Chapter 1

I was scrolling through social media on my boyfriend's phone when a viral video with over a hundred thousand likes caught my eye.

It showed a man's bare back in dim lighting filmed from a girl's point of view.

The caption read: [I finally stole my best friend's boyfriend. All on my own. I'm amazing!]

It was paired with a trending cartoon.

The username looked oddly familiar, almost identical to my best friend's account.

I grabbed my own phone to check.

Same ID. Same bio. Same profile picture. Same posts—except one. The video was missing from my feed.

Just then, my boyfriend came back. "Chrissie, we've got a one-week coming up. How about a trip?" He looked at me carefully and added, "Invite your best friend too—it'll be fun with more people."

I stared at him, feeling my heart slowly ripping apart. "Sure," I said.

I'd been with him for seven years.

No more. I would be ending the relationship after this trip.

*****

Downstairs in the apartment complex, my boyfriend, Darren Greer was hauling the suitcases, humming to himself.

I looked at him, slightly dazed. We'd gone on trips before, but I'd never seen Darren this excited. I was always the one packing while he slept soundly.

I used to believe he was just resting up for the drive, but turned out he never cared.

"Oops. I'm late. Sorry, you guys!" Monica finally arrived, her suitcase trailing noisily behind as she rushed toward us.

Despite the autumn chill in the air, Monica was rocking a slinky silk slip dress that showed off every curve she had. The delicate straps looked like they could slide off her shoulders any second.

Her cardigan was tossed on so carelessly that it had slipped all the way down her elbows, leaving her bare shoulders and sculpted collarbones on full display.

"Chrissie, babe, sorry I'm late," Monica sang out, latching onto my arm.

Monica tipped her chin at Darren, bossy as ever. "Hey, you planning to just stand there all day? Move those suitcases already. What, you want Chrissie to haul them herself?"

Monica was ordering my boyfriend around. How did I never see this before?

Darren put on his best long-suffering act, but I could see a smug grin playing at his lips. "Fine, I'm on it," he said.

Monica beat me to the front passenger seat, hopping in like she owned the place. Then, she tossed an embarrassed look my way, all wide-eyed innocence.

She said, "Chrissie, babe, I totally forgot my car-sickness meds. But don't worry. I'll keep Darren on his best behavior up front for you. He won't drive crazy with me right here."

My nails dug into my palm.

I just gave her a smile, kept my mouth shut, and slipped into the back seat.

Darren finished loading up and saw Monica had already slid into the passenger seat. He glanced back at me, a guilty look flashing across his face. "Chrissie, why are you in the back?"

I was just about to respond, but Monica cut me off before I could get a word out.

"Chrissie's just being a sweetheart. I get carsick, and I forgot my meds today. Darren, is your front seat reserved only for your girlfriend or something?" Monica asked.

I kept my expression neutral, but under the seat my fists were clenched so tightly they were shaking. "Chrissie is carsick. Just let her have it," I said.

Monica playfully tapped Darren's shoulder, her perfume practically taking over the whole car. "Come on, let's get moving. We'll be stuck in traffic if we don't hustle."

Once the car rolled out, Monica and Darren were all laughs and inside jokes, acting like I was invisible. Monica kept sliding her hand onto Darren's thigh, as though I wasn't there.

"Darren, look at this. Doesn't Chrissie look like a total pig here?" Monica practically shrieked with laughter, shoving her phone at him.

It was a photo Monica had sneakily snapped of me when my face was all swollen from an allergy.

Darren took one look and snorted with laughter.

Monica lay her arm on Darren's and smirked, "I always wondered how Chrissie bagged a hottie like you. Must be her sparkling personality, huh?"

She jabbed at his cheek, half-joking. "I'm telling you now don't go dumping Chrissie, got it?"

Darren was clearly loving all the physical attention from Monica, a pleased grin on his face. "Of course not."

The two of them kept laughing and flirting like I wasn't even there, so I finally spoke up to put a stop to it.

"Darren, keep your eyes on the road. You almost hit someone just now," I said.

Monica clucked her tongue. "Chrissie, you really know how to kill the fun. Never mind. Darren, make it warmer up here, will you? I'm going to take a nap."

Darren sprang into action, fussing with the AC for Monica like he was her eager little flunky.

Things got a lot quieter in the car after that. When we hit the rest stop, Monica hopped out to use the bathroom.

Darren got out for a smoke, and I stretched my legs.

He strode up to me, his gaze impatient. "See what you've done? Now Monica's all upset. If she hadn't been chatting the whole ride, I would've been bored out of my mind.

"You could at least be thankful instead of moaning she was too noisy. Chrissie, you're the one sulking. Now it's her fault she was cheerful?"

The smoke made me burst into a coughing fit. "Darren, could you stub out your cigarette first?"

He bristled even more. "What, I need your say-so just to smoke now?"

I froze, feeling the sting of tears on my cheeks. "Darren, you know I have asthma."

Darren just stood there for a second, then stubbed out his cigarette. He stepped over and wrapped me up in his arms. "Sorry, I forgot."