Chapter 4

Early the next morning, I went to Cecily's apartment.

I was there to retrieve the glass picture frame I'd made for her when we were eighteen.

Inside it was our very first photo together.

On the back of the picture, I'd carefully written, one stroke at a time:

"Summer and Cecily - Best friends forever."

Back then, she'd hugged the frame and cried for the longest time.

She told me,

"I'll never lose you. Not for the rest of my life."

But when I unlocked her door with the spare passcode...

The first thing I saw was Cecily.

She was wearing an oversized men's dress shirt.

It hung loosely over her body, exposing a faint reddish mark just below her collarbone.

I recognized that shirt immediately.

It was the limited-edition one I searched all over town to buy for Donald's birthday last year.

The moment Cecily saw me, she froze in surprise.

Then she smiled as though nothing was wrong.

"Summer! What are you doing here?"

She rubbed her eyes, her voice still husky from sleep.

"Mochi kept throwing up last night. Donald was so worried he insisted on coming over to check on it.

"We were up until almost three in the morning. We're both exhausted.

My eyes dropped to the bare stretch of legs visible beneath the oversized shirt.

My fingers slowly tightened.

She blinked at me, an amused smile playing on her lips.

"You know...

"Your boyfriend's actually in pretty good shape.

"The only problem is his abs are way too hard.

"I used them as a pillow, and now my neck's sore."

My entire body went cold.

I shot a look toward the bedroom door, which was still slightly ajar.

"You slept together?"

Cecily laughed as though it were the most ordinary thing in the world.

"It wasn't the first time.

"When Mochi got sick in the middle of the night before, we'd stay up taking care of it together and sometimes just fall asleep."

She reached over and playfully tapped the bridge of my nose.

"Relax, girl.

"I've already done the quality check for you.

"He can spend the night holding a gorgeous woman like me and still behave himself.

"Though he really should work on those abs."

Donald let out a low chuckle from the doorway.

"Then who was the one touching me all night?

"And saying I was even better to cuddle than Mochi?"

Cecily's face instantly turned bright red.

"Donald!

"Stop making things up!"

She rushed over and playfully hit him.

In her haste, she stumbled forward and nearly crashed into his arms.

The soft curve of her chest brushed against his arm.

Donald's laughter caught in his throat.

Even from where I stood, I could see the tips of his ears turning red.

It looked as though he wanted to step away.

But before he did, his hand had already instinctively settled around her waist.

Cecily seemed to notice it too.

Her face grew even redder.

Yet she didn't move away.

The two of them remained standing there, pressed close together.

As though they'd completely forgotten...

That I was still there.

I tightened my grip on the glass frame.

Then I laughed.

"Cecily.

"Do you know what this makes you?

"You're a side chick.

"And you know exactly what you're doing."

The laughter vanished instantly.

Cecily's face went pale, and tears immediately filled her eyes.

"Summer, how could you say that?

"I've only ever thought of Donald as a friend."

A mocking smile tugged at my lips.

"A friend sleeps on his abs all night?"

Donald's expression finally darkened.

"That's enough, Summer."

I looked at him, my voice trembling.

"Enough?

"You two spent the night together, and I'm supposed to pretend nothing happened?"

Donald frowned.

"Summer Brooks, do you really have to say something so ugly?

"Cecily may be better than you in just about every way, but is that why you're so jealous?

"Do you really have to make up lies about us?"

The moment those words landed...

My fingers went numb.

The glass frame slipped from my hands.

It shattered across the floor.

Our photo slid free, landing in the middle of the broken glass.

Instinctively, I crouched to pick it up.

Cecily reached down at the same time.

The shattered glass sliced across both our hands.

I gasped in pain.

But the first person Donald looked at was Cecily.

He rushed over without hesitation and grabbed her hand.

"How could you be so careless?

"Is it deeply wounded?"

Cecily shook her head through her tears.

"I'm fine.

"Summer's hurt too..."

Only then did Donald glance at me.

His eyes paused on the blood running across my palm, then he immediately looked away.

"She can take care of herself.

"But if your hand scars, what then?"

I remained crouched among the shattered glass.

Somehow, even the pain had started to feel distant.

Donald scooped Cecily into his arms and headed for the door.

As he passed me, he said coldly,

"Summer, take some time to calm down.

"When you've learned how to talk like a reasonable person, you can apologize to Cecily."

The front door slammed shut.

After I got home, I threw the photograph into the trash.

One by one, I packed my ID, my bank cards, and a few changes of clothes into my suitcase.

A new message from Donald appeared on my phone.

"I'll take you to your favorite restaurant tonight.

"You can apologize to Cecily then, and we'll put all of this behind us."

I stared at the message.

Then I quietly locked my phone.

The click of my suitcase closing was barely audible.

But in that moment...

I knew I would never look back again.