Entangled in Lust

6. The Friend Left Behind

It had been almost two weeks since Lucas and I officially became a couple—secretly, of course. We were like two clumsy undercover agents, constantly on the verge of getting caught by our own friends. But that was what made everything more thrilling. The rush of adrenaline each time we exchanged sneaky glances at school, or secretly held hands under the cafeteria table, made every day feel so alive.

One afternoon, we went to the mall downtown. After watching the latest movie, Lucas suggested walking around a bit while looking for my favorite snack—churros, the kind that always made me forget my diet. Our fingers were laced together, warm and comforting, as if the world only belonged to us.

But the romantic mood was suddenly interrupted when I spotted Jessica and Ashley walking in our direction from afar. I instantly let go of Lucas’s hand.

“Lucas, that’s Jessica and Ashley!” I whispered, panicking. “What do we do? I told them I couldn’t hang out because of a family dinner.”

Lucas scanned the area quickly. Without hesitation, he pulled me into the nearest clothing store.

“Let’s hide in here,” he said softly, guiding me deeper inside.

We rushed toward the fitting rooms. But just a few steps in, I heard Jessica’s voice clearly.

“Ash, this shop looks cute. Let’s take a look!”

I froze. Lucas quickly tugged me into an empty fitting room and locked the door. My heart pounded as our bodies pressed together in the tight space. Lucas brought a finger to his lips, signaling me to stay quiet. Laughter from Jessica and Ashley grew closer.

I held my breath, trying not to make a sound. Lucas looked at me with a mischievous glint in his eyes. I could feel his heartbeat, smell his cologne, even feel his breath. We were too close—so close I could see every detail of his face.

Then something shifted. His gaze softened, his lips slightly parted. I looked back at him. We slowly leaned in, our lips just inches away.

But before anything could happen, a*****e clerk's voice broke the silence. “Sorry, fitting rooms aren't for two people!”

We startled and quickly opened the door. Jessica and Ashley were gone. Without saying a word, we rushed out of the store, barely holding back our laughter. Once we were far enough away, we burst into giggles, finally letting out all the tension.

“Wow, we almost got caught!” I said, still catching my breath.

Lucas grinned, his cheeks slightly flushed. “If that clerk had shown up five seconds later, maybe we would’ve—”

“Would’ve what?” I teased, nudging him.

He laughed. “Run straight out the emergency exit.”

I pinched his arm. “This stays between us, okay?”

He chuckled. “Yeah, yeah. I get it. Still our little secret.”

The following days at school felt even more intense. Each time our eyes met in class or in the hallways, we’d share a brief smile or pretend to look busy. But to me, it was enough. Enough to know that he was mine, and I was his—even if no one else knew.

But it didn’t stay easy for long. Dave began acting differently. His looks became sharper, and I’d often catch him watching Lucas and me with a strange, unreadable expression—like something was bothering him.

-------

That Saturday afternoon, I got ready to head to Dave’s place. I paused in front of the snack shelf I usually brought something from. I didn’t know why, but my heart felt heavy. Dave had always been my closest friend—and what I had to tell him tonight might change everything.

Every two weeks, we had this tradition of movie nights. This time, it was Dave’s turn to choose the film. The letter was I, and his pick made me a bit flustered and amused: I Love You, My BF (Best Friend)—a romcom about two best friends who fall in love.

Throughout the movie, something felt different. Dave was unusually quiet. So was I. Every now and then, I’d sneak a glance at him and remember the time when we were kids, and he showed up at my house just to return the lucky stuffed animal I left behind. Everything used to be so simple. But not tonight.

As the credits rolled, we both spoke at the same time:

“Dave, I need to tell you something.”

“Cell, I’ve got something to say.”

We laughed awkwardly.

“You first,” I said.

“No, you go,” Dave replied, scratching his neck nervously.

I took a breath. “You go ahead, Dave. I’m listening.”

He looked at me seriously. “Cell, we’ve been friends forever. You know I’ve always cared about you, right?”

I nodded.

“The truth is… I’ve liked you for a really long time. At first, I thought it was just a phase, but the feeling kept growing.”

He paused for a second. “Whenever you're around, I just feel… happy. I’ve been holding this in so long, it’s been suffocating. I couldn’t keep it in anymore.”

I froze. My heart felt heavy. I looked at him, not knowing what to say.

“Dave… I…” I bit my lip. “I also wanted to tell you something, but I’m afraid it’ll hurt you.”

His face turned tense. “You’ve got a boyfriend already, don’t you?” he asked, half-joking.

I nodded slowly. “Yeah… it’s Lucas. We’ve been together for almost two weeks. But we’re keeping it a secret. Please don’t tell anyone—not even Jessica or Ashley know.”

His face turned pale. He paused, then gave a weak chuckle. “So it’s him…” he muttered.

“No wonder I kept seeing you two looking at each other like… you know, flirty.”

“I’m really sorry, Dave. I swear I didn’t mean to hurt you. I—”

He cut me off with a forced smile. “It’s okay, Cell. I get it. Your secret’s safe with me.”

Even though he said that, I could see it in his eyes—he was hurting. And I knew, from this point on, things would never be the same.

“Thanks, Dave. I really hope you understand.”

“Of course. I’m good at keeping secrets,” he said with a grin, though his eyes didn’t match.

Maybe our friendship had already started to shift. I didn’t want to fight. I didn’t want to lose Dave. But deep down, I knew… nothing would ever be quite the same again.

-------

In the days that followed, Dave began to distance himself. Every time he saw Lucas and me exchanging even a glance, his expression turned cold. He started hanging out with the social studies group, barely talking to me, Jessica, or Ashley. Like he was trying to erase all traces of the friendship we had.

One afternoon, I passed the basketball court on my way home. From a distance, I saw Dave laughing with his new crowd. I shouted his name.

“DAVE!”

“HEY, DAVE!”

I was sure he heard me, but he turned his head away and ignored me. Like he didn’t hear me at all. I gave a bitter smile. The thing I feared most had happened—I had lost him.

In my heart, I whispered, I’m sorry, Dave. I really am. I don’t know what to do. Please, I don’t want this friendship to end like this.

Dave, my best friend, had become the one left behind.

And it all happened because I chose Lucas.

Is it selfish of me to want love and friendship at the same time?

Does love always come with a price this high?