Chapter 1
The day I walked out of prison, snow was swirling all around.
Seven years ago, I took the fall for my boyfriend's drunk driving accident so he could chase his dreams of stardom.
He held me, crying, and promised he'd wait for me and marry me when I got out.
But now, I was standing in Millennium Square, staring up at the massive billboard where he and my best friend were locked in a passionate kiss.
He was the newly crowned Best Actor, and she was the hottest rising actress.
Their movie, "The Seventh Year Waiting for You", was a nationwide sensation. It was a story about a man's unwavering devotion as he waits for his girlfriend to return from prison.
The script for that movie was pieced together from the love letters I wrote to him while I was behind bars.
Now, it stood as a monument to his love for someone else and the launchpad for his fame and fortune.
I dialed his number, my voice trembling. "Tobias, I'm out now."
His voice came through, impatient. "Who is this? Wrong number."
Then, a text popped up from my best friend's number: [Let it go. He's the nation's heartthrob now, and you're just an ex-con with a record. You don't deserve him anymore. Take this 30 thousand dollars and stay out of our lives.]
*****
The icy chime of the bank notification, just like Wendy Pittman's text, cut through me like a frozen blade straight to the heart.
Seven years of my youth were spent behind bars. It turned out that all of it was worth nothing more than 30 thousand dollars.
With that money, I bought the warmest coat I could find, the cheapest smartphone on the shelf, and a ticket to tonight's premiere of "The Seventh Year Waiting for You."
Outside the theater, the red carpet stretched out as far as the eye could see, and the paparazzi's cameras flashed like daylight.
Tobias was dressed to the nines in a custom-tailored suit, his arm wrapped around Wendy, who was stunning in a white mermaid gown, both of them smiling for the cameras.
He was still as handsome as ever, but now there was a touch of maturity and confidence in his eyes. It was a look that felt completely foreign to me.
And Wendy, my once-best friend, was snuggled up to Tobias. Her smile was bright and full of smug triumph.
I clutched my movie ticket, kept my head down, and melted into the sea of fans, hoping to get in.
"Stop right there." The security guard blocked my way, giving me a once-over with a sharp look. "Ma'am, please show your invitation."
"I... I bought a ticket," I mumbled.
"Ticket holders go through the general entrance over there. This is the VIP section," he said, his voice full of impatience.
Just as I was about to turn away, a familiar, grating voice called out. "Well, well, if it isn't Nia?"
Wendy strolled over with Tobias on her arm. Her face was perfectly feigning surprise, but the contempt in her eyes was impossible to miss.
She let go of Tobias and put on a show of fake warmth, coming over as if she wanted to grab my hand. I instinctively stepped back.
Her hand hung awkwardly in the air, a flash of embarrassment flickering across her face before she forced a smile back on.
"Did you really come dressed like that, Nia? It's freezing. Aren't you cold?" Wendy said.
As she spoke, she began to slip off her expensive shawl.
"Don't. It feels dirty to me," I said, looking her straight in the eye. My voice was quiet, but she heard every word.
Wendy's face darkened in an instant.
Tobias walked over, his brow furrowed. He barely looked at me, like I was nothing but trash in his way.
"Wendy, why bother talking to her? Just have security get rid of her," he said, his voice colder than the winter wind.
"Oh, don't be like that, Tobias," Wendy said, immediately putting on a look that was both aggrieved and kind. "Nia just got out. She must be struggling to adjust. We should help her."
She turned to me, her voice soft and almost patronizing, as if she were bestowing charity.
She said, "Nia, I know you're hurting inside, and I know you still can't let go of Tobias. But you need to look forward. Look at yourself now. How could you possibly be worthy of him anymore?"
Her words got people whispering all around.
"Who is she? She looks like a nobody."
"I heard she's Tobias's... ex?"
"Oh my god, is she here to make a scene? That's so embarrassing."
Wendy looked pleased with herself. She pulled a card out of her designer handbag and shoved it into my palm.
She said, "There's 70 thousand dollars on this card. The PIN is your birthday. As your best friend, this is the last time I'll help you. Go find some small town, settle down, and leave us alone, okay?"
She leaned in close, her voice low and meant only for me. "Nia, don't push your luck. You think you're still that pampered princess from seven years ago? You're nothing but a rat in the gutter now. I could crush you with a flick of my finger."
I looked her in the eye and gave her a slow, mocking smile.
For everyone to see, I tossed the bank card into the trash can right beside me.
Wendy's face went livid, like she'd just been slapped in front of everyone.
Tobias's glare was so cold and stormy.
"Get her out of here," he ordered the security guards.
Two security guards rushed over and seized my arms, one on each side.
I didn't fight back. I just looked at Tobias coldly, my eyes sharp and unforgiving.
"Tobias, can you sleep at night?" I asked, my voice low and steady.
He froze, his body going stiff.
I was manhandled by the guards, hauled out of the crowd.
Behind me, Wendy's delicate, apologetic voice floated through the air. "Please, everyone, don't misunderstand. She's a little unstable. She recently got out of jail, and it's been a real shock for her..."
I was tossed onto the icy snow. My elbow hit the ground so hard that it sent a sharp pain shooting through me.
The photo of Tobias I'd treasured for seven years slipped out of my worn-out pocket and landed in the slushy snow.
He looked so young in that picture, grinning like the sun itself.
I stared at his face, and slowly, a single tear dropped, hitting the photo.