Chapter 1 · The Sun Still Rises Without Him

Ten minutes into the horror movie, a jump scare sent me diving into the arms of the guy sitting next to me.

Smack.

A furious slap landed hard across my face before I could even process what happened. "Get your hands off my boyfriend, you shameless skank."

I froze. The person beside me wasn't Andrew Bennett. It was a complete stranger.

I blinked, stunned, and reached for my phone to text Andrew, only to see a message he'd sent two minutes ago.

[Gave the tickets away. Emily's running a fever, taking her to the ER. Watch the movie and head home yourself. Don't wait up.]

I typed back. [Okay.]

He had no idea. I wasn't just not waiting for him tonight. I was never waiting for him again.

*****

I got home with a bright red handprint burning on my cheek.

As I stepped into the lobby, I ran straight into my landlady, Mrs. Patterson, coming out of the elevator.

Her eyes locked onto my face. For a second, she just stared. Then her gaze turned sharp and nosy.

She said, "Claire, I hate to say this, but you are two months behind on rent. When exactly are you planning to pay me? You will not pay, and you will not move out. Are you trying to starve me out?"

Her shrill voice grated on my ears.

I stood there, dumbfounded.

My mom always told me never to owe anyone anything, whether friends or lovers. So every month, without fail, I transferred my share of rent and utilities to Andrew.

But Mrs. Patterson was telling me the place had not seen a single payment in two months.

"You are late on rent and utilities. Do not tell me you are planning to skip town in the middle of the night." Her eyes narrowed with suspicion, like she was one word away from calling the police.

I bit my lip. "How much do I owe?"

I sent her the full two months through Venmo on the spot.

Her expression finally softened. "You should take a page from your friend's book. He pays on time every single month and never needs a reminder. If this happens again, I will have to ask you to leave, got it."

"What friend?" I asked.

Just then, the elevator dinged.

Mrs. Patterson explained, "Oh, them, the young couple. When he first rented two units, he said yours was for a friend. Wait, you do not actually know him?"

I looked up. Andrew was stepping out of the elevator, laughing and chatting with Emily Shaw on his back.

Young couple. Friend.

Something sharp stabbed through my chest.

When Emily had first moved here after graduation, Andrew told me she was like a little sister to him. Her mom had asked him to look out for her, and he could not say no. He got her the place next door.

He promised it would be just two months.

After that, she would be on her own.

Now Andrew saw me. His smile faded a little, but there was not an ounce of guilt or awkwardness on his face.

"The movie is not over yet. Why are you back so early?" His tone was light, like he had just run into a casual acquaintance.

My chest tightened until I could barely breathe.

Five minutes before the movie started, he said he had an important call to take and told me to go in first. I believed him.

Then a stranger sat down in his seat.

I clenched my fists, stared into his dark eyes, and forced out the words with my voice shaking. "Andrew. Why did you not tell me you were leaving?"

I thought he would explain.

Instead, he simply shrugged. "Forgot."

Emily said, "I am so sorry, Claire. When Andrew got my call, he panicked and completely spaced on telling you. But I made sure he texted you as soon as we got to the hospital. Do not be mad at him over something so small."

Her words were sweet, but her smile was pure gloat.

It felt just like last month, on our three-year anniversary.

We were halfway through dinner when he stepped out to take a call. He never came back.

I sat there until the restaurant closed.

Finally, he texted me that Emily had gotten into a fender bender on her way home and he was at the emergency room with her. He told me to eat without him and that he would be back late.

"Listen, young lady. Where they go is none of your business. Friends should know their boundaries."

Mrs. Patterson's voice was not quiet. Everyone heard.

I heard the contempt underneath.

I said nothing and looked at Andrew.

He shifted his weight, then deliberately turned away. "Emily still has a fever. I am taking her back to rest."

He scanned his fingerprint to unlock Emily's door and carried her inside.

Mrs. Patterson left too, shooting me one last look of disgust.

Staring at the empty hallway, something inside me cracked.

Whatever hope I had been clinging to shattered completely.

He chose Emily. Fine. I would give him exactly what he wanted.

I did not knock on Emily's door. I went straight home.

A moment later, my phone buzzed with a message from Mrs. Patterson.

[I only let you slide on rent because of your friend. But I do not want trashy people messing up my property. Find somewhere else to live. Soon.]

I read it and understood immediately.

She saw Andrew and Emily as the couple.

And she saw me as the homewrecker.

Before, I would have defended myself.

But remembering how he had looked away just now, I typed back, [Okay. Three days maximum.]

Relationships could be exhausting.

Chasing someone who did not want me was even more so.

Half an hour later, Andrew came home.

I was holding an ice pack to my swollen cheek.

He walked right past me like he did not even see it, kicked off his shoes, and headed for the bedroom. "Mrs. Patterson is not a bad person. Do not take what she said to heart."

I just watched him. "I sent you money for rent and utilities. Why did you not pay?"

His hand froze on the doorknob. He turned, looking confused.

"Forgot." He rubbed his eyes, tired. "Work has been crazy. I have been forgetting a lot lately. Remind me next time, okay?"

He remembered Emily's rent. Her utilities. Every little thing she liked.

But he forgot our home.

I already knew the answer.

Hearing it out loud still hurt like a knife to the chest.

He said, "I will pay it now."

I replied, "No. I already did. Send me the money back."

I forwarded him the bill.

A moment later, he sent me 1,500 dollars through Venmo.

Andrew: [That is your half, split evenly. Check the math if you want.]

He sent me the exact amount, like he wanted everything crystal clear between us.

Just then, I saw Emily's social media update from ten minutes ago.

She posted a screenshot of her chat with Andrew.

The caption read, [Feeling down. Want to cry.]

Not even a minute passed before Andrew sent her money.

Andrew transferred her some cash.

It was 3,000 dollars.

His note read, [Buy some candy. Do not cry.]

Chapter 1

Ten minutes into the horror movie, a jump scare sent me diving into the arms of the guy sitting next to me.

Smack.

A furious slap landed hard across my face before I could even process what happened. "Get your hands off my boyfriend, you shameless skank."

I froze. The person beside me wasn't Andrew Bennett. It was a complete stranger.

I blinked, stunned, and reached for my phone to text Andrew, only to see a message he'd sent two minutes ago.

[Gave the tickets away. Emily's running a fever, taking her to the ER. Watch the movie and head home yourself. Don't wait up.]

I typed back. [Okay.]

He had no idea. I wasn't just not waiting for him tonight. I was never waiting for him again.

*****

I got home with a bright red handprint burning on my cheek.

As I stepped into the lobby, I ran straight into my landlady, Mrs. Patterson, coming out of the elevator.

Her eyes locked onto my face. For a second, she just stared. Then her gaze turned sharp and nosy.

She said, "Claire, I hate to say this, but you are two months behind on rent. When exactly are you planning to pay me? You will not pay, and you will not move out. Are you trying to starve me out?"

Her shrill voice grated on my ears.

I stood there, dumbfounded.

My mom always told me never to owe anyone anything, whether friends or lovers. So every month, without fail, I transferred my share of rent and utilities to Andrew.

But Mrs. Patterson was telling me the place had not seen a single payment in two months.

"You are late on rent and utilities. Do not tell me you are planning to skip town in the middle of the night." Her eyes narrowed with suspicion, like she was one word away from calling the police.

I bit my lip. "How much do I owe?"

I sent her the full two months through Venmo on the spot.

"What friend?" I asked.

Just then, the elevator dinged.

Mrs. Patterson explained, "Oh, them, the young couple. When he first rented two units, he said yours was for a friend. Wait, you do not actually know him?"

I looked up. Andrew was stepping out of the elevator, laughing and chatting with Emily Shaw on his back.

Young couple. Friend.

Something sharp stabbed through my chest.

He promised it would be just two months.

After that, she would be on her own.

Now Andrew saw me. His smile faded a little, but there was not an ounce of guilt or awkwardness on his face.

"The movie is not over yet. Why are you back so early?" His tone was light, like he had just run into a casual acquaintance.

My chest tightened until I could barely breathe.

Five minutes before the movie started, he said he had an important call to take and told me to go in first. I believed him.

Then a stranger sat down in his seat.

I clenched my fists, stared into his dark eyes, and forced out the words with my voice shaking. "Andrew. Why did you not tell me you were leaving?"

I thought he would explain.

Instead, he simply shrugged. "Forgot."

Her words were sweet, but her smile was pure gloat.

It felt just like last month, on our three-year anniversary.

We were halfway through dinner when he stepped out to take a call. He never came back.

I sat there until the restaurant closed.

Finally, he texted me that Emily had gotten into a fender bender on her way home and he was at the emergency room with her. He told me to eat without him and that he would be back late.

"Listen, young lady. Where they go is none of your business. Friends should know their boundaries."

Mrs. Patterson's voice was not quiet. Everyone heard.

I heard the contempt underneath.

I said nothing and looked at Andrew.

He shifted his weight, then deliberately turned away. "Emily still has a fever. I am taking her back to rest."

He scanned his fingerprint to unlock Emily's door and carried her inside.

Mrs. Patterson left too, shooting me one last look of disgust.

Staring at the empty hallway, something inside me cracked.

Whatever hope I had been clinging to shattered completely.

He chose Emily. Fine. I would give him exactly what he wanted.

I did not knock on Emily's door. I went straight home.

A moment later, my phone buzzed with a message from Mrs. Patterson.

[I only let you slide on rent because of your friend. But I do not want trashy people messing up my property. Find somewhere else to live. Soon.]

I read it and understood immediately.

She saw Andrew and Emily as the couple.

And she saw me as the homewrecker.

Before, I would have defended myself.

But remembering how he had looked away just now, I typed back, [Okay. Three days maximum.]

Relationships could be exhausting.

Chasing someone who did not want me was even more so.

Half an hour later, Andrew came home.

I was holding an ice pack to my swollen cheek.

He walked right past me like he did not even see it, kicked off his shoes, and headed for the bedroom. "Mrs. Patterson is not a bad person. Do not take what she said to heart."

I just watched him. "I sent you money for rent and utilities. Why did you not pay?"

His hand froze on the doorknob. He turned, looking confused.

"Forgot." He rubbed his eyes, tired. "Work has been crazy. I have been forgetting a lot lately. Remind me next time, okay?"

He remembered Emily's rent. Her utilities. Every little thing she liked.

But he forgot our home.

I already knew the answer.

Hearing it out loud still hurt like a knife to the chest.

He said, "I will pay it now."

I replied, "No. I already did. Send me the money back."

I forwarded him the bill.

A moment later, he sent me 1,500 dollars through Venmo.

Andrew: [That is your half, split evenly. Check the math if you want.]

He sent me the exact amount, like he wanted everything crystal clear between us.

Just then, I saw Emily's social media update from ten minutes ago.

She posted a screenshot of her chat with Andrew.

The caption read, [Feeling down. Want to cry.]

Not even a minute passed before Andrew sent her money.

Andrew transferred her some cash.

It was 3,000 dollars.

His note read, [Buy some candy. Do not cry.]