Chapter 2

Clutching my phone, I dashed out, but right as I reached the entrance, I suddenly collided with someone barreling in.

The cake in the person's hands dropped to the floor.

"Damn it, are you blind or what?" a familiar voice snapped.

I jerked my head up and locked eyes with him.

Lorenzo froze for a second when he saw me. "Fiona, why are you crying? Did someone upset you?"

As I was about to speak, Jaylen's cold laugh echoed behind me. "Who'd dare upset her? She just can't stop acting, can she?

"First she wrecked Amiyah's birthday party, and now, right on cue, she crashes into Amiyah's birthday cake."

Jaylen started clapping, his face cold as ice. "Fiona, you've got some real tricks up your sleeve, huh?

"Amiyah was nice enough to send me out to check on you, thinking we're all classmates and you should come in and join the fun. And this is how you treat her kindness?"

A few sharp words from Jaylen were enough to make Lorenzo's expression turn grim.

Lorenzo glanced at the ruined cake, and when he looked back at me, the concern in his eyes had vanished completely. All that remained was an icy glare. "Fiona, I never thought you were such a mean person."

Even though I'd seen it coming, the pain still hit me out of nowhere, like a sudden stab right to the heart.

My phone buzzed with a notification. The driver was already waiting at the entrance.

I didn't have time to get dragged into this mess. All I wanted was to get out of here. But as I turned to leave, Lorenzo grabbed my arm hard.

He yanked me back so forcefully that I stumbled and nearly fell.

I was stuck between Lorenzo and Jaylen. Both of them were shooting daggers at me. It felt like I was on trial, facing two judges ready to sentence me for the worst crime imaginable.

Lorenzo pointed at the ruined cake. "Fiona, do you get what you did?

"This is Amiyah's first real birthday. Her family doesn't have much, and she's always been so thoughtful that she's never once begged her parents for a birthday celebration.

"This cake might be the first birthday cake Amiyah's ever had in her whole life. How could you be so selfish, ruining her only birthday?"

I struggled to pull my arm free. But Lorenzo's grip was too strong.

My phone started ringing, and I had no clue who was calling. But right now, it didn't matter who was on the other end. Every call mattered to me.

Lorenzo saw how desperate I was, and his grip on my arm only tightened. "You want to answer your phone? Fine. Go in there, explain yourself to Amiyah, apologize, and then you can pick up."

I choked out my explanation. "Lorenzo, my mom's in surgery right now. I have to get back to her. Please, let me go. I'm begging you. My mom can't wait any longer."

"Lorenzo, don't listen to her nonsense. Mrs. McClain was messaging her an hour ago. How could she suddenly be in surgery?" Jaylen cut in.

I shook my head frantically. "Lorenzo, your dad's a doctor. You've been around hospitals your whole life. You know how sudden a heart attack can be. It can be deadly.

"Yeah, I've lied before when it came to Amiyah, but I'd never lie about something like my mom's life. She is my mom."

Lorenzo stared into my eyes, hesitation flickering in his gaze.

I looked up at him and whispered to him like when I was a child, "Enzo."

"Lorenzo!" At the same time, Amiyah's voice called out from nearby. Wearing a light blue dress, she ran over.

She looked so pretty and innocent, and her eyes shone bright. But when she saw the smashed cake, her eyes went red.

Amiyah pointed at the cake on the floor, her voice shaky and so pitiful. "Is this my birthday cake?"

She looked up, glancing first at Lorenzo, then at Jaylen. "Who did this?"

As soon as Amiyah started crying, any hesitation in Lorenzo's eyes disappeared.

He spoke in a commanding tone, "Fiona, apologize to Amiyah."

"I'm sorry." With everyone watching me, I bowed deeply to Amiyah, trembling as I apologized.

My tears fell onto the cold floor as I bent down.

When I looked up, both Jaylen and Lorenzo were stunned for a second.

I wiped my tears away with the back of my hand. After all that heartbreak, all I felt now was a cold emptiness. "Can I leave now?"

While Lorenzo was still spaced out, I pulled my hand back hard.

As I turned to leave, Lorenzo and Jaylen rushed after me.

Like all those times before, after choosing Amiyah over me, they'd watch me cry and then try to comfort me in their gentle voices.

"Alright, Fiona, we get it, you're jealous," Jaylen said. "But you did mess up Amiyah's cake, so apologizing was the right thing to do.

"Stop sulking, okay? Didn't you always want to go to Funland Park? Tomorrow morning, we'll be waiting for you outside the girls' dorm. That's fair, isn't it?"

But this time, unlike before, I didn't pause for their apologies.

Rain was coming down in sheets outside.

The taxi was waiting across the street.

I picked up my pace and dashed into the downpour.

The rain hit me, cold and biting.

As the taxi door closed, I thought to myself, 'There's no tomorrow for the two of them anymore.'

I was not going to Funland Park, and I was done with all my childhood friends.

Right at that moment, all I wanted was to get home, to be by Mom's side.