In Love With The Bad Boy

Chapter 1: The First Heartache

The apartment was quiet, save for the soft hum of the refrigerator and the rhythmic ticking of the clock on the wall. Kat stood in front of the door to Jason’s condo, her heart fluttering with anticipation. Tonight was supposed to be special. They’d been together for five years, and while the relationship had always been a little comfortable—maybe even too comfortable—Kat had finally made the decision. She was going to sleep with him. She’d spent so many nights imagining what it would be like, wondering if it would change things between them. Tonight was the night, and she couldn’t wait to see the look on his face when she showed up.

She pressed the doorbell and waited, fingers nervously twisting the hem of her blouse. She had been imagining this moment for so long. Jason would be so excited, so happy, and things between them would finally feel like they’d reached a new level of intimacy. She couldn’t help but smile at the thought of it, even though she wasn’t sure if it would make a difference. Was she ready? Was he?

But the smile faded when she heard the faint sound of footsteps from inside. The door cracked open, and there he was—Jason, standing in front of her, his expression a mixture of surprise and something else she couldn’t quite place.

“Kat?” His voice was rough, like he hadn’t been expecting her, but that was impossible. They’d planned this night for weeks.

“Surprise,” she said, a soft laugh escaping her lips. “I thought we could... you know, make it a night to remember.”

Jason hesitated for a moment, and then, with a forced smile, stepped aside to let her in. His eyes darted around her face, and Kat immediately sensed something was off. It wasn’t the excited, thrilled look she had imagined he would give her.

Something felt wrong.

“Where are we going?” Kat asked, trying to break the tension. She stepped inside the sleek, modern apartment, which still looked as if Jason had only recently moved in despite the years they had been together. The place had always felt cold, impersonal, and tonight it felt even colder.

Jason closed the door behind her and took a deep breath. “Actually, Kat, I—”

Before he could finish his sentence, the sound of a door opening upstairs interrupted him. Kat turned to glance up the stairs, confused.

“Who’s that?” she asked, her eyes narrowing.

Jason's face flushed, and he quickly stepped toward her, trying to steer her away from the direction of the stairs. “It’s nothing,” he said hurriedly, the words rushed, almost panicked. “It’s just... you know. A friend.”

A friend? Kat’s brow furrowed. Jason had never referred to anyone as just a "friend" when they were in his apartment. They had been together for five years. He knew all her friends. She knew all his.

“I don’t think I’m following,” Kat said, her voice trembling now. The excitement from earlier had turned into confusion, and now, unease settled in her stomach like a stone.

She heard another sound—this time the unmistakable sound of laughter. It was feminine. Light. Flirty.

Kat froze.

“Who is that?” she asked again, her voice now laced with a sharp edge.

Jason’s eyes darted toward the staircase, his expression faltering for a split second before he turned back to face her. He opened his mouth, then shut it, looking caught between trying to hide something and not wanting to make her feel more suspicious.

Kat's heart thudded painfully in her chest. "Who is it, Jason?"

He hesitated again. "It’s... Julianne," he said finally, his voice low.

Julianne. Her best friend.

The room felt like it was spinning. Kat stood there, rooted to the spot, her mind struggling to process the words. Julianne? Why was Julianne here? Why was she here... in his apartment?

Before she could respond, there was a loud thud, followed by a series of hurried footsteps. Julianne appeared at the top of the stairs, wearing nothing but a silk robe, her hair messy as though she had just woken up—or, perhaps more accurately, just gotten out of bed. Kat’s stomach dropped as Julianne looked down at her, her eyes widening in shock before quickly narrowing with something that might have been guilt.

“Kat?” Julianne said, her voice faltering slightly.

Kat’s breath caught in her throat, and for a moment, everything seemed to slow down. It was as if time itself was stretching out, making her feel every second of the horror unfolding in front of her. Jason looked at her, his expression guilty, yet somehow defensive. Julianne stood frozen at the top of the stairs, her eyes darting between Kat and Jason.

Kat wanted to scream. She wanted to slap the smug expression off Julianne’s face and demand answers. How long? How long had they been lying to her?

The worst part was that she could already feel the answer in her gut, like a cold weight pulling at her insides. They hadn’t just betrayed her tonight. This had been going on for a while.

“Jason... what is this?” Kat finally found her voice, but it came out thin, cracked.

Jason swallowed, his shoulders slumping in defeat. “Kat, I—I didn’t know how to tell you.”

“How long?” she asked, her voice dangerously calm. “How long has this been going on?”

He looked away, unwilling to meet her eyes, and that was all the answer Kat needed.

“Are you seriously telling me you’ve been sleeping with my best friend behind my back?” Her voice was rising now, the anger and disbelief clawing its way to the surface. “On our anniversary?”

Jason opened his mouth to speak, but the words wouldn’t come.

And then Julianne spoke, her tone awkward, but tinged with a desperate edge. “Kat, I—I didn’t want to hurt you. I never wanted to... but we—”

“You what?” Kat snapped, her hands balling into fists at her sides. “How could you? How could both of you?”

She felt something hot rise in her chest, and for a moment, she thought she might burst into tears, or worse, collapse. But instead, her vision cleared, and a cold, steely resolve settled over her like a shroud.

“I don’t know what you think is happening here, Kat, but—” Jason began, stepping toward her.

Kat shook her head, stepping back. “No, Jason. I don’t want to hear it. I thought you were my person, that we were in this together.” Her voice broke for a moment, and she swallowed, her chest tight. “I trusted you... both of you.”

Jason's expression softened, but it only made Kat angrier. He reached for her, but she took another step back, putting distance between them.

“Don’t,” she said, her voice firm, cutting. “Just... don’t.”

And then, in a blur of motion, Kat turned on her heel and ran out of the condo, the door slamming behind her. She didn’t care. The world around her felt numb as she hurried down the stairwell, her feet moving without thinking.

She barely noticed the tears that were now streaming down her face. All she could feel was the deep ache in her chest, the unbearable weight of the betrayal.

For five years, she had loved him. Trusted him. And now, everything was shattered in an instant. The life she had built, the future she had envisioned, all crumbling around her.

And her best friend? Julianne had become a stranger in an instant.

Everything she had known, every certainty, was gone.

The night air was cold when she stepped outside, but it did nothing to numb the shock that still buzzed through her body. She barely registered the headlights of the car that drove past, the sound of the city around her—it was as if she were in a fog.

She was alone now. More alone than she had ever been before.

And yet... it felt like she had just woken up from a long, dreamless sleep. The truth was finally out, and Kat had no idea what came next, but she knew one thing for certain: she would never let anyone betray her like that again.

Not Jason. Not Julianne. Not anyone.

And she would never go back to the version of herself that had allowed it to happen.

Not ever again.