“He won’t care,” I said, pain tearing me apart.
“And neither do I.”
I hung up and yanked off the ring. With all my
strength, I flung it out the window.
As if I was throwing away the old me.
I stared at my bare finger and lost it. I
covered my face and cried, letting all the pain
and bitterness come out.
Chad came home looking for me while I was
packing.
All the stuff in the house that was actually
mine barely filled a suitcase.
—
I found all the gifts he’d given me designer
bags, clothes, jewelry. Just props he used to
play the part of the loving boyfriend.
In the back of the closet, I found an old
phone.
It looked brand new. The only thing on it was
a video in the photo album.
It was a video of Tiffany, crying her eyes out.
“Chad, it’s my fault I didn’t get the
scholarship. Don’t blame Ashley. Everyone
makes their own choices. She is a good
person. She must’ve been in a tough spot,
that’s why she did what she did. I don’t hold it
Г
Tiffany was a mess, tears running down her
face. She was so sweet.
I had worked my butt off to earn the
scholarship! It was the culmination of years of
hard work, and she had to take the high–road
about it.
The video had been played thousands of
times. Chad must have been replaying it over
and over, reminding himself of how “evil” I
was for stealing Tiffany’s scholarship.
I touched my face and realized I was crying
again.
I was judged a long time ago. He didn’t care
about the truth. All he cared about was
Tiffany.
Г
He loved her so much, he wasted three years
with a woman he didn’t even care about.
I found my old photo album. It was thick. I
had gone through every picture countless
times.
They were mostly photos I’d taken of him on
the sly. I looked at him and confessed my
love, but he never seemed to notice.
We’d listened to folk music in bars,
We’d chased sunsets,
We’d gone to the beach together…
Every date felt like I had to beg for it, and he
spent the whole time on his phone. I thought
that was just how he was, but now I realize he
never cared.
I was just lying to myself.
Tears dripped onto the photos. I tossed them
into the fireplace, one by one, burning away
my love.
The album was empty, and I felt strangely
free.
I heard the key in the door. Arms wrapped
around my waist. That familiar scent…
“Why didn’t you tell me you were leaving the
hospital?”
I pulled away and stepped back. “I’m fine. You
don’t need to worry about me.”
He went cold. He stared in silence and
frowned. “What’s wrong? Did something
happen? You’re acting weird.”
The old Ashley would never pull away. She
was obsessed with him. If he so much as got
a papercut, she’d be all over him, fussing and
worrying. She’d do anything for him.
Now, she left the hospital without saying a
word. She hadn’t even come to see him when
he was laid up.
“Nothing. I’m just tired.” I wouldn’t meet his
eyes.
Chad studied my face, trying to figure me out.
Then he saw my finger.
“The ring? Where’s the ring?” He grabbed my
hand, his grip tight and painful.
It was laughable. I could hear a hint of panic
in his voice.
He didn’t love me. Why did he care about the
ring?
“It was annoying. I threw it away.”
Chad’s eyes flashed with alarm, but he
quickly went back to his usual expression.
“It’s okay. It wasn’t that pretty anyway. I’ll
take you to get a bigger one tomorrow. Don’t worry about it.” He pulled my hand closer and spoke softly, “I know you’ve been stressed
out from the hospital, there is a party we can
go to, you can eat all the good foods, does
く
that sound good?”
He was putting on such a good act, I didn’t
even feel like calling him out on it.
I’m leaving soon. I might as well see how far
he’ll take this.
If he really did plan 99 acts of revenge, he
was about to lose me for good.
The car pulled up to an expensive club.
Chad got out and came around to open my
door.
I saw his hand, but I didn’t say anything. I got
out of the car on my own. He looked
surprised, a little annoyed.
As soon as we walked in, I saw Tiffany.
She was wearing a red dress, so shiny and
bright amidst the sea of people.
That was the first time I’d seen Tiffany in person. I knew she and Chad had been
besties growing up.
I guess I was dumb for not realizing he was
still in love with her.
Tiffany smiled and walked over. Her eyes
flicked over to where Chad was holding my
hand.
Chad noticed her. His hand stiffened, then he
let go of my shoulder.
L
I knew this was coming, but it still hurt.
“You must be Ashley. You’re really pretty.
Chad is so lucky. I heard you gave him blood
when he was in that accident. A girl like you
are hard to find.”
Tiffany was being sarcastic. I got it.
She knew about the 99 acts of revenge.
They were in this together.
I could barely breathe.
“Hey sis, let’s play Truth or Dare” .Chad’s
friends pulled us over to the table. They were
already opening bottles of liquor.
I was still reeling, until Tiffany pushed me.
“Chad, you lost! Just answer a simple
question. Is the woman you love here with
us?”
I looked at Chad.
His face was hidden in the shadows. His eyes
slid over Tiffany, then came back to me,
pretending to look deeply into my eyes.
“Yeah.”
Tiffany smiled.
One of Chad’s buddies spoke, “Why’d you ask
a dumb question? Of course she’s here!
You’re being so dumb and obvious.”
Everyone laughed, but they all knew what that
question meant.
I was starting to feel lightheaded, so I went to
the bathroom.
I stared at my pale face in the mirror. I had to
push back my tears. But the pain wouldn’t
stop. I was about to turn around when
someone blocked my path.
Tiffany leaned back against the wall, no more
playing nice.
