Chapter 1

Ethan and I were on a road trip when I got thirsty and went to grab some water at a rest stop. When I came back, he had driven off.

I called him ten times, and every call went straight to voicemail.

An hour later, my best friend Fiona called:

“Oh, I’m so sorry, Kylie. Ethan just turned back to pick me up. You’ll have to wait another hour, and we’ll come get you.”

I suddenly felt like laughing.

Before, I’d ask Ethan to pick me up on his way home from work, but he always found it too much trouble.

Even this road trip, I had begged him for a year before he finally agreed.

Now, he was willing to spend three hours picking up Fiona.

Turns out, he wasn't lazy; he just didn't care enough about me.

After waiting for nearly two hours, Ethan’s car finally pulled into the rest stop.

Fiona got out of the car, carrying her favorite juice, a bright smile on her face.

“Kylie, I know you’ve been waiting forever, so I specially bought you juice!”

She took one out of the bag, stuck a straw in it, and put it to my lips.

I instinctively took a sip, but as soon as I tasted mango, I turned away, coughing.

An itch spread through my throat. I leaned against the wall, coughing uncontrollably, tears welling in my eyes.

Fiona gasped, then turned to complain.

“What’s wrong with you, Ethan? I told you to get juice, why did you buy one with mango? Kylie’s allergic to mango!”

Ethan retorted without hesitation.

“I didn’t know this juice had mango in it.”

“Seriously? Couldn’t you have just asked the store clerk?”

I wiped away the tears from my eyes.

Silently, I took the water Ethan handed me.

Just like countless times before, I heard him say:

“If it were Kylie, a bottle of water would be enough. Not like you, always making me remember all these picky details. It’s a hassle.”

But no matter how much of a hassle, didn’t he still remember?

That thought inexplicably popped into my head.

I actually loved juice too, and I used to love bugging Ethan to buy it for me.

But he was always lazy.

Too lazy to check if the ingredients contained my allergen.

I’d just reminded him, and then he’d immediately say he forgot.

At that moment, Ethan was glued to his phone, starting a new ranked match, not even looking up.

“Water’s fine, isn’t it? Who’d bother to remember something like that?”

I’d told him countless times that I was allergic to mango, but he just couldn't remember.

When I looked up again, Fiona was already in the front passenger seat.

I met her gaze from outside the car.

Fiona slapped her forehead.

“Oh, my bad! Kylie, come sit in the front.”

“No, thanks.”

“No, thanks.”

Ethan and I said in unison.

Ethan actually looked surprised for once.

Right, it wasn't the first time Fiona had mistakenly sat in the front passenger seat.

Every time before, I would have swapped places with her.