Pretend To Be His Bestie For Her! Fine, I Dumped My Boyfriend And Childhood Buddies! Chapter 05

Pretend To Be His Bestie For Her! Fine, I Dumped My Boyfriend And Childhood Buddies! Chapter 05

When I still hadn’t replied after a while, Mason started getting impatient.

Mason: [Where are you? Are you seriously still asleep?]

A red Not Delivered warning appeared beneath the message.

He stared at the screen for a few seconds before it clicked.

“What the hell? Mia blocked me!”

Logan leaned over.

“Looks like she blocked me too.”

Noah tried sending a message.

“Me too.”

All three of them looked at Ethan.

He opened his phone, his hands trembling slightly.

Ethan: [Mia, where are you?]

The same red Not Delivered warning appeared.

Mason scratched his head.

“Okay. She’s actually mad this time.”

“What do we do? Ethan, go smooth things over with her.”

Ethan called me just as I got home.

I hesitated, then answered.

“Mia? Where are you?”

“Why did you block everyone without saying anything?”

My voice was quiet but clear.

“I already told you.”

“Ethan Blake, we’re done.”

“Come on, Mia. I thought you were joking.”

“Is this because of Chloe?”

“I’ll go explain everything to her right now.”

“Just tell me where you are. I’ll come get you.”

I pressed my lips together.

“I’m home.”

Ethan went silent for a beat.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Stay put. I’ll be there soon.”

“Don’t bother, Ethan.”

“I’m moving out today.”

“Mia, maybe I’ve taken things too far lately.”

“I just didn’t want to let the guys down. I…”

I cut him off.

“Then keep putting them first.”

“You don’t have to worry about me.”

“I’m not your girlfriend anymore.”

Then I hung up.

I went back to packing.

Even our electric toothbrushes were a custom matching set.

They were engraved with E&M, with Forever & Always underneath.

Cheesy.

I tossed mine straight into the trash.

Anything of mine I wanted, I packed.

Anything I didn’t want, I threw away.

By the time I finished, I’d filled two huge trash bags.

I was kind enough to leave our matching outfits behind for him.

Chloe and I were about the same size.

Maybe she’d enjoy them.

As I reached the door, an orange blur suddenly shot across my path.

“Meow.”

The massive cat planted himself squarely in my path.

It was Pumpkin.

Ethan and I had found him as a tiny stray.

We’d raised him from a palm-sized stray into a furry tank.

While we were away on the trip, we’d asked our neighbor, Lily Parker, to look after him.

I never imagined everything would have changed by the time I came back.

I crouched down and gently stroked his head.

Lily hurried over, out of breath. She froze when she saw me.

“Mia? You’re back?”

“Pumpkin’s been perfectly behaved the whole time, but today he suddenly insisted on going outside.”

“Maybe he knew you were coming home.”

Pumpkin stared at me and kept blocking the doorway with his entire body.

Suddenly, I had an idea.

I held out both hands.

“Pumpkin, if you want to come with Mom, give me your left paw.”

“If you want to stay here, give me your right one.”

His ears twitched.

Then one small paw settled into my left hand.

I smiled as tears spilled onto his fur.

He meowed anxiously and circled around me.

“Okay, Pumpkin.”

“Mom’s taking you home.”

Only then did he give a happy meow and jump into my arms.

Lily looked at my luggage and seemed to understand what had happened.

She helped me carry everything downstairs, then kissed Pumpkin on the forehead, reluctant to say goodbye.

“Just because you’re leaving doesn’t mean we stop being friends.”

“If a guy isn’t good enough, you find one who is. Simple as that.”

I smiled.

“You’re right.”

“Once I get settled, I’ll call you.”

“Come visit Pumpkin anytime.”

I started the car.

Pumpkin climbed into the passenger seat and stared straight at me, as if he was afraid I might disappear.

I reached over to reassure him.

“Pumpkin, Mom’s never leaving you.”

“You picked me, so from now on, I’m going to spoil you rotten.”

Apparently, he understood, because he meowed happily.