My Boyfriend Chose Her Birthday Over Our Year Chapter 01

My Boyfriend Chose Her Birthday Over Our Year Chapter 01

Day after day, week after week, I’d been sending my boyfriend the same photo for almost a year now. And he still hadn’t noticed.

The chat history quickly buried the picture I’d just sent.

My roommate leaned over, shocked. [Hold up. You’ve been sending him the same photo for a year and the guy still hasn’t caught on? Is he stupid?]

A year ago, he asked what I’d eaten. I snapped a random picture and sent it.

He told me to check in with a photo every day after that. But after I sent the same photo 362 times, he never once opened it again.

I texted him again: [Had dinner with Lauren today.]

He replied instantly: [Lauren doesn’t eat cilantro. Why didn’t you pick it out for her?]

I knew it—anytime I mentioned Lauren Shepherd, he paid attention to every little detail.

Together for a year, and he knew my best friend’s preferences better than mine. Every time we went out, he’d only agree if Lauren came too.

Even at the career fair, he personally handed Lauren’s resume to a friend of his in management.

[Lauren’s major isn’t as competitive as yours. You don’t need my help, you’ll land something on your own.]

Later, Lauren got hired, at the same company as him. I didn’t. I ended up at another firm, half the city away. He and Lauren commuted together every day, walked in and out of the office side by side.

[I’m inviting some college friends to dinner this weekend. Can you come?]

[Can’t. You had to pick Lauren’s birthday weekend for this?]

He forgot. That day was our one-year anniversary. And the day I’d bet Lauren I would leave him.

***

Derek’s message came right after. [　　Some best friend you are—you don’t even remember her birthday.]

[Just postpone your little party. We’re celebrating Lauren’s birthday together this weekend.]

I couldn’t postpone it. It was my goodbye party.

I’d accepted a transfer to our London office. Three years away. Come back as manager.

Back then, Lauren’s birthday wish had been to be with Derek. Candlelight flickered across her tear-streaked face.

She asked me why I’d confessed to Derek first. I never knew we’d fallen for the same guy.

Guilt crushed me.

Lauren pointed at my phone screen. [If you send him the same picture every single day for a whole year and he still doesn’t notice… promise you’ll step aside and let me have him.]

I almost laughed. Who wouldn’t notice a photo repeated for a year?

So I smiled and nodded.

But I overestimated myself. Derek made me lose completely.

I was about to put down my phone and keep packing when a message from Lauren popped up.

[Three days left in our bet!]

She didn’t need to remind me. I already knew it was a bet I was going to lose. That’s why I hadn’t invited her to the party.

We used to be so close. Now everything was complicated and distant. I didn’t know how to face her before leaving.

Derek called when I didn’t reply.

“What are you doing? Why aren’t you answering?”

His voice was annoyed—not concerned. Just mad I hadn’t replied immediately.

He didn’t even wait for an answer. “You can catch up with your college friends anytime. We all live in the same city. But Lauren’s birthday only comes once a year.”

I looked at my flight confirmation. We lived in the same city, but the last time I’d seen him was three months ago.

He always said everyone was busy. Overtime. Promotions. “I’m doing this for us. How am I supposed to marry you if I don’t hustle?”

An empty promise to avoid actually seeing me. Yet he’d made time to go with Lauren to another city for market research.

I knew he’d forgotten, but I still asked. “Do you remember what day it is in three days?”