He Loved My Best Friend, So I Walked Away

The words had barely left her mouth when Elwin pulled out another designer bag and held it out to her.

Juliana blinked.

"There's a second one? Did Luna get this for me too?"

Elwin shook his head gently, his eyes soft on her.

"No."

"The perfume is the gift you asked for. The bag is the gift I wanted to give you."

"We're heading to Crestwood soon. A designer bag will look better on you there."

I stood off to the side like an outsider who didn't belong, and felt something inside me sink, bit by bit.

We were both people standing at his side, yet a wish Juliana had mentioned in passing was enough to fill an entire notebook.

But last month, when it was my birthday—me, the girlfriend he'd been with for four years—all he said, flatly, was:

"Luna, I'm a little short on cash right now. Can I make up your birthday gift to you next year?"

I laughed at myself. It wasn't that he had no money. It was that his money was being spent on someone else.

On the way home, I said nothing the whole way.

We'd just gotten in and shut the door when Elwin suddenly spoke.

"Luna, why won't you say a word? Are you angry?"

Before I could answer, he went on:

"Don't tell me it's because I didn't get you a birthday gift?"

Then he reached into the bag and pulled out a small bottle of perfume, handing it over. Same brand, same scent as Juliana's.

"Don't be upset. Here, take it."

One look and I knew it was just the mini sample they hand out free at the counter, nothing like the full boxed set Juliana had gotten.

Seeing that I wouldn't take it, Elwin explained again.

"Juliana's different from you. She's always going to be an outsider."

"As your boyfriend, shouldn't I be on good terms with your best friend? Otherwise what if she goes around badmouthing me behind my back?"

I looked down at the little sample he'd pushed toward my hand and said quietly, "I'm not angry. Just a little tired. I'm going to take a shower."

By the time I'd shut off the water and was drying my hair, I heard Elwin laughing out in the living room.

I pushed the door open and came out. He was curled up on the couch, hugging his phone, typing.

He heard my footsteps, glanced up at me, and laughed again.

"Luna, you have no idea, Juliana's hilarious. She went back to try on that bag today and sent me a photo, but her cat was sitting right on top of it and wouldn't get off, and she was frantic, didn't dare yank it off, so she just crouched there trying to reason with the cat…"

He talked and laughed as he scrolled through his phone to show me the photo.

My hand stilled on the towel.

We used to have a three-person group chat called "Foodie Buddies," where we'd talk about every random little thing.

But at some point, that chat had gone quiet.

The last message sat there from three weeks ago, when I'd asked, "What should we go eat this weekend?" Nobody had replied.

I stared at the screen glowing in his hand and said softly, "When did the two of you add each other as friends?"

Elwin froze for a second, his gaze sliding away a little uncomfortably.

"It was… that time, you know, when you were busy cramming for your thesis. Juliana sprained her ankle, and I took her to the hospital since it was on my way."

Something in me dropped hard. That time Juliana twisted her ankle, I'd blamed myself for so long, always thinking she got hurt because I hadn't shown up.

Back then she'd even comforted me, saying it was nothing, that someone had already taken her to the hospital, and I should focus on my thesis and not worry.

It was only now that I learned that someone had been my boyfriend.

I stood where I was, water dripping from the ends of my hair one drop at a time, landing on the back of my hand, cool against my skin.