Chapter 1

Deanna Somerhalder shot me a sideways glance and said quietly, “It’s just the GPS. Why are you looking at me like that? Harvey’s still here.”

After that, she rolled down the car window on my side.

This was a familiar gesture in every fight we ever had in the five years we had known each other.

Whenever she wanted to ignore my disapproval, she would open the window or the door to calm me down.

However, as the chilly air filled the car, Harvey Bishop suddenly sneezed in the backseat. Immediately, Deanna rolled the window back up tight and swerved the car to a stop by the road.

“Did you catch a chill? I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have rolled down the window. Let’s go to the hospital and get you checked out.”

Harvey shook his head. “I’m fine. You should talk things out with Andrew first.

“Don’t take this the wrong way, Andrew. It’s only because she’s so familiar with the way back to your place from the commute every day that she didn’t save the route on the GPS.”

Harvey looked apologetic, but Deanna’s admonishing gaze landed on me.

I understood what she was trying to say. She wanted me to learn to be as understanding as Harvey.

I had never even said a word since getting into the car.

Yet a few words from Harvey had painted me as unreasonable and petty.

Someone’s phone rang. Harvey lowered his head to look at it, then looked up with a pained expression.

“My parents want to go to town and look around. It’s already late, but I don’t feel good about leaving them to take a cab.”

Deanna did not even hesitate. She turned to me and said, “Go home on your own. There’ll be a bus stop if you walk a bit further down.”

For an instant, I thought I had misheard her.

“You promised to have dinner with my parents.”

“Haven’t we already done that? Go home for now. Let me take Harvey’s parents into town for a quick spin. They don’t often get to go into the city.”

She spoke matter-of-factly as she unlocked the car door for me.

The dinner she was talking about was a celebratory one for Harvey’s promotion.

She had shelled out to throw the bash and had ordered all of Harvey’s favorite food.

Meanwhile, I had only sat in a corner and had a few sips of a single drink.

She and Harvey had both sat in the spotlight. She kept piling food on his plate, and they shared a single slice of cake.

I had not even wanted to attend, but Deanna said that she would drop me off at my parents’ hotel after the celebration.

When it came down to it, Deanna had never cared about the promise to have dinner with my parents.

Seeing that I was not leaving the car, Deanna urged me impatiently. “Get out quickly. I’m not supposed to stop here.

“Harvey, come sit in the front.”

I looked down and opened the car door. A cold breeze welcomed me, cutting me to the core.

From the back seat, Harvey said, “Do you want to join us, Andrew?”

Deanna said on my behalf, “He’s got stuff to do. Ignore him.”

Harvey and I both got out of the car. Harvey shot me a smile before taking the place in the front passenger seat.

The car sped off. Its rear lights disappeared at the intersection.

I stood at the roadside and realized that there was no bus stop here. I tried for a long time to get a cab but failed. There was barely anyone on the streets.

For Deanna, I had stayed in this city, far from my own home, for five years.

All of a sudden, the unfamiliarity of the place hit me.

Clicking open the map app on my phone, I started making my way home on foot.

After walking for an hour, I reached home. My heels were tender and raw, and my socks stuck to my feet.