Chapter 3

Julian grabbed Chloe's hand and slammed the door shut on his way out.

That very night, they made their relationship official on Instagram.

A photo of them kissing on a Ferris wheel, captioned by Julian:

One second past midnight, and my wish finally came true.

A hollow ache opened up in my chest, but I still tapped the screen to leave a like and wished them well.

When my IV bag ran dry and I stepped outside the clinic, Leo suddenly intercepted me at the entrance.

He grabbed my arm:

"What the hell is going on between you two? Julian was having a full-blown panic attack before he got here. How did he end up dating Chloe right after?"

If ninety-nine percent of the world thought Julian and I didn't belong together, Leo was that remaining one percent.

Hearing him bring it up only made the suffocating pain worse.

"How should I know? I came here for an IV drip because I felt sick. How did that offend anyone? If they want to date, fine! Why do they have to come and ruin my day?"

My voice cracked. It wasn't just about tonight; it was about all the years we had shared.

Julian and I used to mean the world to each other. How did we end up like strangers tearing each other apart? I couldn't comprehend it.

Leo was stubborn, tugging me toward his car:

"You two are just being impossibly pig-headed. All I know is that if he really settles down with Chloe, both of you are going to regret it for the rest of your lives!"

He insisted I needed to hash things out with Julian face-to-face.

"I grew up with the guy! Do you think I don't know what's in his head? He's just being an idiot right now. We can't just give up on him!"

He sped down the street, and before I could fully process it, the car pulled up in front of Julian's condo.

I knew this place like the back of my hand. So many of my belongings were scattered inside.

My slippers, my pajamas, my plushies.

Even the quirky, cute little decorations around the apartment were things I had personally picked out.

Julian used to tease me endlessly:

"Leaving all your stuff in my place... what if a girl who has a crush on me sees it and gets the wrong idea?"

Back then, I thought he was completely dense, mad that he couldn't see my feelings, and gave him the silent treatment all afternoon.

By evening, he came home carrying my favorite bakery cupcakes, looking at me with an apologetic grin:

"No matter how mad you are, you still have to eat. I was just messing with you. I won't ever bring other girls home. You're the only one allowed here."

He had fed me a bite himself, gently pinching my soft cheeks:

"Eat up. These cheeks are my absolute treasure. If you lose an ounce, I'm holding you responsible!"

I had burst into laughter.

Because of him, I had never once felt insecure about my body.

Yet now, also because of him, the bright, confident girl I used to be had dwindled into someone deeply ashamed of her weight.

Leo opened the car door for me. Under the glow of the streetlamp, he took a good look at me and gasped:

"Holy crap, Summer, how did you drop so much weight so fast? No wonder Julian always called you cute—lose a little bit more and you're straight-up gorgeous!"

Though he was joking, he didn't lose sight of why we were there.

"Julian's all bark and no bite. In all the years I've known him, I've barely been invited here, let alone other girls. You're the only exception. The first time I saw how girly his place was decorated, I teased him for being weird, only to find out you did it all. And between you and me? He keeps your photo in his bedroom. I sneaked a peek once. He cares about you way more than he lets on!"

My mind drifted along with his words, my guarded heart softening just a fraction.

Leo confidently pressed the doorbell.

Instead, a familiar feminine voice drifted out from inside.

Then, the door swung open to reveal Chloe holding a large cardboard box.

Her attention wasn't on us; she was calling back over her shoulder to Julian:

"I'm tossing all this junk out, okay?"

A dismissive voice replied from inside:

"Do whatever you want."

I glanced down at the box. Inside was a jumbled mess of everything I had ever left behind.

In that heartbeat, my chest turned entirely, irrevocably hollow.