Chapter 4
606 Words
Strangely enough, my heart no longer felt as leaden as it had before. What baffled me was why Sarah kept coming after my boyfriends, again and again, without fail.
Unable to find an answer, I posted a photo of the two of us to my own social media. Because I needed the platform to promote my designs, I'd built up a decent following on i********:. In the caption, I made a point of emphasizing the years of friendship between me and Sarah, mentioning that I always brought each new boyfriend to meet her, and that Liam was the fourth, and the only one who hadn't broken up with me after meeting her.
That single detail was enough to set off my followers. Comments started rolling in.
A: [Wait, why does every boyfriend of yours dump you right after meeting your best friend? Is there something off about her?]
Yet in my responses, I defended Sarah with startling ferocity. After firing off a few sharp replies, I got a message from Liam asking me to meet him and Sarah back at the Haunted Manor.
Outside the ride, the two of them were no longer as physically close as they'd been inside, but the look in their eyes still gave everything away. I studied Liam for a few seconds, then spoke lightly. "Sweetheart, isn't the color on your mouth kind of like the lipstick Sarah's wearing today?"
Liam froze for a moment, then instinctively wiped at his lips. "It must've rubbed off on me from the walls in there. They had fake blood everywhere. You're overthinking it, Maya."
I blinked at him, all innocence. "Really? What kind of blood is that color, though?"
His hand stilled. He stared at me for a long moment, eyes dark and unreadable, then let out a soft laugh. "Of course it's real. What reason would I have to lie? Or is this because I went into the haunted house with Sarah instead of you? Are you jealous?"
I didn't answer right away. I looked between him and a visibly flustered Sarah before I let out a quiet laugh of my own. "Why would I be? If you two are getting along better, that only makes me happy. Have you booked somewhere for lunch? I'm starving. Let's go eat."
Both of them visibly relaxed. Sarah slipped her arm through mine. "Honestly, Maya, this boyfriend of yours is a real catch. He's attentive, thoughtful, and he even picked a restaurant I love. Miles better than the last three."
I glanced at the reservation code on Liam's phone and realized he'd booked Bistro Lumière, Sarah's favorite. I laughed inwardly and shot her a look that was almost, but not quite, a smile. "Is that so? So has Liam passed your inspection, then?"
Sarah blinked her big, innocent eyes. "Of course. A man like this, any woman would fall for him. I understand you completely."
"Any woman, including you, Sarah? Do you like Liam too?"
I asked it lightly, as if it were nothing.
Sarah's whole body stiffened. She let out a couple of dry, awkward laughs before she remembered to protest. "No, of course not. Maya, he's your boyfriend. Why would I like him?"
I arched an eyebrow, tugged the equally uneasy Liam to my side, and kept my voice utterly casual. "Really? I was starting to worry Liam was so charming even you'd been swept off your feet. It's a relief to hear you say that. Because I've made up my mind. I'm going to marry Liam. We're going to have the wedding soon, and I want you to be my Maid of Honor."
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