Chapter 1 I Won't Give It Up

Derek clearly had not expected me to find out the truth. The joy on his face vanished in an instant, replaced by anger, followed by a barrage of accusations.

"Lily, what is your problem? It's just a spot on the cheer squad. Will it kill you to give it to Anna? She's a young woman trying to make it on her own in a new city. Can't you have a little compassion?"

My head buzzed. A wave of hurt washed over me, and tears spilled down my cheeks before I could stop them.

Derek froze for a second, then spoke with obvious impatience. "Anna's from my hometown. I promised my mom I'd look out for her. Can't you do this for me? Lily, just give her the spot. Come on. You're always the reasonable one."

I took a step back. For the first time, Derek felt like a stranger.

Ever since Anna had barged into our lives under the excuse of hometown people looking out for each other, my relationship with Derek had been hanging by a thread.

Nine out of every ten arguments we had were because of Anna. And every time, Derek would say the same thing. "You're older than her. What's so hard about letting her have it?"

But Derek seemed to have forgotten that I had once come to this city alone, too. I had struggled just as much. Back then, I didn't have a Derek standing beside me, protecting me.

I knew what it was like to be on my own in a strange city, so when Anna said she needed a place to stay for a few days, I agreed without a second thought.

But after she moved in, everything started going wrong. When I was bedridden with a high fever, Derek left me behind and took Anna out for a drive.

When my period cramps were so bad I could barely move, Derek and Anna stayed in the next room, enjoying the air conditioning, Wi-Fi, and watermelon together. They even said I was being dramatic.

Even Anna's spot on the cheer squad had been secured because Derek swallowed his pride and begged someone to help her. But whenever I needed him to ask someone for a favor, he always washed his hands of it.

This time, I was not going to keep sacrificing myself.

"Derek."

"Yeah?"

"I won't do it."

The moment the words left my mouth, the forced smile on Derek's face froze. He raked a hand through his hair in frustration, pointed at me repeatedly, and suddenly raised his voice.

"Lily, what the hell is wrong with you? You've cheered with me so many times already. Do you really care that much about missing this one?"

"It's different." My voice caught in my throat.

A loud crash sounded. Derek suddenly hurled the mug beside him to the floor. Shards scattered around my feet, and some sliced into my skin, drawing blood.

I stood there, frozen in shock, barely able to breathe. But the pain in my heart hurt far more than the cuts on my foot.

It was the first time I had ever seen Derek lose control like this. And it was all because of Anna. In that moment, our three years together became nothing more than a cruel joke.