Goodbye Dear Exes, I have moved on

I returned home late at night to avoid Emily's birthday party. I didn't want to be a part of this party because I didn't want to see Darek and Mike happily celebrating the day and doing all sorts of funny things for Emily on which my father died. But, when I came back, I didn't find anyone at home. It turned out they hadn't returned from the hospital.

‘Is Emily’s condition really that bad?’ I thought. I remembered she wasn't injured much. She caught only a few scratches on her body. Though it was enough for my two friends to completely ignore me and think only about her whose worlds once revolved around me.

I took my phone out to call Emily and ask if she was alright. But, I was amazed by the number of messages she sent me earlier. She sent me several pictures of the birthday celebration in the hospital with a message that read [Doctor said I couldn't be discharged for two days. Hence, Darek and Mike planned to celebrate my birthday here. It's really fun to have two suitors crazy about you, isn't it Janette?]

Her texts were provocative. She had been doing it since the day she arrived at my home. First provoking me and then becoming a pitiful soul, painting me as villain before Darek and Mike. But, I was surprised with my two friends. How could they be so blind to always trust her and blame me? Didn't they know me well? Didn't they know my personality before? How could they be so easily fooled by her?

Even thinking that frustrated me. I had stopped explaining myself to them or trying to show Emily’s true color. I just let them be.

Since she had already answered my questions in her previous texts, I let go of the idea of calling her. Besides, she had Darek and Mike at the hospital to take care of her the whole night. What impact would it cause if I called her or not?

In the morning I received a call from my Dad's studio. Since I was secretly planning to leave this pack for good, I wanted to hand over his studio to his trustable person, his beta, Mathew to take care of it. One of the old employees of his studio called me and told me there was a minor issue in the paperwork. He asked me to go to the studio and look into it as soon as possible. I immediately got ready to leave for the studio. I was already getting late and my phone started beeping. Emily left me several calls. When I picked her call, she said, “Janette, my clothes got dirty since Darek and Mike kept rubbing cake all over my body. Can you please bring some clean clothes to the Hospital?”

I knew she called me just to show off her fun with my two childhood friends whom she snatched very easily. She wanted to continue talking but I cut her off and said, “ Emily, I have urgent work at my Dad’s studio. I can't talk to you right now and about the clothes, I’m sorry I can't help.”

Before she could say anything or show off to me, I hung up and left for the studio.

I handled the work at the studio and when I returned home I found Darek and Mike waiting for me in the Hall. They were my childhood sweethearts. So, I had shared the keys with them. They could easily come and go at my home. There was a time when they kept lying at my home and chill with me but now their arrival only meant for Emily. I ignored them in the hall, thinking it might be another visit related to Emily.

“Janette,” Darek called me from behind. I turned back to meet their gaze. With just one glance I could guess something was wrong. Mike walked up to me, saying, “Janette, how could you be so inconsiderate towards Emily?”

“What happened now?” I asked, trying to remember if I did something wrong.

“Emily asked you to bring clean clothes for her in the hospital but you refused rudely.” Darek accused me.

“You didn't even visit her in the hospital or call her for once to know how she is doing. How can you be so inconsiderate towards her, Janette? She is after all your cousin?” Mike added.

“I had some work,” I replied flatly.

“Which work could be so important that kept you from asking your cousin’s health?” James asked with a pair of dark eyes. I smiled sarcastically before saying, “Work like visiting my father's grave on his death anniversary, handling an issue caused in his studio. Do you want me to explain more?”

Darek and Mike glanced each other before looking at me with a pair of eyes that laced with guilt and surprise. Darek asked, “ Janette, why didn't you remind us that it was Uncle Max’s death anniversary? We would have accompanied you there.”

“Since when you have started creating drama out of everything, Janette? You didn't tell us anything just to make us feel bad for you and blame Emily for everything, isn’t it?” Mike threw an absurd accusation on me.

Before I could say anything, Mike’s phone rang. It was Emily’s call. They then completely ignored me and walked upstairs to bring her clothes. So, the guilt and concern in their eyes for me was just for seconds.

They came back with Emily’s clothes and were ready to leave. But, I stopped them.

“Wait… I have something for you two.” I said in indifferent voice.

I led them in my room and opened my wardrobe. I took out the bracelets they had presented me on my birthday. I had kept them very safe. But now, I took those bracelets and gave them back because saying, “Please take it.”

They looked up at me in confusion and asked why I was returning their birthday gift.

“The style no longer suits me. I might need a new one.” I replied in a flat voice.