He Bet I’d Never Leave Him

Chapter 2

The words hit me like a stone, dragging my heart straight to the bottom of my chest.

Camille beamed as she pulled a dress from her backpack, or what was left of one.

The once-beautiful gown had been hacked into ribbons.

"Didn't you almost trip over this last time? I fixed it for you. Very punk rock, don't you think? Woohoo!"

She even threw up a playful hand sign and stuck out her tongue, looking absurdly proud of herself.

My throat tightened as though an invisible hand had closed around it.

My breathing came faster and faster.

"Who gave you permission to touch my dress?"

Camille's smile vanished at once.

She slipped behind Elias and softened her voice into something wounded and pitiful.

"Why are you being so harsh? I was only trying to help. Now every judge will remember you the second you step onto the stage. I even made a bet with Elias about whether you'd notice my little creative touch..."

As she finished speaking, her fingers loosened.

I lunged forward and caught the ruined dress before it hit the ground.

I had spent an entire year preparing for this dance competition.

It was my only fair shot, the one chance I had to earn a place at my dream school.

Every contestant had been issued the same official dress, and altering it in any way was strictly forbidden.

The submission photos were due that very day.

Now that the dress had been destroyed, I had no way to submit them.

I grabbed the shredded fabric and flung it at Camille.

"Without the official dress, I'd be disqualified. Is that what you wanted?"

Elias threw up a hand to block it.

A sharp sequin sliced a thin line across his skin.

"Chloe, Camille stayed up all night trying to fix your dress. How can you be this ungrateful?"

His expression hardened.

"It's just a competition. There'll be another one next year. Why are you making such a big deal out of it? You lose your temper over everything. If I hadn't blocked that, Camille's face could've been scratched."

Camille's eyes reddened, and tears began to slide down her cheeks.

"Chloe, I was only trying to help. I didn't know I wasn't allowed to cut it. Fine, I'm sorry, okay?"

Elias immediately reached up and wiped away her tears as though she were something fragile.

"Chloe, you always ruin things between us. Look, Camille's crying now. Let's just drop it."

Then his voice turned stern.

"But next time, you don't get to speak to her like that."

Camille leaned into his hand and murmured sweetly, "Right. We're supposed to be best friends, after all."

Disgust rolled through my stomach.

And in that moment, I finally understood.

I didn't have to keep putting up with this.

I stepped around Camille, took my share of the hunt, and walked away.

Elias's voice snapped through the air behind me.

"Chloe, are you seriously throwing a fit over a few kills? If you walk away now, don't expect me to ever speak to you again."

Camille sniffled and added tearfully, "Elias, I was only joking. Does she really have to make such a scene?"

I didn't even bother looking back.