Chapter 2
771 Words
Reading the words on the screen, a wave of nausea swept through me. I could only slump over the bathroom sink, dry heaving.
My parents had once been artists of some renown in our town. After they died in a car accident, no relatives were willing to take me in, so I ended up at St. Jude's. When I first arrived, I didn't know the unwritten rules of the place. The other kids ganged up on me, bullied me, even snatched the bread off my tray at meals.
In my darkest moment, it was Sarah who stepped in. She got my bread back for me, and she fought them tooth and nail to do it. From that day on, we were inseparable.
I covered for her whenever she snuck out of St. Jude's, and each time she came back, she brought me little gifts. Because I loved her, because I saw her as the closest thing I had to family. I brought every boyfriend I ever had to meet her, desperate for her approval.
And all along, while she picked apart my boyfriends to my face, she was seducing each of them behind my back, driving them to leave me. Even Liam, the man I'd thought of as my salvation, had only started dating me to get closer to her.
Once the truth sank in, it felt as though a pair of hands were tearing my heart apart. I curled into the corner of the bathroom, gasping for air, trying to remember how to breathe.
The screen kept lighting up with new messages. Sarah was pressing him.
Sarah: So what's your plan then? Turn me down and stay with Maya? Let me warn you, don't you dare tell her a word of this. Sarah: If she finds out and cuts me off, I'll kill you.
Liam: Why not just keep it from her? Relax. Maya trusts us both so completely, she'd never suspect a thing.
My heart seemed to stop. And then I saw her reply.
Sarah: Fine. We'll keep her in the dark, and you and I can have our fun.
The cold light of the tablet washed over my face, and at last, something in my eyes went still and cold.
I drew in a deep breath and took photos of Sarah's burner account and every last message with my phone.
When I stepped out of the bathroom, Liam was sprawled on the bed, smiling down at his phone. The moment he saw me, he locked the screen without hurry, rose to his feet, and pulled me into his arms. "So, sweetheart, what did your best friend think of me?"
The scent of the cologne he'd sprayed on so deliberately filled my nose. I forced a smile. "Not bad at all. Sarah said you're the best boyfriend I've ever had."
A flicker of smugness crossed his eyes, and he arched an eyebrow at me. "In that case, why don't you invite her to come along on our date tomorrow? Didn't you always say she loves the thrill rides at amusement parks?"
My expression froze.
Ever since the car accident that had taken my parents, I'd never been able to stomach the more intense rides. But three days ago, Liam had suddenly, out of character, suggested a trip to Oakwood Amusement Park, framing it as a way to shake things up and try somewhere new. Looking back now, he must have planned this all along, knowing Sarah loved amusement parks and using me to arrange it.
Watching the eager look on his face, I dug my fingernails into my palm, kept my expression perfectly composed, and agreed.
The next day, the car pulled up outside Sarah's apartment building. She hadn't even reached for the door when Liam turned to look at me. "Maya, Sarah gets carsick, doesn't she? Why don't you let her have the passenger seat?"
For a moment, both Sarah and I froze.
She glanced at me uncertainly, then shot Liam a mock-scolding look. "It's not that bad. Don't listen to him. Maya, I'll sit in the back, really."
I managed a small smile. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught the darkening look on Liam's face and made the decision for myself, stepping out of the car. "It's fine, Sarah. You take the front. I should've thought of it. I forgot you get carsick."
Sarah didn't argue. She brushed past me and slid straight into the passenger seat.
Standing outside the rear door, I could see through the window as Liam reached over on his own, drew Sarah close, and buckled her seatbelt for her.
- Writer
