He Dropped Me at the Service Station to Take Her Home Chapter 05

He Dropped Me at the Service Station to Take Her Home Chapter 05

I couldn’t bear to humiliate myself any longer, so I shot them a quick text and headed home early.

Mom was mid-poker night when I walked through the front door.

She shot me a single glare and frowned.

“Where’s Izzy?”

I knelt down to untie my sneakers. “She’s still at the amusement park.”

Mom slammed a card down on the table, her voice blasting across the room..

“Then what are you doing back here? You’re such a nuisance.”

Mrs. Halloway, our next-door neighbor, smiled and tried to smooth over Mom’s harsh words.

“Ellie’s always been such a calm, steady kid. My own daughter’s a total handful—”

Mom huffed loudly and cut her off mid-sentence.

“Steady my rear. She’s always just faded into the background wherever we go. She only got together with Cas by sheer luck—most guys wouldn’t stick around with how quiet she is.”

“She never talks, never dresses up nicely, zero personality. Izzy’s the bright, charming one, always has been. Cas adores her—he planned this whole amusement park trip just for her today.”

Another neighbor looked confused and tilted her head.

“Hold on a minute, isn’t Caspian Ellie’s boyfriend? Why’s he spoiling Izzy instead?”

Mom waved a hand like the question was meaningless.

“Oh, come on, they’re family. The boy knows Izzy’s physically fragile, he’s just being thoughtful toward her.”

She leaned forward, lowering her voice with smug pride.

“The truth is, Izzy’s the one everyone gravitates to. She was born lucky, there’s nothing anyone can do about it.”

I stood in the foyer, my knuckles white as I gripped the entryway shoe bench. I didn’t move for several long minutes.

Then I walked straight past the poker table, feeling every woman’s subtle judgmental gaze burn into my back, and locked myself inside my bedroom.

My phone buzzed with a text from Izzy.

[Ellie, are you upset? Why’d you leave the park early?]

I set the phone down with a bitter smile, leaned over my writing desk, and stared at the pothos plant sitting on my windowsill.

Cas had given it to me the year we took our SAT exams.

Back in January, its leaves had been lush and bright green. Now most of them were brown, shriveled, barely clinging to the stems.

I snapped a photo of the dying plant and sent it to Cas.

[It’s dying.]

He didn’t reply for ages, but in the meantime, he posted an Instagram story.

A selfie of him and Izzy, sun-flushed cheeks pressed together, matching identical wide grins.

They really did look like a perfect pair.

I smiled and tapped my finger against both of their faces on the screen.

When I pulled my finger away, it was wet with my tears. I touched my cheek, and my skin was ice cold.

I sent Cas one final text message.

[We’re breaking up.]