Chapter 2

The world tilted on its axis. Britney McKee. The name echoed in my mind, a venomous whisper. Britney, the socialite 'helpless' friend. Britney, the 'anxiety-ridden' student. Britney, the 'poor little rich girl' Graham used to complain about.

He had always painted her as a clingy, privileged "legacy student" who couldn't find her way to class without an escort. "She's so incompetent, Katelyn," he' d grumble over video calls. "Always needs someone to hold her hand." He would vent about her constant demands, her inability to grasp simple concepts, her uncanny talent for turning every minor inconvenience into a full-blown crisis requiring his immediate intervention. I' d listened, nodded, offered sympathy, never once thinking it was anything more than a venting session about a troublesome classmate.

I never paid much attention. Graham always had some drama going on, and I trusted him. He was my Graham.

But then, the calls started getting shorter. His replies, slower. One night, he didn't call at all. I stayed up, staring at my phone, a cold dread creeping into my heart. The next morning, he finally called, his voice thick with sleep. "Sorry, Katelyn. Britney had a panic attack after a late-night study session. I had to take her home and stay until she calmed down."

His words were laced with a concern that was new, unfamiliar. A possessiveness that wasn't directed at me. I felt a sharp pang of jealousy, a bitter taste in my mouth. It was the first time I truly felt replaced.

After that, his complaints about Britney took on a different tone. He still called her incompetent, still described her as a burden, but now there was a strange, almost tender note in his voice. Like a parent complaining about a troublesome child they secretly adored. I saw the shift. I felt it. The growing chasm between us.

Sleepless nights became my constant companion. My mind spun, desperate and terrified. Was he falling for her? Was this it? The long distance, the inevitable drift? I couldn't bear the thought. I needed to see him, to look into his eyes, to understand. I needed closure, one way or another. Whether it was to fight for us, or to finally let go.

So, I bought the ticket. Packed my bags. And flew halfway across the world, armed with a surprise anniversary gift and a heart full of desperate hope.

Now, alone in this sterile hotel room, the chill of betrayal seeped into my bones. I waited. Waited for his call, a text, anything. But the phone stayed silent. The minutes stretched into hours.

Finally, just before dinner, his name flashed across the screen.

"Katelyn, hey. So, about tonight... Britney's having a small celebration with some friends. For her anxiety being better. I really can't miss it." His voice was apologetic, but I could hear the underlying excitement. A celebration for her anxiety. My anniversary. The contrast was a punch to the gut.

"Oh," I said, my voice barely a whisper. "Can I... can I come?" The words were out before I could stop them. A desperate plea to be included, to see for myself.

A pause. A long, awkward silence that spoke volumes. I could practically hear him weighing his options, calculating the damage.

"Uh... Katelyn, it's just a small, intimate thing. You know, for Britney's close friends. It's really not... your scene." He stumbled over the words, clearly uncomfortable.

My heart sank. My question had been a test. And he had failed. Spectacularly. This wasn't a choice he was making for me, it was a choice he was making against me.

"No, it's okay," I quickly interjected, trying to save him, to save us both from the awkwardness. "You go. I'll just... order room service." The lie felt heavy on my tongue. The self-sacrifice felt like a death sentence.

A long, drawn-out sigh of relief escaped him. "Thank god. Okay. I'll come pick you up in an hour. We'll grab some food first." The relief in his voice was palpable. He didn't even try to hide it.

When he arrived, it was the same practiced charm, the same distant eyes. He took me to a bustling pub, the kind of place you go when you don't want to have a real conversation. The air was thick with loud music and forced laughter.

Then, there she was. Britney.

She was exactly as I'd pictured: slender, with wide, innocent eyes and a cascade of blonde hair. She wore a delicate dress that made her look fragile, like a porcelain doll. Her laughter was light, tinkling, drawing all attention to her. Graham' s friends, whom I barely knew, greeted me with stiff smiles and awkward silences. The air around them was thick with a knowledge I didn't possess, a secret they were all privy to.

"Katelyn! Oh my god, you're the Katelyn Hicks!" Britney exclaimed, rushing forward, her arms open for a hug. Her voice was pure saccharine, dripping with false innocence. "It's so good to finally meet you! Graham talks about you all the time." She pulled me into an embrace that was too tight, too long. Her perfume, sickly sweet, clung to me.

"Hi Britney," I managed, my voice tight.

Graham, seeing my stiff posture, quickly intervened. "Britney, don't be silly. That's Katelyn. My girlfriend." His words were firm, but his eyes darted nervously between us. He put an arm around my waist, a possessive gesture that felt hollow. It was all for show.

But Britney simply pouted. "Oh, I'm so sorry! I just hear about Katelyn so much, I feel like we're already family." She giggled, a sound that grated on my nerves. Then, to my horror, she playfully smacked Graham's arm. "Isn't that right, Graham? You always say I'm like your little sister!"

Graham stammered, caught off guard. "Uh, yeah, something like that." He gave me a strained smile, trying to smooth things over. But the damage was done. The way she had touched him, the intimate banter, the shared history in his eyes when he looked at her... It was all too clear.

His gaze, his entire attention, gravitated towards her. Like a moth to a flame. He laughed at her jokes, his eyes crinkling at the corners in a way they hadn't for me in months. He gently corrected her when she misspoke, his voice soft, almost tender. I watched, a silent observer, as my world crumbled around me. I was invisible. A ghost at my own anniversary celebration.

I ate in silence, picking at my food, the flavors bland and tasteless. Every glance, every whispered word exchanged between them, was a knife twisting in my heart. This wasn't what I came for. This wasn't love. This was a slow, agonizing death.

Later, back at the hotel, Graham asked, "Are you okay? You didn't eat much at dinner. Is the food here not to your taste?" He tried to sound concerned, but his eyes were already elsewhere, flicking to his phone.

"No, it's fine," I lied, my voice flat. "Just a bit jet-lagged. And the food was a little... rich for my stomach." A convenient excuse, one he wouldn't question.

He merely nodded, satisfied. He didn't push. He didn't really care. He just wanted to move on. He grabbed his phone, his face lighting up as he typed furiously. A smile blossomed on his lips, a genuine, unforced smile. The kind I used to get. He was probably texting Britney. Or maybe he was calling her. The depth of their connection, the ease of their communication, it was a chasm I couldn't cross.

He went into the bathroom to shower. His phone, left carelessly on the nightstand, buzzed relentlessly. Notifications from a chat app flashed across the screen. My heart pounded. I shouldn't. I really shouldn't. But I needed to know. I had to know. The logical engineer in me demanded data. The broken part of me yearned for undeniable proof, even if it destroyed me.

My fingers trembled as I reached for it. I hesitated, my conscience warring with my desperation. Then, a new message flashed. Britney. A heart emoji.

That was it. My resolve crumbled.

I picked up the phone. His lock screen was a picture of us, a forced smile on his face, but his eyes were distant even then. I tried our anniversary date. Incorrect. My birthday. Incorrect. My stomach dropped. I tried Britney's birthday.

The screen unlocked.