Five Years Outside Their Photos, So I Finally Walked Out Forever Chapter 03

Five Years Outside Their Photos, So I Finally Walked Out Forever Chapter 03

Back then, somehow, I didn’t even blame them.

Because Ethan told me,

“You always think Brooke’s out to get you. The truth is, you’ve never really treated them as friends.”

So when Brooke later asked me to join their trip to Paris, I was excited, and the feeling stayed with me for a long time.

“Didn’t Claire always say she wanted to come with us?”

“Let’s make it five this time, so Ethan doesn’t have to keep feeling stuck in the middle.”

I thought they finally accepted me.

Then we landed, and I realized that a fifth person on their four-person trip made everything feel crowded.

They only booked four passenger seats for the ride from the airport to the hotel.

Brooke looked a little embarrassed.

“Claire can ride with Ethan. I’ll get a cab.”

Ethan immediately frowned.

“You have no sense of direction. Stop trying to be a hero.”

He carried my suitcase back to the curb.

“I sent you the address. Meet us there.”

It was my first trip abroad. I stood outside an airport where everything was unfamiliar and watched the car drive away with all four of them.

The next few days were more of the same.

We ate whatever the four of them liked.

They posed in their usual spots for every picture.

They even booked just two hotel rooms in advance.

Ethan said we could just book another room when we arrived.

But the front desk told me it was peak season. They were fully booked.

I ended up dragging my suitcase to a small inn on the next street, alone.

That night, Brooke posted a picture in the group chat.

The four of them wore matching hotel robes and clinked glasses on the balcony.

Jake added a caption:

[Finally, a group that feels right.]

I stared at those words, typing and deleting my reply for ages. In the end, I sent only a smiley face.

On the day we were supposed to fly home, I suddenly couldn’t find my passport.

I ransacked my suitcase, cold sweat breaking out all over me.

Then I remembered something and looked at Brooke.

“I think you held my passport when we did the tax refund paperwork yesterday.”

Everyone turned to her.

She searched her bag for ages, her face growing paler.

“But I remember giving it back to you.”

My voice shook.

“Look again.”

Brooke stopped searching. Her eyes immediately reddened.

“Claire, what are you saying?”

“You think I lost your passport?”

Ethan’s face was already darkening.

“Claire, we need to focus on fixing this.”

“Don’t take it out on Brooke every time something goes wrong.”

Jake checked the time.

“Boarding starts in an hour and a half.”

Ryan urged us to hurry, too.

“Keep this up, and none of us will make the flight.”