His Ex, Gwen

~~ TIANNA ~~

“She’s crazy, you know, getting in bed with an older guy. Don’t you think it’s desperate?” Hud asked me, his head resting against my chest while I ran my fingers through his silky blonde hair.

I shut my eyes briefly and pressed my lips together as I tried to ignore how good it felt.

His smell of mint and bamboo mixed in my nose, and I realized he still kept that same fragrance.

The appeal of this beautiful boy from back then, now turned man, lying on me, vulnerable, sulking about his stupid ex, was addictive.

His ex. Gwen.

Her name suddenly snapped me back to the harsh reality of my unrequited love for this Monroe boy.

“It’s her loss. There are many girls out there who’d not take your feelings for granted.”

Like me.

I’d let a truck run me over rather than admit it out loud, but I’ve been in love with my best friend, Hud, since childhood.

Crush was an understatement.

I’d kill for him.

But here I was acting like some chaperone and giving big talks about how it’ll be nice for him to finally move on.

When all I wanted was to kiss him to next week or next year.

Or the next decade, when he’d forget about Gwen.

He raised his head, turning away from me, and I caught the redness in his eyes.

He’d been crying.

I'd watched him disintegrate over her more times than I could count, and after a while, it sort of eroded any kind of sympathy I had for him.

His cheating, serial dater ex had made up with him just last week, and then he’d caught her in bed with another candidate.

It was high time he considered himself one of her bed materials because whatever he was experiencing wasn’t love.

I never experienced one, but it was definitely not love.

“The guy’s in frat. I asked around, and he’s just some jerk with part-time jobs. Nothing to his name.”

“And she picked him over me. I thought she didn’t like broke guys.”

I rolled my eyes, but I didn't let him see.

Everyone else knew at this point that Gwen would open her legs for the janitor if he so much as smiled at her.

Only poor Hud was failing to see that.

"And he's also some super senior who has been in college since forever. What’s so special about him?"

I gave Hud the knowing look that reminded him he wasn't any better than the frat dude if I stopped doing his assignments and taking tests for him.

Hud got the message and only scratched his neck subtly.

"Fine. Maybe I'm not any better with grades either."

I gently rubbed his knee, assuring him that I understood his situation.

“She’s hot, I get it. I also have girls throwing themselves at me, but do I let it get into my head?”

“No.” He answered it for himself, and my chest squeezed in empathy at the tremble in his voice.

He was shaken and I could feel it.

That fake-ass bitch.

She should be grateful I didn’t come from some rich family and I knew my place, or I’d have snatched Hud from right out under her nose and freed him from this torture.

But I was the daughter of two of the kindest, poorest people in the world.

Compared to Hud’s billionaire tycoon parents, who own Monroe Corporation, one of the biggest in New York, I was nothing.

I reached for Hud’s shoulder, tracing my fingers up to his neck, and then I startled.

“Geez. You’re burning up," I said, and that’s when he turned to me.

His face in full view.

I almost swooned and slumped back in my seat, my heart racing as the corner of his lips twisted into a small smile.

“That’s a sign, right? Ellie told me Gwen called in sick. Now, I’m sick.”

“Doesn’t it mean we’re some—“

“Shut up, Hud. Don’t give me that bullshit about soulmates, now.” I snapped.

Hud arched a brow at my sudden temper, but he didn't seem surprised, as we’ve done this a thousand times already.

He’d mope over Gwen breaking his heart.

I'd console him. He'd get back with her, and I’d chide him about how stupid he was.

The loop continued, endlessly.

“Uh, okay. Someone’s mad at me.” He said, but I just stood up, heading for the kitchen.

“Come on, that’s not enough to leave. I’m sorry.” He called after me.

“I’m not. Your meds are in the kitchen.” I said over my shoulder.

I caught him giving me the puppy eyes and I softened up, feeling awful about how I spoke to him earlier.

He knew it worked every time.

Makes me want to slap that pretty face of his for being so damn fine.

On getting to the kitchen, I scanned for the exact cupboard.

Bingo.

I knew every corner of the Monroe's luxurious villa like the back of my hand.

Because I technically grew up here.

My parents worked as household staff for the Monroes for more than two decades.

I walked over to the cupboard, took out the medicine, and filled up a glass of water.

I wished I had it in me to pop a sleeping pill into his water.

He’d probably rest his head for a while and get a break from his spiraling, never-ending thoughts about Gwen.

What if he never wakes up?

Scrap that.

I shrugged.

Well, I’d just stick to being the perfect, honest, and caring best friend and let the universe do their thing.

The minute I stepped out of the kitchen, drifting voices found me, and morbid curiosity propelled me to move closer.

“What did you just say?” A light feminine voice asked, which I figured was Hud’s mom, Bria.

“You heard me loud and clear.” Hudson’s dad, Derek, replied, his voice gruff and low.

“You don’t love me anymore. Just how much do you think I can take?” She asked.

“It depends on how you see it. Do you want us to fix things or not?”

“Fix things by buying into your sick idea. No way. I want my husband all to myself, and I’m not compromising.”

“You’re making things harder. It’s just to spice up our…"

His voice faded as if they moved farther, and I drew my brows together, trying to piece their conversation as one so I could come up with the main topic they were on about.

I couldn’t get anything.

So I dragged my feet, inching closer to the direction their voices came from.

“Tee!” Hud shouted, and I flinched, almost letting the glass slip from my hand.

“Tiana?” Bria’s voice sounded as she stepped out of nowhere, her brow raised in question.

I froze.

“Were you eavesdropping?”