He Turned Me Down, So I Dated His Best Friend Instead Chapter 12

He Turned Me Down, So I Dated His Best Friend Instead Chapter 12

In late June,

Mason and I went hiking together.

On the way there, our car nearly got into an accident. Mason instinctively leaned across the seat to shield me.

His chest was warm against mine.

My heart started pounding.

Thankfully, we were both fine.

When I got back to the dorm that evening, I called him on my own for the first time. Blue sky stretched beyond my window as I held the phone and asked with complete seriousness, “Mason Wilder, do you want to be my boyfriend?”

The moment the words left my mouth,

I heard a glass shatter on his end of the call.

A few seconds later,

he answered, his voice rough but unmistakably happy. “Seriously? No take–backs? No regrets?”

I smiled. “I’m sure.”

And just like that, we were a couple.

We started spending much more time together.

Before long, the semester was ending, and my summer internship was confirmed.

The office was a long way from campus.

I rented an apartment nearby and got ready to move out of the dorm.

On moving day, Mason volunteered to be free muscle.

While I was packing,

I found the box of chocolates buried at the back of my cabinet.

It had expired.

What a shame. I’d never even tasted one.

I stood there so long that my fingers went numb. Only then did I drop the box into the trash.

Mia passed by and glanced at the date on the package. “That’s too bad. They only expired yesterday.”

“Yeah,” I said.

Halfway through the move, I decided to stop at the nearby mall and buy small gifts for my

roommates.

That was where I ran into Julian.

Neither of us spoke.

But when I went to check out, the sales associate said, “The gentleman who was just here already

paid for everything.”

I hurried downstairs and caught up with Julian.

“I Venmoed you the money. We’re even.”

He watched me for a long moment, then gave a bitter laugh.

“Do we really have to be this distant?”

I answered calmly, “We’re just classmates. Clear boundaries make sense, don’t they?”

He took a slow breath and asked,

“Are you two together?”

I nodded without hesitation. “Yes.”

His lips pressed thin, his jaw rigid. “Do you like him?”

I stared at him, confused. “Why else would I be with him?”

If I didn’t like Mason,

I never would’ve agreed to date him.

Julian stared at me. After a long silence, he let out a cold laugh. “I guess you never liked me that

much after all.”

“You sure moved on fast.”

I frowned.

Honestly, I never expected to hear something like that from Julian.

Around me,

he’d always been calm, distant, and untouchable.

I’d never seen him lose control like this.

I opened my mouth to argue.

Then my phone rang inside my bag.

Mason’s name flashed on the screen.

I answered.

“Where are you?” he asked. “Everything’s packed. I’m waiting at the campus entrance.”

I told him I’d be right there.

By the time I ended the call

and looked up again, Julian was already gone.