The Letter I Refused to Accept Chapter 05

The Letter I Refused to Accept Chapter 05

Back in the room, Cole stood frozen, staring at the ring. It took him a long time to realize what had happened. She was breaking up with him?

The moment it sank in, Cole’s eyes reddened in spite of himself.

He didn’t hesitate. He wanted to go after her right away and explain everything properly. He knew Sienna hated stuff like this. Chelsea had told him this was the last time. He’d only given in for a moment, and it wouldn’t happen again.

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But he’d barely taken a step when someone grabbed his arm from behind.

“Cole, where are you going? You promised you’d make a wish with me.”

He looked at her lowered eyes, and something in him started to waver.

Sienna wasn’t like Chelsea. No matter how badly he upset her, as long as he took the time to make it up to her, she’d never stay mad for long.

At worst, after this, he’d be the one to back down first. Sienna couldn’t stand to see him upset.

With that in mind, he let Chelsea pull him down onto the couch.

The candle flames flickered. He watched Chelsea press her hands together and make a silent

wish, and a strange, absurd feeling crept over him. Whose birthday was this, anyway? Wasn’t it

Sienna’s?

So why were the decorations, the cake, and even the wish all set up the way Chelsea liked

them?

Suddenly, he thought about the first time he’d celebrated Sienna’s birthday with her. That was

before he’d even met Chelsea.

He’d carried a slice of cake no bigger than his palm and found her at her locker after school.

He still remembered how bright her eyes had been that day. She’d stammered that it was the first time anyone had ever celebrated her birthday with her.

Her face had turned so red, and once she’d said it, she’d buried her face in the collar of her

jacket.

What had he said back then? He’d taken her hand and held it in his. He’d promised that every year from then on, he’d celebrate her birthday with her.

Yet now, he couldn’t even remember what Sienna looked like wearing a birthday hat and making a wish. Ever since he’d met Chelsea, she’d been the one doing it.

While he was lost in thought, Chelsea suddenly fed him a forkful of frosting. A burning heat exploded in his mouth and snapped him back to reality.

He frowned and spat it out. When he saw the hot sauce dressed up as jam, his face darkened.

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“Didn’t you say you weren’t putting hot sauce in it this time, that we’d give her a real birthday?”

Chelsea shrugged it off like it was nothing. “Oh, I forgot. I’ll remember next time. Sienna’s used to it anyway.”

Cole froze. Used to it.

In one careless line, she’d brushed away everything Sienna had put up with, even though Sienna couldn’t stand spicy food. It was as if Sienna only deserved to be treated like that.

Chelsea didn’t care what Cole was thinking. Instead, she tugged shyly at his sleeve. “Aren’t you going to ask what I wished for this time?”

Before he could answer, she wrapped her arms tight around him from behind. “Cole, will you be my boyfriend?”

“I know. You like me, but you don’t know how to say it. So for you, I’m willing to be the brave

one.”

He went stiff. He couldn’t figure out what Chelsea was doing. His girlfriend was Sienna, and it would only ever be Sienna.

He pulled her off him, ignoring how unhappy she looked. “You’ve got the wrong idea. I have a girlfriend,”

Chelsea paused. She’d never expected him to say that.

“Sienna? No way. Isn’t she the one with the one–sided crush on you? When she said she was breaking up with you, she was only trying to save her pride.”

“Stop lying to yourself, Cole. Isn’t everything you’ve done telling me you like me? You like Sienna? You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Cole was stunned.

Almost instantly, it hit him. That was why Sienna kept fighting with him lately. She’d gotten

the wrong idea about him and Chelsea.

Once he figured that out, he shoved Chelsea away and pulled out his phone to call her.

He called once, twice, three times. Every time, all he got was the cold, automated voice.

A wave of dread surged through him. He refused to give up, so he hung up and sent her a text.

Cole: [Where are you? Why aren’t you picking up?]

The second after it sent, a glaring red message popped up on the screen. Not Delivered.

Sienna had blocked him.