Chapter 2

I slid the completed application forms back to them. My voice was completely flat.

Shelby took the paperwork and stared at me for a few solid seconds, as if searching my face for even a sliver of rage, but she found nothing.

I just stared back at her with absolute calm, even offering a thoughtful reminder. "Try to look happy for the photo. Smile like you mean it. After all, you're getting married."

When they returned with their freshly printed photo and payment receipt, I reached out and took the latter.

My eyes lingered on the glaring intimacy of Liam's arm wrapped around Shelby before I picked up the heavy steel embosser from my desk.

With a crisp, loud thump, the gold seal was stamped firmly onto their marriage certificate.

I pushed the certificate out through the window and offered a completely canned response: "Congratulations on your marriage."

…

I pushed open the door to complete darkness.

Shelby's shoes were gone from the entryway. The house slippers I'd set out for her sat there in neat alignment.

She wasn't coming back tonight.

I changed my shoes and walked straight to the couch without turning on the lights.

The dark blurred away every trace of her in the apartment, giving me a moment to breathe.

Habitually, I pulled out my phone and unlocked the screen.

A small red notification dot appeared on the Instagram icon.

I tapped it and saw a post Shelby had uploaded half an hour ago.

It contained nine photos, every one showing an intimate moment between her and Liam.

There was one in a bar where she was feeding him a drink, one by the river where she was piggybacking on him, and one where they held up their new marriage certificate to the camera. Liam's hand was wrapped tightly around Shelby's waist.

The smiles on their faces were far brighter than the ones they'd worn at the courthouse today.

The caption read, "The best dares are the ones where the joke comes true."

Below it, hundreds of likes and comments were already rolling in.

"Holy crap! Shelby, you actually did it? Congrats!"

"I knew you two were made for each other! Long overdue!"

"Congratulations on your marriage! When's the wedding?"

Liam had posted a reply with a braggy edge. "Teehee, thanks, everyone! We'll invite all of you to the wedding!"

I scrolled through the screen with a blank expression, like I was watching a circus that had nothing to do with me.

Just then, my phone buzzed with a direct message from a mutual friend. "Rowen, what's going on with Shelby and Liam? Did you guys… break up?"

Before I could figure out how to reply, Mom called. Her voice was laced with panic. "Rowen, did you see what Shelby posted? What is that supposed to mean? Did you guys get into a fight? How could she and Liam—"

"Mom," I cut in, my voice so flat it sounded foreign even to me. "We broke up."

Silence hung on the line for a few seconds before Mom spoke. Her tone was heavy with suppressed anger. "When did this happen? Why didn't you tell us? Is it because of Liam—"

"It's nothing," I said softly. "We just weren't a good fit. Please don't bring her up anymore."

I didn't want to explain the filthy, ridiculous details, nor did I want my parents worrying about me.

After comforting her with a few brief words, I hung up.

It felt as though the entire world had instantly gone quiet.

I stood up and flipped on every light in the living room. The blinding glare flooded the space, exposing every ugly piece of this relationship.

I walked into the bedroom, pulled my suitcase out from the bottom of the closet, and began packing my belongings.