announced my departure.

Chloe offered a hesitant apology. "I'm so sorry, Sarah. I don't know what got into Liam tonight. Maybe he's just in a bad mood."

I waved it off, saying it was fine. As I walked out, I saw Jake and Liam standing together.

"What's your deal, man?" Jake was saying. "Did you drink too much? Why were you giving that girl such a hard time?"

Another friend chimed in, "Yeah, even if she isn't super pretty, you could've just ignored her. You made the whole atmosphere super awkward."

I happened to be walking by at that moment. The group froze, wide-eyed. Jake was the first to recover. "Sarah, you coming to karaoke with us?"

I offered him a small smile. "No thanks, you guys have fun. I'm heading back."

Jake started walking toward me. "I can walk you back."

Before I could reply, Liam's cold voice cut through the air. "Let her walk herself."

3

I looked at Liam, a spark of anger igniting within me. "Jake, you can walk me."

Jake blinked, surprised, then followed me. "I'll see Sarah off. You guys go ahead."

Once we were outside, Jake’s curiosity got the better of him. "Did you two know each other before?"

"No," I replied, shaking my head.

I flagged down a taxi, then turned to Jake. "What I said back there was just to be spiteful. You should go back. I don't need you to walk me."

I got into the cab, but Jake was insistent. "It's late for a girl to be riding alone. I don't feel good about it."

I let out a soft laugh. "You're quite the gentleman."

I didn't talk much to Jake during the ride. When we reached campus, he asked for my number.

I didn't give it to him. Instead, I put on my best 'too cool for school' act. "I'm not really looking to date, so… apologies."

Jake's face flushed. "I wasn't…"

"See ya." I cut him off, making a swift exit.

I knew Jake couldn't possibly be interested in me. He was just as handsome as Liam, how could he possibly be attracted to someone as ordinary as me? I was just trying to find an excuse to keep all of them at a distance.

But from that day on, Jake seemed to have developed an interest in me. He started contacting me frequently.

He got my number from Chloe, then started waiting for me after class. Today was no different. He held a coffee cup, asking me out for a meal just outside the classroom.

"Got some free time later? Wanna grab a bite?"

Chloe, walking out with me, saw Jake approaching me and looked genuinely surprised. "You're asking Sarah out?"

Jake nodded.

I, too, was genuinely curious as to why Jake had taken an interest in me.

I agreed to have dinner with him. On the way, I asked him, "Do you think I'm pretty? Am I your dream girl?"

My blunt questions left Jake speechless.

Once I confirmed he wasn't under any strange spell, I pressed on. "Probably not, right? I'm pretty plain. So why are you asking me out?"

Jake considered it. "I think your personality is… interesting."

I offered a faint smile. "Is that so? I'm not entirely convinced."

We continued our conversation, our closeness seemingly growing. Just then, I saw Liam.

He stood in the distance, his eyes cold, locked on us.

I met his stare, then casually reached out and took Jake's hand.

Jake froze. At the same instant, Liam stormed over, his anger barely contained. He grabbed my arm, yanking me toward him. "Jake, she's not who you think she is! Wake up!"

Liam's words sent a shiver down my spine.

Jake looked utterly bewildered. "What are you talking about? What's wrong with Sarah? Let her go, you're hurting her!"

Jake tried to pull me back, but Liam already had a firm grip on me and started dragging me away.

My mind was a tangled mess. I tried to pull free, but his grip was unyielding.

He didn't release me until we reached a secluded spot. Liam's eyes, dark and stormy, glared at me. "What, Sarah? Couldn't reel me in, so you switched targets? Are you always this fickle, always so manipulative?"