Hide And Seek. They All Betrayed Me Chapter 03

Hide And Seek. They All Betrayed Me Chapter 03

Nathan froze for two seconds. Then frowned.

“You’re breaking up with me over a few lucky stars?”

“Blair, can you not be so sensitive?”

“Everything was fine. You’re the only one blowing this up.”

But everything had signs.

After we got together, I thought I was lucky.

He brought me sandwiches in the morning.

But on days off, he always brought one extra.

That extra one was for Wren.

He knew my lipstick shades. Knew foundation for dry skin versus oily.

He said he studied it secretly for me.

But every brand he knew was Wren’s.

Crossing the street, he pulled me to the inside.

Going out, he always had tissues in his pocket.

But Wren was scared of cars since childhood. Always had to walk on the inside.

She had rhinitis. Never went anywhere without tissues.

So all that care? Just habits left over from loving Wren.

Nathan saw me silent. His voice softened.

“Blair, I know tonight was our fault.”

“We’ve all graduated. Everything we promised you, we can do now.”

“Didn’t you always want to see the snow in Aspen? I’ll take you.”

“The beach. Music festivals. That Michelin restaurant.”

“I’ll take you to all of it.”

I’d heard this before. Many times.

Three years. Countless promises.

He couldn’t even afford to take me to a Michelin restaurant.

I pointed at the door.

“Get out.”

Adrian’s face darkened.

“Blair, Nathan already backed down. What more do you want?”

“I said, get out!”

I pushed them out. Locked the door.

—

By the time I finished the last box, it was night.

I carried it to the dumpster at the end of the alley.

I’d just thrown it in when I heard Wren’s laugh.

She and Nathan walked side by side under the streetlight.

“You remember graduation night in high school?”

“You waited outside my door till dawn. Begged me to apply to the college near home.”

Nathan laughed low.

“Too bad. You still went out of state.”

Wren stopped.

“Nathan, I really regret it.”

“If I hadn’t listened to my family back then, would we already be together?”

Nathan pulled her coat closed against the wind.

My tears fell.

So it wasn’t just Nathan with regrets.

They both had them.

I was just the one beside him after Wren left.

—

The next two days, I didn’t leave my room.

Mother knocked a few times.

“Blair, don’t ruin yourself over this.”

Then Elena, Nathan, and Wren came over.

Like when we were kids. Our families visited each other. Played till dark.

Adrian said, “She needs to figure it out herself.”

“The more we comfort her, the worse she gets.”

Father sighed.

“Leave her alone. She’ll be fine in a couple days.”

Soon, a movie played in the living room.

Six of them sat outside. Eating. Laughing.

They thought I was the same as when I was little.

Cry it out. Open the door myself.

I wiped my tears. Opened my phone.

I bought a ticket to New York.

No Nathan. No Wren.

None of these people waiting for me to get over it.

This time, I wanted to live for myself first.