Chapter 1

Claire's POV

After a minute and 20 seconds, the roller coaster finally pulled back into the station. Only then did they quietly let go of each other's hands.

My best friend, Tessa Morgan, was practically bouncing with excitement, her cheeks flushed. "My heart rate hit 150! That was insane!"

Ethan Calloway smiled at her. "Same here."

The two of them laughed and chatted like they always did, going on about how thrilling the ride had been. But listening to them sent a chill down my spine.

Then Tessa turned to me. "What about you, Claire? I didn't hear you scream once."

"I…" I hesitated, unsure what to say.

"Achoo!" Tessa sneezed.

It was a quiet sneeze, but Ethan caught it.

He immediately took off his jacket and slipped it around her shoulders, fussing over her. "That's what you get for wearing a short skirt on a roller coaster! Now you're freezing!"

"So what? It was fun! I'd do it again!" Tessa held his gaze and gave him the slightest raise of her eyebrows.

Almost immediately, Ethan flushed to the tips of his ears. I watched his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed.

Maybe I was still dizzy from the ride, or maybe the betrayal was finally getting to me. Whatever it was, watching them made me feel sick.

"Ethan, I think my blood sugar's dropping..." I crouched down, feeling faint, and reached out to him.

He didn't respond. By the time I looked up again, Ethan and Tessa were already more than 30 feet away.

The afternoon sun cast a long shadow behind him as he walked closer to Tessa and farther away from me.

A park employee helped me up and handed me an energy drink. "Take care of yourself out here, especially if you're on your own! Have a great day, and happy birthday!"

I managed a bitter smile and touched the birthday badge pinned to my shirt.

It was my 25th birthday. I'd barely made it through the park gates before the employees started wishing me a happy birthday, and I'd heard it countless times since.

Yet the two people closest to me hadn't said a word about it.

My phone buzzed. Ethan had sent me his location and a message. "Come quick! We've got a surprise for you!"

My fingers tightened around my phone.

I stared at the message for a long time. Maybe I was still holding on to some foolish hope, because in the end, I typed back, "Okay."

When I got there, I found more than ten couples standing on a stage. Ethan and Tessa were among them.

A large sign beside the stage read, "The Ultimate Couples Compatibility Challenge."

I stared at the sign, struggling to make sense of what I was seeing.

Onstage, the host was already asking the first question. "What day of the month does she usually get her period?"

"The 18th!" Ethan and Tessa answered together.

"Was it love at first sight, or did your feelings develop over time?"

"Love at first sight!" They gave the same answer again.

After several questions, only three of the original ten couples were left.

The host moved on to the final question. "What was your partner wearing the first time you met?"

"A blue-and-white dress. It reminded me of the sky." Ethan smiled at Tessa, his eyes full of affection.

Tessa nodded shyly. "He was wearing a black basketball jersey and shorts. He'd just finished a game and absolutely reeked!"

Ethan laughed. The host laughed. The entire audience burst into laughter—everyone except me.

It felt like someone had driven a knife straight through my heart.

Ethan and Tessa had first met when I'd passed out from low blood sugar and broken a rib in the fall.

I still remembered Tessa standing beside my hospital bed, giving Ethan a piece of her mind. "What kind of boyfriend are you? If anything happens to my best friend because you didn't take care of her, you'll have me to deal with!"

Ethan had held my hand, apologizing over and over, his face full of guilt.

For the next month, the two of them had been there for me, bringing me water, helping me take my medication, delivering meals, and taking care of everything I needed.

I'd been in pain, but I'd never felt more loved. And all that time, I'd had no idea they'd fallen for each other the moment they met.

My accident had brought them together, and while I lay in that hospital bed, they'd apparently been falling in love.

A girl beside me nudged my arm, snapping me out of my thoughts. "You're here by yourself too, huh? I'm so jealous of that couple up there! Just look at the way he looks at her. He's totally in love! They're adorable! I wish I could find a boyfriend who loved me like that!"

I looked up at my boyfriend and my best friend and forced a weak smile. "Yeah, they're pretty cute together. Shame he's my boyfriend."

"What?" The girl's eyes went wide. "That's your boyfriend? How can you stand it?"

I was quiet for a moment before answering. "He won't be for much longer."