The Blindfold Game That Ended Us Chapter 03

The Blindfold Game That Ended Us Chapter 03

I opened my phone. His message stared back at me, stark and urgent: [Don’t say anything.]

I stared at those two words until my eyes started to sting.

My fingers traced the scar on my hand without thinking.

Eight years, and it hadn’t hurt in a long time. But tonight, it itched like crazy.

Like something was pushing up through the bone, growing out, then rotting from the inside.

“So, get this,” one of the girls spoke up. “Olivia’s parents told her if she doesn’t find someone this time, she shouldn’t even bother coming back.”

“Like that’s gonna happen,” someone else jumped in.

“For real. With all the eligible guys in this room? No way she’s leaving empty-handed.”

Olivia bit her lip and smiled, saying nothing. Her ears went pink again.

“Come on, the solution’s right there.” Jake’s eyes slid toward Liam.

The room exploded again.

“Yeah, Liam, here’s your shot!”

“Don’t let her get away.”

“Perfect couple. Made for each other.”

Someone gave Olivia a little push toward Liam. She blushed but didn’t step away.

Liam just sat there with that unreadable half-smile.

He didn’t say anything.

But his silence was answer enough.

I suddenly remembered something. I opened my dad’s chat and typed out the answer to the question he’d asked me a thousand times: 　　[Okay. We’re good with whatever date you pick.]

I put the phone down.

Sophie Bennett, sitting diagonally across from me, leaned in. “Wedding date? Emma, you’re getting married?”

She hadn’t spoken loudly, but her words landed right in the lull between rounds of teasing.

Several pairs of eyes turned toward me.

I smiled. Didn’t deny it. “Yeah. I’m not getting any younger. My parents picked a date.”

“Holy shit!” Jake exploded. “We just found out you’re seeing someone, and now you’re jumping straight to marriage?”

“Is this mystery guy someone from our class?”

“When’s the big day?”

Questions flew at me from every direction. The energy shifted.

I laughed and tried to deflect, but then Olivia spoke up.

“Come on, don’t grill her like that. You’ll make her uncomfortable.” She paused. “But since you’ve set a date, you must have been together a while, right, Emma?”

The room went quiet. All eyes on me.

I gave a small smile. “We’ve known each other two weeks. He’s a good guy. Stable.”

That landed like a bomb.

Even the person across from me, the one who’d been so still and silent, sat up straighter.

“Wait, Emma, are you serious?”

“Yeah, with your situation? Two weeks seems fast.”

“It’s not that fast,” I said, taking a sip of tea. My voice stayed calm. “When you meet the right person and the stars align, two weeks is plenty.”