Kissed My Ex's Brother

Elena ~

I still remember how stupidly happy I was that evening the kind of happiness that makes your chest ache because it feels too good to be real. I stood in front of the mirror, smiling at my reflection like an idiot in love, the maroon dress hugging me in all the right places while my curls brushed softly against my shoulders just the way he liked. I couldn't stop thinking about him, about tonight, about how after weeks of canceled plans and distant texts, he finally wanted to see me he'd messaged that morning, "Tonight's special. Be ready at 8," just six words that kept me floating the whole day.

"Where are you going, Elena?"

My mother's voice snapped me back to reality. I blinked, forcing a calm smile. "Out with Lila. She's had a rough week."

A lie one I'd gotten too good at telling, because if my parents ever found out I was dating someone, they'd lose their minds. In their world, love was something that came after marriage, only if it was approved, arranged, and practical not like this wild secret thing with him.

Dad's sharp eyes narrowed. "Not too late."

I nodded, pretending I wasn't shaking inside, and walked out into the cool night air where city lights glowed soft and for once everything felt perfectly right. I was in love blindly, completely, dangerously.

My phone buzzed Lila, I thought, smiling as I swiped to answer.

"You're early! I was just about to—"

But it wasn't her voice; it was some guy's.

"Uh, hey… is this Elena? I'm calling from Lila's phone. She's really drunk. You might wanna come get her. She's at Club Mirage."

My heart skipped. "Drunk? Lila doesn't even drink."

"I don't know. But she's not okay. You should hurry."

The line went dead, leaving this cold, uneasy feeling crawling up my spine.

"Damn it, Lila," I muttered, grabbing my keys, no clue that the night I thought I was saving my best friend would destroy everything I believed in.

Club Mirage hit me like chaos neon lights flashing, perfume thick in the air, laughter mixed with heartbreak while the bass shook the floor and people danced, shouted, kissed without a care. I pushed through breathless and terrified, calling Lila's name, until I froze near the dance floor because there he was Alex, my Alex, the boy who said he loved me, who promised tonight was special.

But his hands weren't on me; they were wrapped around some girl I didn't know, her arms tangled around his neck, his fingers tracing her waist like she meant everything to him and before I could even breathe, he kissed her right there in front of everyone, right in front of me.

The sound drained from the world around me, the crowd blurred into nothing, the lights dimmed, and all I could hear was my heart breaking inside my chest. My knees nearly buckled two years of late night calls, promises, laughter, "forevers," gone in one moment I'd never unsee.

I turned before tears could fall, my heels clicking like gunshots as each step dragged heavier through me. Outside the air hit colder than it should; I leaned against my car trembling while the world spun.

"Why, Alex…"

My voice cracked into the silence. "You ruined everything."

That's when it hit me he wasn't mine anymore, maybe never had been.

My hands shook unlocking the car as tears burned down my face, every streetlight smearing into gold streaks while I drove aimlessly through the night. My chest hurt so bad it felt like my heart was physically breaking some cruel love song came on the radio and all I wanted was to scream until my voice gave out, to erase the image of his lips on hers forever.

I gripped the wheel harder, vision blurring through endless tears, breaths coming ragged and uneven.

I took a turn too sharp and suddenly something loomed in front of the car.

My eyes flew wide, foot slammed the brake.

SCREEEEEECH.