My Childhood Friend Chose Her Virginity Over My Future Chapter 03

My Childhood Friend Chose Her Virginity Over My Future Chapter 03

When I woke up again, I was back in my own apartment.

Noise poured through the bedroom door.

I frowned and opened it, only to see Ethan hurrying toward me.

When he saw me, guilt crossed his face.

”I’m sorry. They didn’t mean it today. They just wanted to stand up for Chloe. Don’t hold it against them.”

”They know they were wrong. They came here to apologize.”

”And Chloe said she wanted to share her good luck with you, so we moved the party to your place.”

As he spoke, he grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the living room.

The sharp smell of chili hit me.

I started coughing so violently that my throat felt like it was closing.

I had been severely allergic to chili peppers since I was little. Even the smell could set me off.

But Chloe still brought a whole bowl of fiery Cajun broth right up to me.

”Avery, you’re awake. Try the spicy Cajun broth my mom made.”

The sharp heat seemed to crawl over my skin.

I shoved the bowl away. ”Get it away from me.”

The broth splashed all over Chloe.

”I’m sorry,” she said, her eyes filling with tears. ”I know you think my food is beneath you. I just wanted to share it.”

Ethan grabbed my wrist. ”Avery, why are you acting like such a spoiled—”

His furious expression turned pale when he saw how red my face had become.

”I’m sorry. I forgot about your chili allergy. Go back to your room. I’ll order you takeout after Chloe finishes eating.”

Then he pushed me into the bedroom.

Strange.

The suffocating feeling had already started to ease.

I was coughing less.

So why did my throat still feel as if it were pinned under a thousand-pound stone?

I could not stop myself from choking back a sob.

Outside, the laughter went on, as if my pain had been nothing more than a brief interruption.

But I remembered clearly.

The last time someone played a prank on me with a cupcake laced with chili extract, I ended up in the hospital.

Ethan had gone almost crazy. He beat the person up and warned everyone that if they ever used chili to mess with me again, they were asking to die.

After that, whenever I was at a meal, not a single dish with chili appeared.

Even bowls and utensils that had accidentally touched spicy seasoning at home had been thrown out by him.

So why?

Why had he forgotten that I could not be around chili?

And why had he brought people I hated into my home to do something that could put my life in danger?

Tears rushed down my face.

I swallowed two antihistamines, opened the door, and walked out under their startled gazes.

Then I dumped every bowl they had been using into the pot.

The pot, the broth, the food, all of it went out into the hallway.

Ethan frowned. ”What are you doing? I said I’d order you takeout. It’s just spicy food. We’re all friends. Is this really necessary?”

My eyes were red as I stared at him. ”Yes, Ethan. It is necessary. Friends don’t bully me. Friends don’t betray me. And friends don’t almost kill me.”

”They’re your friends. Chloe’s friends. Not mine. I don’t have friends. Take them and get out.”

Everyone froze.

No matter how badly Ethan and I had fought before, it had never been this ugly.

Chloe’s eyes reddened. ”I’m sorry. This was my fault. I didn’t know you couldn’t handle chili. I’ll leave now.”

Ethan snapped out of his daze.

His eyes turned dark as he looked at me. ”Fine. If you want to make everything into a big deal and act like no one is good enough for you, have it your way. Don’t come begging me later.”

He grabbed Chloe and strode out, kicking the spilled broth all over the apartment hallway.

”Ethan, this is all my fault,” Chloe said. ”Don’t ruin a friendship of more than ten years because of me.”

Ethan paused for a second, then gave a cold laugh.

”This is all she has. Her parents are gone. Her uncle cut her off because she refused to study abroad. I’m the only one she has here.”

”I’m not going to keep indulging her. Let her throw her tantrum. In less than three days, she’ll swallow her pride and come find me.”

My chest tightened.

Back then, he was the one who had said training alone was boring and begged me to join track with him.

So the promise we made when we were young had only ever mattered to me.

But Ethan, this time, I really had grown up.

And I did not need you anymore.