“I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you about Chris.”
Her head snaps up and she is looking at me when she sits up, covering herself with the comforter.
“What… You knew?”
I drop my head.
I had no idea he was cheating on her, but I saw Chris going upstairs with them, I knew what it would lead to, I warned him not to do it. He wouldn’t listen. So, I was waiting until he left his bedroom to tell him to come clean or I would tell Kiera. Except she is here now, and she caught him before either of us ever got the chance to talk to her.
I shake my head. “I’m sorry. I—”
“Stop! I don’t want to hear anymore.” She gets out of bed and starts putting on her clothes.
“Kiera, please.” I try reaching for her. “Let me explain.”
“What’s there to explain? You knew my boyfriend was cheating on me but took his side on this. Kept it secret from me. I had to walk in on my boyfriend fucking two other women. Two.”
“That’ not true! I’d never take his side.” And it’s the true. I was just going to give him the chance to do the right thing.
She scoffs. “By keeping me in the dark, that’s exactly what you did.”
“I didn’t kn—”
She puts on her shoes. “No more lies.”
“I swear, Kiera. I would never hurt you like that.”
She turns to me, unshed tears glistening in her eyes. “You already did. And you know the worst part? I trusted you the most not to break my heart.”
“Kiera—” My voice breaks.
“Goodbye, Jake. Don’t call me, and don’t you fucking dare follow me.”
The door bangs shut behind her.
I’m frozen in bed, unaware of how much time passes, until I snap out of it, put on my boxer shorts, and race downstairs.
There’s no sign of her at the party.
I run out to the front yard and try her phone. It goes straight to voicemail. She has made her decision pretty clear.
I just lost my best friend. I lost my entire world.
3
KIERA
FIVE YEARS LATER
“You don’t get it!” I take a deep breath as I get us a glass of wine. “We were supposed to be flying to the Bahamas right now. But you know what the jackass did? He decided to trade my ticket for one for her.”
Ellie is staring at me with her eyes about to come out of their sockets. “What?”
I nod, then let my head fall down, my chin hitting my chest. I don’t know if I should laugh or cry.
“What’s wrong?” Her eyes are lasered in on me. “Oh, my God, you did something, didn’t you? What did you do?”
“It´s not my fault he never changed my email when he got her ticket. So, I might have called the airline company and had both tickets cancelled. Like this morning.” I hide my face in my hands.