Chapter 1At prom, my childhood best friend—the guy I'd been crushing on for five years—slipped a hotel keycard into my palm.
My heart was racing until I overheard him bragging to his buddies:
"I'm skipping the after-party. Got better plans tonight."
The guys started whooping and hollering.
I was smiling, ready to leave, when I caught my name.
"What about Ren? You're just gonna leave her waiting at the hotel?"
I froze. Then his lazy voice drifted out.
"What am I supposed to do? Mira says hotels are gross. We're going to my place."
"Ren? She's gonna marry me anyway. Missing one night's whatever. Plus, the more I learn now, the better it'll be for her later, right?"
Oh.
So tonight wasn't about me.
Fine. He was right.
Tonight's nothing, so is he.
...
I stood outside that door like someone dumped ice water over my head.
Inside, they got louder. Every word cut deeper.
"Damn, Cash—hooking up with the hottest girl in school and using Ren as your alibi."
"Isn't Ren staying at your place while her parents are gone? Your folks find out, you're dead."
"They're traveling too. And I'm eighteen. I can do what I want."
Cheers all around.
"But what about Ren? She's been obsessed with you forever. She could've gone to Princeton but followed you south instead. You really don't feel bad?"
"Real talk though—Ren's not as chill as Mira, but she's hot as hell. You're just gonna leave that alone?"
Gross laughter.
Cash laughed too.
"You don't get it. Girls like her? You wait."
"If I sleep with her now and get bored later, what's the point of marriage?"
"She's fine. I get experience, she benefits. Win-win."
It was summer, but I went cold all over.
I looked across the room at Mira Reed—my desk partner for three years. The person I trusted most in high school.
She felt my stare and looked up, smiling like always.
My vision blurred.
I bolted for the bathroom.
The walls were thin. I pressed my hand over my mouth to keep quiet. Outside, girls giggled.
"Cash is so obsessed with Ren tonight."
"She can't even pee without him following her."
"They've been living together forever. Shocked they waited this long."
Cash laughed and cursed at them. Then he knocked.
"Ren, you okay?"
His voice was soft. Like it always was.
I stared at nothing, forcing my voice steady.
"Yeah."
He didn't move. "Okay. Head to the hotel first. I gotta go home and check in with my mom real quick.
"You know how she is. If I don't show up, she'll fly back just to drag me home.
"If it takes long, just sleep.
"You know, we've got time."
His voice dropped low, almost suggestive.
It reminded me of ten days ago. We were eating ice cream on his couch. He kissed me.
The vanilla was so sweet I couldn't breathe. I asked him why.
He grinned like he'd won something.
"Because you're mine now, Ren."
That night, with cicadas screaming outside, I thought my five-year crush finally meant something.
But now I saw it clearly—
Was that even real?
Were all those kisses real?
"Cash," I said quietly. "Do you like me?"
He paused. Then, carefully: "Would I do all this if I didn't?"
What about Mira?
I swallowed the question. Asked a different one instead.
"Are we together?"
Chapter 2
A sigh came from the other side of the door.
I could practically see him frowning, his patience running out.
"Does that even matter? We've known each other forever. Since when do we need a label?"
Right. That's so Cash.
He never makes promises he can't keep. Never admits to things that aren't real.
He just sidesteps everything, voice all soft and reasonable, making me feel like I'm the one overreacting.
I just didn't realize until now how rotten the boy I grew up with had become.
I wiped my tears, keeping my voice steady like always.
"Okay. Got it."
He said a few more things and left.
As his footsteps faded, I opened my chat with Dad and typed with shaking hands.
[Dad, I changed my mind.]
[I'll get my study abroad stuff ready tomorrow. After my birthday, I'm leaving with you guys.]
When I finally pulled myself together and left the bathroom, Cash was blocking drinks for Mira.
He tipped his head back. Liquid spilled down his jaw, sliding past his throat into his shirt. The glass emptied in seconds.
The room went wild.
Mira's face was flushed—shy and happy in a way I'd never seen.
"You didn't have to do that. I could've handled it."
Cash leaned back in his seat, his knee brushing her thigh.
"You're allergic. What if you got wasted? Then what?"
So he even knows she's allergic.
The air felt thick. Someone snickered.
Then they saw me in the doorway.
The mood shifted. Cash immediately straightened and moved his knee.
Mira smiled and patted the empty spot between them.
"Ren, come sit."
Her bracelet jingled as she moved. I stared at it.
I'd seen that bracelet in Cash's cart before finals. Something about good luck and perfect matches.
It wasn't expensive—not even close to the stuff in my closet.
But I got excited anyway because the listing said "gift for girlfriend."
Finals ended. He kissed me. I almost forgot.
Until now. On Mira's wrist.
The hurt crashed over me.
No matter how hard I tried to keep it together, my voice shook.
"You guys have fun. I'm leaving."
Cash looked up, surprised.
"Why? Where are you going?"
I didn't answer. Just started walking.
Halfway to the door, he grabbed my arm. His voice dropped low.
"What now? You're mad I took a drink for her?"
"I was helping her out. If she got trashed, how would she even get home? You know what those guys are like—"
"What about you?" I looked him dead in the eye. "What are you like?"
Chapter 3
I watched his face go blank.
It reminded me of freshman year.
Everyone knew Mira was pretty but poor.
Easy target. She got attention she didn't want.
Right after school started, some guys cornered her outside.
I called security and got them removed.
After that, I made sure she rode home with me and Cash every day so those creeps would leave her alone.
In the car, I always sat next to her, with Cash driving.
I kept the conversation going so she'd never feel awkward about her situation.
Cash would just smile once in a while. Barely said a word.
I thought they hardly knew each other.
Until Valentine's Day, when I saw Cash throw away chocolates some guy gave her.
"Stop taking this crap. She doesn't need it."
The guy's face went red. "You're not even her boyfriend. Why do you care?"
"As of today, I am."
My water bottle hit the ground.
Cash rushed over, panicking.
He said he was just helping Mira since she was my friend and didn't have anyone looking out for her.
I believed him.
I even covered for them.
Until Mira actually started dating someone.
I didn't know much about the guy—just that he went to another school and was obsessed with her.
He'd get her a car when it rained. Send food every day so she wouldn't skip meals.
Bought her clothes. Paid for tutoring.
Same age as us, but treated her like royalty.
Sometimes I'd notice hickeys on her neck and tease her.
"Mosquito bite?"
She'd laugh awkwardly. I thought it was embarrassment.
Now I wonder if it was guilt.
I stared at Cash.
"When did you two start? Valentine's Day? The spring trip? Or—"
"Ren." His voice went cold.
"You know why I didn't make us official sooner? Because I knew you'd be like this."
Every word cut.
"Mira's not like you. Just getting by is hard enough for her. What's wrong with me helping her?"
"Why do you make everything so difficult? It's exhausting."
Tears spilled before I could stop them. I hated how hard it was to let go.
Seeing me cry, he softened a little.
"Look, for our future, you need to chill out."
"You're coming south with me soon. I don't want us fighting over stupid stuff. Okay?"
I took a breath, forced myself calm, and wiped my face.
"No, Cash."
"I'm not going south."
