I Was the One They Were Willing to Lose Chapter 02

I Was the One They Were Willing to Lose Chapter 02

The next morning, I went to the travel agency anyway.

Not to join the trip—to pick up the photo album I’d left there for storage.

When I pushed open the glass door, the four of them were already sitting in the lounge.

Poppy was cradling a hot tea, discussing accommodations with a staff member.

“Are there only two mountain-view lodge cabins left at the top?”

The staff member nodded.

“One twin room, one with a double bed. If all five of you stay, someone will have to sleep on the sofa bed in the living room.”

The moment she said it, Beckett looked at me.

“Wren sleeps well anywhere. Let her take the sofa.”

Julian frowned. “It gets cold up there at night. The living room doesn’t have floor heating.”

I looked at him, a little surprised.

Then, a second later:

“Doesn’t Wren like taking photos anyway? Let her stay down the mountain, and she can come up before dawn to shoot our sunrise. It’ll actually be more convenient.”

The warmth I’d just started to feel went cold instantly.

So it wasn’t that he was worried about me freezing. He just didn’t think I was even entitled to that sofa bed.

Poppy grabbed my hand quickly.

“That’s not right. We’re traveling as five people, how can we let Wren stay down the mountain by herself?”

She hesitated a moment, then offered,

“What if Wren and I share the double, and you three take the other room?”

Griffin shot that down immediately.

“You’re a light sleeper. Sharing a bed with someone else will wreck your rest.”

Beckett nodded too.

“Wren tosses and turns in her sleep. What if she kicks you?”

They remembered that Poppy was a light sleeper. They’d forgotten I had an old knee injury that ached whenever it got cold.

That injury came from the same night I got stranded on the mountain at sixteen.

I slowly pulled my hand back.

“No need to figure it out. I’m not going.”

All four of them went quiet at once.

Poppy’s eyes reddened. “Is it because of the room thing? I can take the sofa. Really.”

“It’s not that.”

I held up my phone. “I signed up for driving lessons. It conflicts.”

Beckett gave a short laugh.

“See? I told you she wouldn’t get worked up over something this small. You all had to fuss over her for nothing.”

Julian went back to studying the route on his phone.

Only Griffin kept looking at me for a few seconds.

“You’re really not coming?”

“Really not.”

“What about the graduation photos, then?”

“Hire a local photographer.”

His brow creased slightly, like he wasn’t used to me saying no.

Just then Poppy pressed a hand to her chest and gave a couple of light, labored breaths.

All three of them turned to her instantly.

Beckett went to find her medicine. Julian twisted open a bottle of water. Griffin crouched in front of her, coaching her to breathe slowly.

I walked to the counter alone and picked up my heavy photo album.

It had taken me three years to put together—every important moment of the five of us together, from freshman year to senior year. I’d planned to give it to them on the graduation trip.

Flipping through it now, I realized there was almost nothing of me in it.

I was the one behind the camera.

The one responsible for preserving their memories.

The one most easily cropped out of any group photo.

I was carrying the album out of the agency when a staff member came chasing after me.

“Miss Calloway, your trip deposit hasn’t been refunded yet.”

“What deposit?”

She pulled out the contract and pointed to the payment record.

“Mr. Chase said you dropped out at the last minute, but the hotel and tickets had already been booked, so the fee needs to come out of your deposit.”

I looked at the name on the payer line, and my fingers slowly curled tight.

Two weeks ago, Griffin had told me he was planning a graduation surprise and asked me for roughly $5,000.

I’d thought he remembered the promise he made when I was sixteen—that he’d take me to the ski resort.

Turns out that money had gone to pay for the other four’s trip.

I walked back into the waiting area and set the contract down in front of Griffin.

“Explain.”

He saw the payment record and his expression faltered, just for a second.

“It was originally booked for five, yeah. But then Poppy wanted the mountain-view cabin, and we were short on budget, so I used that money first.”

“Why didn’t you ask me?”

“We’re all family here. Does it really need to be spelled out like that? I’ll pay you back once the trip’s over.”

My gaze landed on Poppy’s hand.

On her ring finger was a platinum ring, the inner band engraved with the initials of four names.

“Was that ring bought with my money too?”

Poppy went pale and yanked the ring off in a hurry.

“Wren, I didn’t know it was your money. They just told me it was to mark graduation—a keepsake for our friendship.”

Beckett stood up abruptly.

“How much? I’ll transfer it to you right now, don’t put Poppy on the spot.”

“Fine.”

I pulled a price quote out of the photo album.

“Add in three years of shooting, editing, and putting together the album—that’s a total of about $6,500.”

He froze. “What photography fee?”

“Since I’m apparently not a friend who’s part of the trip, just the one responsible for photographing you, then let’s settle it at market rate.”

The lounge went completely silent.

I put the contract away and picked up the album that didn’t have me in it.

Behind me, for the first time ever, Griffin used my full name.

“Wren Calloway. Must you really be so calculating?”

I didn’t turn around.

Of course I must.

Because from this day forward, there is nothing left between us but debts to be settled.