Chapter 3
When did Chris start seeing me as a spoiled girl?
When I was suffering from cramps last semester, the pain was so bad I ended up crying.
Chris sighed on the phone, "Princess, why are you so dramatic? Look at Lily. She's strong as an ox. Even when she's hurt, she never complains."
I didn't say anything.
Lily snatched the phone away. "You're the one who's like an ox. So what if she's a little spoiled? She's my best friend. Taking care of her is what you're supposed to do. Get used to it."
Back then, I was so naive and stupid. I felt like a burden to them.
I went to see a doctor and secretly took a cooking class.
The medicine helped a bit that month, and I excitedly told Chris about it.
He ruffled my hair and said, "See? Period cramps aren't a disease. They're not that serious. Just stop thinking about it so much."
The first time I managed to bake cookies, I proudly gave them to Chris and Lily.
They were playfully shoving each other, cracking up together. "Sophie, are you cosplaying as a drama heroine or something? Who uses pink packaging? That's so childish!"
I couldn't remember how I felt that day.
All I remembered was the two of them arguing back and forth while I sat off to the side, silently finishing every cookie.
Thankfully, I'd never have to stress over their words or question myself again.
Nothing was embarrassing about admitting I was a little spoiled. If anything, it proved how much my family loved me.
"Hey, princess, what's on your mind? How's the job hunt going? Some of those small companies are shady. Don't get scammed.
"You okay? I messaged you on WhatsApp, and you didn't reply. Do you have any idea how worried I was?" Chris said.
I wanted to ask him. If he was so worried, then why did he leave with Lily?
Those words were on the tip of my tongue, but I held them back. It was pointless.
"Chris, I've decided-"
Lily cut me off. "Chris, what have you two been saying about me?"
Holding two burnt corn cobs, she gave Chris a good smack on the back.
Chris yelped and jumped up. "You've got oil on your hands!"
"So what? Got a problem with that?" Lily shot back.
She pretended to smack him again, but Chris spun around to block her.
Lily laughed and tried to dodge, but her foot slipped. Chris instinctively reached out to steady her, his arm wrapping around her waist.
"Let go, let go! That tickles!" Lily giggled.
"You started it, and now you're begging for mercy?" Chris teased.
One of the guys, already tipsy, joked with a smile, "Chris, you're always so close with Lily. So, who's your real girlfriend?"
Chris pulled me into his arms and said, "This one is my girlfriend."
Then he gave Lily a playful pat on the head. "And Lily's my girlfriend, too. Are you jealous?"
"Dream on, you jerk. I'm going to teach you a lesson for Sophie today," Lily said.
Then the two of them started playfully roughhousing around me.
Everyone cracked up.
Whistles broke out from the crowd. "Chris, you lucky bastard!" someone teased.
I couldn't crack a smile.
My arm was pulled so hard it hurt, the chicken wing in my hand got knocked out, and grease smeared all over my dress.
"Get away from me," I muttered.
They didn't hear me. Instead, they only tugged harder.
"You're hurting me," I muttered under my breath.
They kept roughhousing, completely ignoring me.
Something rose in my chest, caught in my throat, leaving me unable to breathe.
"Let go of me!" I snapped, shaking them both off.
The whole yard went dead silent.
Then, someone let out a snicker. "Quit messing around, or Princess is going to lose it again."
Lily jumped in right away. "It's all Chris's fault. He's always messing around and bullying me. Now my bestie's mad at him."
Chris retorted, "You're the one bullying me! My girlfriend is mad at you, not me."
It always ended up like this.
I was right there in front of them. But my words fell on deaf ears, and they didn't care how I felt.
That was not how a boyfriend or a best friend should act.
I grabbed a tissue and tried to wipe the grease off my dress.
The dry tissue rubbed against the fabric, spreading the stain more.
The owner of the restaurant came out, carrying a massive tray piled high with dishes.
Smoked chicken, BBQ ribs, grilled salmon, and a whole roasted lamb were served on the table.
That little drama was quickly drowned out by the clinking of glasses and the chatter of everyone digging into the food.
Chris slung his arm around my shoulders. "Come on, let's grab some food. Don't let her bother you."
Lily shoved him aside. "No way! Sophie's sitting next to me."
"Sophie's mine," Chris shot back.
"Yours? Got any proof?" Lily teased.
I shut my eyes. All the voices blended, drumming in my ears.
I was so fed up. I couldn't take it anymore.
"Chris, let's break up," I said.
They finally stopped and stared at me in shock.