Chapter 1

My boyfriend, Joshua Carter, and my best friend, Alanna Hayes, laughed and fooled around with each other without the slightest hint of apology for standing me up. As far as they were concerned, a simple notification was enough. The rest I would have to make up for on my own.

My grip on my phone tightened, and after a long moment, I forced a smile. "Care to explain, Josh?"

He frowned and snapped back impatiently, "Stop making a fuss, Claire. I've got a class to attend tonight. Bye."

Then, he hung up before I could react. That was his usual style—straightforward and efficient.

I tightened my grip on the suitcase handle before loosening it again and turned to walk into the university.

…

By the time I got to the dormitory, it was already dark. Freshmen walked arm in arm, discussing which cafeteria had the best food.

My stomach growled traitorously. After a 20-hour train ride, I hadn't eaten a thing. Now, every step I took felt like I had weights tied to my legs.

The dormitories had two people assigned to a room, and my new roommate, Maya Collins, had been waiting for me the whole time. "Oh, my dear roommate, had you shown up any later, I'd have starved past the point of hunger!"

After making my bed, we headed out to get some food. Along the way, my phone buzzed nonstop in my pocket. I pulled it out to see more than 99 messages in the group chat with Joshua and Alanna.

Alanna had sent a message. "Hey Josh, this white cat looks just like you! Check out that arrogant look in its eyes!"

Joshua replied. "Alanna, stop dawdling and get here faster! The cafeteria's running out of your favorite anchovy pizza!"

As I stared hard at my phone, I felt tears welling up in my eyes.

Anchovies were a common ingredient in the town I came from, and I had eaten them since I was a child—so often that just the thought of them made me want to throw up. I had told Joshua this many times before, but he never remembered it.

Just because Alanna liked anchovies, he would always order an entire table full of dishes with anchovies in them, and not a single dish that I liked.

Joshua would always tell me, "You could at least take a bite. Don't make it look like you're putting on airs."

So, I would try to overcome my aversion to anchovies. But one day, I had barely taken a bite when a familiar wave of nausea surged through me, and everything I had just eaten came back up.

Joshua slammed his cutlery down with his brows furrowed. "How disgusting can you get, Claire? Other people are dining at the table! Have you got no basic table manners?"

Alanna then punched Joshua hard in the chest. "What's wrong with you, Josh? Why are you being so harsh on Clary? It's not like she meant to do that!"

I slammed my cutlery down with a heavy clang, so angry that my lips trembled. "Well, you've said everything there is to say, haven't you? Look at all the food you ordered! Is there even a single dish that I like?"

Joshua froze for a second, then spoke with complete indifference. "If you don't say anything, how am I supposed to know?"

We had been together for three years, yet he still needed me to actively tell him my preferences. But he knew Alanna's tastes, even down to the very shade of lipstick she liked most, by heart.

I kept scrolling up through all the messages, but out of more than 99 messages, not a single one of them was for me.

Ever since I joined the group chat, the food recommendations and funny posts I shared would almost always go unanswered, or I'd even get replies like, "What garbage do you have in your head? Why are you always looking at such uncultured stuff?"

I smiled bitterly. Even though it appeared to be a group chat with three people in it, I was always the invisible one.

…

Upon returning to the dorm after dinner, I felt waves of dull pain radiating through my lower abdomen. But after a 30-hour journey, I was utterly worn out, so I collapsed weakly onto the desk, pressing my warm palms tightly against my stomach.

All of a sudden, my phone rang.

"Oh, Clary, you look terrible! It's your time of the month today, isn't it? I bought you some chocolates and had them delivered to your dorm. Get your roommate to collect them for you, okay? I've bought her a cup of coffee too."

My heart softened, and my eyes grew warm. The grievances I had held in all day threatened to come pouring out. But before I could say anything, Joshua's next words hit me like a blow to the head.

"Remember to apologize to Lana after you have the chocolates."

I froze, stunned. "What do you mean?"

Joshua's tone was calm, as if stating the most obvious thing in the world. "You've been quiet this whole time. Lana thought you were mad at her and barely ate anything."

Something in me snapped all at once. Fueled by the physical pain, my voice came out almost as a shout. "What did I do that I need to apologize to her? Josh! I'm your girlfriend! Why do you always take her side?"

Joshua's expression remained aloof, and his voice turned cold instantly. "That's no reason to throw a tantrum."

I bit my lip, quickly turning away from the camera as tears slid down silently, salty and bitter to the taste.

Joshua clearly paused for a moment, then he softened his tone. "I'm doing this for you, Clary. Lana is your only friend. You should treasure her."

I turned off the camera, and my voice came out trembling. "Josh, it's over between us."