Chapter 3
"Rayden told me you two had a fight?" Sofia asked.
She sat down on the couch, setting her bag down elegantly.
"Rayden's always been spoiled, so his temper's a bit much, but he's got a good heart."
"He cares about you, you know."
"You two have been together for five years. That's not easy. Don't let a little thing mess up your relationship."
I looked at her and couldn't help but think how absurd it all was.
She kept going on about how Rayden cared about me, but she had no idea her son was actually into her best friend.
"Sofia."
I interrupted her mid-rant.
"We're not fighting. We're breaking up."
Sofia's smile froze on her face.
"Break up? Why?"
"Did Rayden mess up somewhere? Just tell me, and I'll make sure he learns his lesson."
I poured her a glass of water.
"Sofia, you should really pay more attention to yourself."
"For example, your best friend."
Sofia frowned, clearly confused by my words.
"Why are you bringing up Allen?"
I smiled, pulled up the photo, and handed her my phone.
"Oh, nothing. I just thought your bestie and my ex-boyfriend make a perfect couple."
Sofia's eyes locked onto the screen.
And in the next second, every bit of color vanished from her face.
The glass slipped from her hand and crashed to the floor, shattering into pieces.
Sofia was glued to the photo, her eyes fixated, unable to look away.
Her whole body was trembling, her lips quivering, but not a single word came out.
Shock, anger, and the humiliation of being betrayed by those she trusted most all hit her at once.
I thought, maybe now she could at least begin to understand how I felt yesterday.
"When... when did this happen?" Her voice was so hoarse it barely sounded like her.
I took my phone back and replied flatly, "I don't know."
"You should ask them."
Sofia suddenly stood up, her face turning livid.
"That bitch!"
"And that bastard!"
She was shaking all over, grabbed her bag, and bolted for the door.
But just as she reached the doorway, she paused, turned back, her eyes a jumble of emotions as she looked at me.
"Wade, I'm so sorry for all this."
"I didn't raise my son right."
I didn't say a word.
After she left, I looked at the chaos left behind and felt utterly exhausted.
I didn't want to watch this whole farce anymore.
I just wanted all of them to disappear from my life.
My phone started vibrating nonstop.
It was Rayden.
After I blocked him, he called from another number.
I answered.
He was screaming on the other end, totally frantic and losing it.
"Wade! Did you show my mother that photo?
"Have you completely lost it?"
I held the phone away from my ear as Rayden kept raging.
"Yeah," I replied.
There wasn't a trace of emotion in my voice.
"It's a family scandal, after all. She's your mom. She has every right to know."
"You!"
Rayden was so pissed he could barely speak.
"Wade, what are you trying to pull? Do you really have to air our problem for everyone to see?
"Did our five years together mean nothing to you at all?"
I laughed.
"Rayden, don't even start with the whole 'feelings' thing. Are you even qualified to talk about love?
"While I was holding onto my boundaries and turning down every man who showed interest in me, what were you doing?
"You were rolling around in bed with your mom's best friend.
"So what gives you the right to come at me now?"
There was a long, heavy silence on the other end.
After a while, Rayden finally spoke, his voice almost begging.
"Wade, I was wrong, I was really wrong.
"It's over between me and her. My mother is losing it. She's about to tear the whole house apart.
"Can you please forgive me, just this once? Let's start over, please.
"I swear, I won't ever do it again."
He sounded totally desperate, like he was about to start crying.
If this was before, maybe I would've gone soft.
But now, he was just background noise to me.
"Rayden, have you ever stopped to think about how your mom found out?"
He was stunned.
"Because your and my mom's best friend has been acting like a caring elder in front of my mom."
"She's sleeping with you, and at the same time, playing the perfect elder for her."
"Do you really think I'd ever forgive you two?"
I spelled it out, slow and ruthless.
"I'm not just letting your mom in on this. I'm making sure my mother knows, and then I'm telling everyone.
"You two are the nastiest couple I've ever seen."
"Don't you dare, Wade!" Rayden roared.
I hung up on him right then and there.