Betrayed by Childhood Friend

The next day, Adler texted me: [We’re having a gathering and you're the only one missing. Come join us.]

Following the address he sent, I arrived at the private room.

Just as I was about to open the door, I overheard the conversation inside.

"If there was really something between us, we'd already be a couple. I've always thought of Kya like one of the guys," said Zamir. Through the crack in the door, I saw him with his arm around a girl in a Victorian-style dress, his usual taste.

"Look, she stripped in front of me last night, and I still kept my cool."

My ears started ringing, as if I had been struck by lightning. I stood frozen outside the door, my mind going blank.

He played a recording, and my voice came through. It was a clip from our time in the rented room last night.

The spring sunshine was warming the world outside, yet a chill crept from my feet to my head, leaving me icy cold.

Everyone burst into laughter and commented:

"Kya always seems so shy, but in bed, she's something else."

"Didn't see that coming!"

"No way, Zamir, you had Kya in bed last night and didn’t do anything? That’s some serious self-control!"

"Aren’t you worried you’d lose it?"

Zamir leaned back on the sofa, looking intently at the girl beside him:

"Not a chance; it’s Keilani’s challenge for me, and I can't mess it up."

"Everyone says once you commit, you see it through. Walking away halfway? That's not how it usually goes."

"She has quite a figure, aren't you curious about how she looks naked, Zamir? Any thoughts?"

He shook his head with a smirk:

"Nothing worth mentioning."

The people at this gathering were our classmates.

I felt like I had been publicly exposed, my dignity trampled.

I wanted nothing more than to burst in and defend myself, but realized my words would be powerless.

Going in to explain would only degrade me further, making me seem foolish.

In the end, I stood outside, fists clenched, nails digging into my palms.

"Keilani, you've done it, Zamir’s finally met his match," someone noted.

"But don't you think you're playing with fire?"

Keilani raised an eyebrow, a self-satisfied look on her face:

"I just mentioned it; Zamir did all the rest to prove himself."

"Baby, I’m really not interested in her at all. Does this pass your test now?" Zamir leaned in and whispered to Keilani, "After everything last night, do you still have doubts?"

Keilani blushed, teasing him:

"I believe you, but not her."

"I said she's just pretending to be one of the guys to play it coy."

"If she were truly innocent, she wouldn’t have been so easy."

"Exactly, my wife is so perceptive," Zamir said in front of everyone, allowing her to continue to malign me.