I looked down and gave a small laugh, then pulled an old movie ticket out of my pocket.

"So how do you explain this?"

Tyler glanced at it, and his face shifted at once.

"You went through my pockets."

His hand came up on reflex to snatch it back.

But I only stared at him, cold.

"I said I wanted to see that movie. You and Isabel had already seen it."

"I told myself it was a coincidence. That the two of you just happened to have the same idea."

"It never crossed my mind."

"That you were the one who asked her to go with you."

Under what circumstances does a man skip over his own girlfriend to go see a movie alone with his girlfriend's best friend?

I couldn't think of one.

But once he was caught, there was no panic on his face at all. His brows only knit tighter.

"It was just one movie."

"Yes, I asked Isabel to come. So what does that prove?"

"Her advisor had assigned a reaction paper on that exact film."

"A friend had given me a ticket, so we went. It's that simple."

I froze for a moment.

Tyler, always so terse, never bothered with long-winded explanations like this.

Except when it came to Isabel.

For her, he always made an exception.

I had nothing left to say. I turned to leave, and he caught me by the wrist.

"Elaine, can you please stop letting your mind run wild?"

"You're my girlfriend."

"Your best friend and I just share the same sign, that's all, so our personalities and ideas and interests happen to line up."

"At most she's a close friend."

"Or another version of me."

"You're the only one I love. It won't be anyone else."

My steps only paused for a beat, and I walked out anyway, without looking back.

At the door I ran straight into Isabel, her face full of surprise.

"Elaine?"

"It's so late. Where are you off to?"

My eyes dropped to the two cups of coffee in her hands.

Starbucks.

Most of the times I wasn't around, Isabel would bring two, one for her and one for Tyler.

"Isabel, shouldn't I be the one asking you?"

"It's this late. What are you doing at my place?"

I smiled, and took one of the cups from her hand.

"You brought me coffee, right? I'll take it."

"Hey—that one isn't for—"

Isabel caught the look on Tyler's face and shut her mouth instantly, forcing on a smile.

"Oh, Elaine, it's just a cup of coffee. Look at you, my little glutton, fighting your own boyfriend over it."

"I only figured you usually don't have to stay late running experiments, so I didn't get you any food."

"Since you want it, then this one of mine can go to Tyler."

But she'd clearly already taken a sip from that cup's straw, a faint trace of lipstick still on it.

Tyler, who was always so particular, didn't mind in the least. He took it right from her.

"Thanks."

"Those experiment files you wanted, I'll send them to your email later."

"No rush!"

Isabel waved a hand, then turned and crouched down to pet the cat Tyler kept.

The motions easy, familiar, as though she were back in her own home, stroking her own pet.

"Tyler, why is your cat still so skinny?"

"Didn't you feed it that cat food I bought last time?"

Tyler laughed too.

"Of course I did. It just won't put on weight."

He leaned in toward her without thinking, and the two of them fell into their back-and-forth.

And in an instant, I was air again.

I lowered my head and gave a bitter, self-mocking little smile.

So from the very beginning, I'd been this unnecessary.

"I didn't touch the coffee. You two keep it."

"You go on with your discussion. I won't be in the way."

When they saw me pick up both suitcases and head for the door,

Isabel hurried after me at once.

"Elaine, don't read too much into it."

"Tyler and I really are just friends."

"Are you still upset about the two of us going abroad together?"

"If it bothers you, I can rebook my ticket and switch to a different city."

She said it so understandingly.

But Tyler cut in almost the instant she finished.

"There's no need to rebook."

"That's not what Elaine meant."

Then he turned to look at me.

"Elaine, you know how it is. The city was locked in when we applied. Switching would be a huge hassle."

"And rebooking a flight is even more of a headache. I already told you, this whole thing is just a coincidence."

"You've always been so easygoing. You wouldn't get worked up over something this small, right?"

I looked at the two of them.

One holding the coffee, one deflecting on her behalf.

So in sync it was like they'd rehearsed it a hundred times.

I smiled.

"Tyler."

"You two really do suit each other."

"Same zodiac sign, matching personalities, even the same country to go abroad to."

And more than that, you'd suit each other perfectly as boyfriend and girlfriend, too.

But that last line I kept to myself.

Tyler's face changed.

"Elaine, don't read too much into it."

"We've been together three years. Do you still not understand me?"

"Even if you're angry, you can just say whatever's on your mind."

"There's no reason to drag out a suitcase and stage some big running-away-from-home scene."

I glanced down at the luggage in my hands.

Three years' worth of my things were in this apartment. Too much to move in one trip.

Before Tyler came back, I'd already had a moving van haul out a full load.

These two suitcases were the last of it, headed to my parents' place.

"I'm not reading into anything, and I'm not running away from home."

"I told you, I'm just clearing things out."

"You go handle your business. Don't worry about me."

Tyler still had his brow furrowed, one hand pressed flat on my suitcase.

"Elaine."

"You and Isabel are supposed to be best friends. Why do you have to push things to this point?"

Isabel stood in the living room, holding her coffee, and said softly,

"Tyler, let Elaine cool off first."

"She's angry right now. Nothing anyone says will get through to her."

Tyler glanced at her, then back at me.

In the second his attention slipped, I yanked my hand back hard.

Pulled the door open and walked out.

As the elevator doors slid shut, I saw Tyler standing in the doorway.

He didn't come after me.

Isabel stood behind him and took a sip of her coffee.

"Elaine's always had that little-princess temper."

"I'll smooth things over with her later."

"Anyway, Tyler, you just got back. You probably haven't had dinner yet."

"I heard a really good place opened up on the North Side for a big dinner out. Want to go try it?"

Tyler pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Sure. I'd actually planned to take Elaine out for a big dinner tonight."

"She insists on making a scene, so I guess it'll have to be Miss Sanchez keeping me company."

The two of them, line after line,

soon broke the heavy silence again.

Both of them seemed so certain I was only throwing a little tantrum.

That they wouldn't even have to coax me, that in a few days I'd cool off on my own and come scampering right back to their side, trailing after them like always.

That was how the last three years had gone, and the two of them had long since grown used to it.

But not this time.

I, Elaine Fox, was done being anyone's shadow.

After dinner at my parents' place, I went to my room early to lie down.

But I tossed and turned and couldn't sleep, and then my phone buzzed.

It was Raymond.

"I rebooked my flight."

"I'll land tonight."

"Where are you right now? I'll come get you."

I shot upright.

Wasn't it supposed to take two days? How was he coming back this fast?

"I'm at my parents' place."

"Then wait for me there. Don't go anywhere."

"I'll be there as soon as I can."

I hung up, walked to the window, and pushed it open.

The night air drifted in, cool.

The sycamore leaves along the street rustled.

Sure enough, a few minutes later a black car pulled up.

Raymond stepped out in a sharp suit, tall and straight-backed.

"Come down."

He texted me.

At the same moment, a message from Tyler popped up too.

"Isabel and I got a big dinner out tonight, so I won't be home for supper."

"Don't wait up. Eat without me."

I let out a scoff and didn't answer.

In my slippers, still in my pajamas, I ran downstairs.

"Raymond. I didn't think you'd get here so quickly."

Seeing me in my thin pajamas, Raymond frowned and swiftly shrugged off his suit jacket, draping

it over my shoulders.

"I didn't get to ask on the phone."

"You and Tyler seemed to be doing fine. How does it go from that to breaking up just like that?"

Raymond was my childhood sweetheart, and in my parents' eyes the future son-in-law who checked every box.

But in college I'd been wildly infatuated with Tyler.

It had taken everything I had to win over Tyler, that untouchable prize.

And now I regretted it.

"Whatever the reason, I've broken up with him."

"Raymond, didn't you say it yourself once? If no other man would have me, you'd marry me."

"So I'm asking you—right now, will you still marry me?"

Raymond stared straight at me for two seconds, then let out a low laugh and took my hand.

"I will."

"Come on. Get in."

He opened the car door for me himself, and I was completely at a loss.

"Where are we going?"

"Your stomach was growling a second ago. You didn't get enough at dinner, did you?"

Raymond gave a knowing little smile.

"I'm taking you to the food stalls."

I pressed a hand to my stomach. I'd been too busy talking to notice it growling, and he'd caught even that small thing.

Yet after all these years together,

Tyler had never once put this much care into me.

The whole way down the row of stalls, Raymond ate almost ravenously. I looked at him, surprised.

"Have you not eaten all day?"

He nodded.

"I was in a hurry to get back and see who'd upset my fiancée this badly."

I was on the verge of laughing when a video from Isabel suddenly popped up on my phone.

"Elaine, look how good your boyfriend is to you. He made you apology pastries with his own hands."

"Seeing how hard he's trying to make it right,"

"just forgive him."

Looking at that message and that voice note come through,

my heart went cold inch by inch, all the way to the bottom.

After years as best friends,

Isabel of all people knew exactly what I liked.

Yet she couldn't even see that those apology pastries were the ones she loved, not me.

I'd eaten them once and run straight to the toilet to throw them up.