Stealing My Best Friend’s Mate

Judy's Invitation

Sloane's POV

“Goddess, Zia. I can't believe I'm actually going.”

Standing in front of my bathroom mirror, I smooth the hem of my dark green dress for what feels like the tenth time. Dark leggings hug my legs, and I've paired them with my old Vans. Casual enough not to look like I tried. Nice enough that no one can say I didn't.

That and also, I don't really have many options when it comes to clothing.

Zia stirs lazily beneath my skin. We both know something's wrong because my fake friend hasn't visited me once since the accident. Instead, she's been hooking up with my boyfriend. And yet she'd texted me earlier, inviting me to the after-party.

Yes, I have my phone back now. Xavier retrieved it from my wrecked car while it was at the repair shop.

‘This could only mean trouble.’ Zia is still trying to convince me to remain at home.

Judy wants to humiliate me. The smart thing would be to stay home and avoid the whole disaster. But I've spent too long trapped inside these four walls. I'm going stir-crazy.

No work, no school, and no family or friends looking after me. Just endless hours alone with my thoughts. And Xavier.

It's been almost nine days since the accident. Nine days of pretending I don't remember Kai. And nine days of relying on Xavier, stuck with him because he’s technically my boyfriend.

Nine days of Xavier showing up at my apartment every evening with dinner, groceries, or some ridiculous excuse to check on me- like study notes. And too many goodbye kisses that somehow become harder to close the door each night when he leaves.

My eyes unconsciously drift to my lips, and heat creeps into my cheeks before I shake the memory away.

No. I refuse to think about Xavier Bishop kissing me like I am something precious.

Because he isn't. He is pretending because his best friend requested it.

The vibration of my phone pulls me back, and I see it’s from my fake best friend. Captain of the cheer squad and the one Kai is cheating on me with. Oh, Kai and I are over, but he doesn't know it yet.

Judy: Don't bail on me tonight! We have to celebrate! ❤️

I stare at the message for several long seconds. The little heart almost makes me laugh- almost. Instead, a sour taste fills my mouth.

Hmm. I want to see just how far this game goes.

__

Music pounds through the student center by the time I arrive, and blue and silver balloons decorate the hall. Tonight we are celebrating a win. The hockey team had crushed their preliminary match earlier this evening, earning themselves a place in regionals.

Pack members laugh loudly while teammates crowd around overflowing tables covered in food.

The second I step inside, conversations pause for a few seconds, then they continue.

"You're here!" Judy glides toward me in a glittering silver dress before wrapping her arms around me in an enthusiastic hug. Her perfume nearly suffocates me. "I'm so glad you came."

I force a smile. "Congratulations."

"We played amazingly."

This snake, who had been pretending to be my best friend for so many years, showed me her true colors. Boyfriend stealer with her larger breasts. "We?"

She laughs. "Supporting the boys is exhausting."

Before I can answer, loud cheers erupted near the entrance as the team arrived together.

Every girl in the room immediately turns, and I hate that my eyes search for Kai automatically.

Judy leaves my side almost immediately. Kai walks in beside Xavier, wearing his varsity jacket with one arm comfortably wrapped around Judy's waist, as soon as he makes his way over to us.

It hurts watching my mate go over to somebody else.

"There you are." Kai grins before kissing her temple. That used to be the smile he reserved for me. The kiss mine… now he’s pretending I don't exist and kissing another publicly.

Comfortably. Like they've been together forever.

The room erupts into whistles.

Someone shouts, "About damn time!"

Another player yells, "Rhodes finally upgraded!"

Laughter follows, and my stomach twists painfully. Upgraded, hmm. Because she comes from a gamma family?

Zia whimpers when Kai catches my eyes across the room. For one brief second, he hesitates, but Judy wiggles beneath his arm, and his smile returns to her.

Wider and brighter. The message couldn't be clearer if he'd shouted it through a microphone. This is my perfect choice.

An hour passes in a blur of Judy and Kai making out, overfilled plates, the moves of the games, and the winning plays. The room has grown noticeably warmer, thick with laughter and conversation, and I find myself sitting beside Xavier near the back of the hall, wanting to leave and wanting to throw up at the same time.

We barely speak, yet he never strays far, staying glued to my side like the attentive boyfriend he's pretending to be. Curious looks drift our way every so often, but no one approaches.

I suppose that's the upside of not having friends- there's no one around to interrogate me.

I feel like the purpose of Judy’s invitation had already been served, right? To embarrass me and flaunt my boyfriend in front of my eyes? Her flirting with him all these years had not been innocent after all… I should head back home now- I have a load of groceries to cook, thanks to Xavier.

"You've been quiet," I murmur, watching the others laugh as they talk about setting up another board game to play, since the one with the ball and cup had become boring.

"So have you."

"I usually am," I return, feeling the max of my socializing coming to an end.

"I know."

I blink. "You do?"

His gray eyes meet mine briefly, and my eyes drop to his lips. Despite this pretend thing we got going on, I must admit, kissing Xavier has been really nice.

Without waiting for a reply because his eyes had trailed to my lips as well, I got up, swallowing. “We really dated?"

He takes a sip from his drink before answering. "Apparently."

"Game!" Someone yells from the front, and groans echo throughout the room.

"No." A blond defenseman laughs.

"Yes!" Judy claps excitedly while dragging a decorative bowl onto the stage. "We're playing Truth or Dare Roulette!"

Several players cheer while others immediately begin complaining.

"I already hate this."

"I knew she'd plan something." Wow, someone here has a functioning brain.

Judy beams sweetly. "My party. My rules."

Her party? “Well, this is my cue to bail, Bishop,” I tell Xavier and turn to leave.

“Hey, wait a few minutes, I'll take you home,” he gets up to follow me, and is stopped by another player who asks him something quietly.

Nodding, I fold my arms across my chest, watching as one by one, people draw folded slips of paper. Ah, a spin on the classical “truth or dare.” Hmm, interesting.

Most dares are harmless. Dance, sing, do impressions, kiss for five seconds, or drink something disgusting. This one time Xavier had to run around the field naked- he did, and he enjoyed every second of it, shrieking and laughing all the way.

Then my name is called, and my stomach drops. Because I am not a participant in this game. I wave my hands to deny any involvement in it.

“What a loser,” another cheer scoffs and rolls her eyes. Darcy.

Ignoring me and everyone around, Judy reaches dramatically into the bowl before unfolding another slip. “On behalf of Sloane…” A slow smile spreads across her face. "Oh."

The room quiets.

"This one's fun." She clears her throat dramatically. "'Choose any man in this room and give him a kiss worthy of a romance novel.”

Whistles explode immediately.

“A steamy romance!”

"Do Rhodes!" Please, as if.

“Who would even want to kiss her?” I know one person.

Funny. All of them know Kai and me are together, yet tonight they treated Judy as if she had been his longtime girlfriend and me just a nobody. Now they chant for me to kiss him.

Across the room, Kai leans back confidently in his chair, like the outcome was already decided. Like I belong to him still.

Judy watches me expectantly, the smile on her face is almost predatory. She wanted this. Either I choose Kai and look pathetic after everything, hereby exposing my fake amnesia.

Or refuse and become tonight's joke.

“Choose-choose-choose,” becomes a chant, and my pulse speeds up. Choose one of them? As if.

Judy mocks again. “Actually, the paper says kiss anyone, but I doubt you're a lesbo… are you, Sloane? Is that why you’re staring at me?”

Laughter again and another set of foolish talking. Is this what Judy thinks attraction is? I’m watching her with disgust right now.

Zia, thrums beneath my flesh, having to keep herself fragile to hide herself from everyone. Funny. The answer feels strangely obvious, and without another thought, I walk towards Kai and Judy’s eyes widen with glee.

Hmm, why is she so hell-bent on me kissing Kai?

Ignoring her and every voice in the room, I walk straight past Kai, and a hush fills the room.

I stop directly in front of Xavier, and his brows lift slightly. For the first time since I've known him, he actually looks surprised.

Kai's chair scrapes loudly across the floor. "What?"

Nobody laughs anymore.

"Come here... boyfriend," I mutter, raising my chin, and something dark flickers behind Xavier’s gray eyes. I see it in the way Xavier's jaw tightens, and his fingers cover mine when I place my hand over his chest, feeling his beating heart.

Calloused and warm, he rubs his hand over the back of mine. He steps close enough that I have to tilt my head back to meet his eyes, waiting as if giving me every chance to pull away.

I don't. Instead, I rise onto my toes, and he bends his head, and our lips meet softly.

Eat this, Kai.