Chapter 6

Graham' s eyes, fixed on my phone screen, lit up with a mixture of shock and dawning delight. He snatched my phone from the pavement, his fingers flying across the screen. "Katelyn! Is this... is this what I think it is?" he stammered, his voice breathless with excitement. "Your exchange application? You got in?"

He looked at me, his eyes shining. "Why didn't you tell me? Was it supposed to be a surprise?" He was practically vibrating with excitement, a desperate, hopeful smile stretching across his face.

I just nodded. A small, almost imperceptible nod. It was supposed to be a surprise. My anniversary gift. A testament to my love, my commitment to our future. But that future had crumbled. The surprise had died a silent death.

He let out a whoop of joy, pulling me into a fierce hug. "Katelyn, this is amazing! This is incredible! We can finally be together! You're actually coming to London!" He was so caught up in his manufactured fantasy, so oblivious to the cold, dead weight of my body in his arms.

He didn't notice the subsequent message on my phone, the one that detailed the specific university. He didn't see the confirmation letter for "Technische Universität Berlin." He was too busy spinning dreams of our future in London.

"Oh my god, Katelyn, this changes everything!" he gushed, releasing me but still holding my hands tight. "We can get an apartment! I've already seen a few places, gorgeous, two-bedroom flats with a view of the Thames. We can decorate it, make it our own. We'll explore all the museums, eat at all the fancy restaurants! We'll spend weekends in Paris, take day trips to the countryside. It'll be perfect!" His eyes sparkled with a vision of a future that would never be ours.

My heart was a stone in my chest. No flicker of emotion, no warmth, no excitement. Just a profound, aching emptiness. His words, once filled with such promise, now felt hollow, a cruel echo of a past that was already dead.

I remembered his chat messages with Britney. Let's go to Paris, B! You always wanted to see the Eiffel Tower. Remember that little bistro we found by the Thames? We have to go back! He had already lived this future. With her. He had already made these memories. With her. He had already shared these dreams. With her.

"Katelyn? Are you okay? You're so quiet." His voice broke into my thoughts, a slight frown creasing his brow.

Before I could answer, the doorbell rang.

Graham' s face, still flushed with excitement, immediately dropped. A shadow of annoyance crossed his features. "Who could that be?" he muttered, already knowing the answer.

He opened the door. Britney stood there, a large cake box in her hands, her eyes wide and innocent. "Graham! There you are! I was so worried about you." She pouted. "You just left me crying in the street! Are you mad at me?"

Graham sighed, rubbing his temples. "Britney, now's not a good time."

She ignored him, her gaze falling on me. Her eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly, then widened again with feigned sweetness. "Katelyn! You're back! Oh, I hope you didn't misunderstand anything yesterday. Graham was just so stressed, and I was just trying to help." She offered me a saccharine smile. "I brought cake! To celebrate Katelyn's arrival!"

My hands clenched at my sides. I forced a smile. "No misunderstanding, Britney. I understand completely." My voice was a calm, steady blade. "It's all quite clear."

Graham, misinterpreting my calm, let out a silent breath of relief. Britney, seeing his relief, pushed past him, sashaying into the apartment. She placed the cake on the table, opened it, and ceremoniously sliced a piece, offering it to me first.

"Here, Katelyn! It's your favorite red velvet! Graham told me." She beamed, a triumphant glint in her eyes.

I took a small bite. It was cloyingly sweet, coating my mouth with artificial flavor. I put the fork down. "It's a bit too sweet for me now," I said, my voice neutral. "My stomach can't handle it."

Britney' s smile faltered. "Oh! Really? I'm so sorry! I thought... Graham always said he loved sweet things. He said red velvet was his favorite." She glanced at Graham, a subtle question in her eyes.

Graham just stood there, looking bewildered, completely oblivious to the subtle power play.

A wave of nausea washed over me. I couldn't breathe in this suffocating atmosphere of lies and manipulation. I pushed back my chair. "I need some air."

As I stood up, Britney reached out, her hand closing around my wrist. "Katelyn, wait! Don't be mad. I just want us all to be friends!" She tried to pull me back, her grip surprisingly strong.

I tried to pull away, but she held fast. Then, with a sudden, deliberate stumble, she lost her footing, pulling me off balance. She let out a small yelp, her head hitting the edge of the table with a theatrical thud. She crumpled to the floor, clutching her head, her eyes welling up with tears.

"Britney! Oh my god! Are you okay?" Graham rushed to her side, his face a mask of concern. He gently cradled her head, his fingers checking for a bump. He then turned to me, his eyes blazing with a fury I had never seen directed at me. "Katelyn! What did you do? Why would you push her?"

The words hung in the air, sharp and poisonous. What did you do? Why would you push her? He was accusing me. Blaming me. For her theatrical fall. For the first time in our relationship, he was taking someone else's side, and turning his anger on me.

My throat tightened. My eyes burned. I wanted to scream, to defend myself, to tell him what she had just done. But the words died on my lips. I remembered every argument we'd ever had, every time he'd said, "I'd always choose you, Katelyn. No matter what." Every time he'd sworn he would never, ever turn on me.

My nose stung. A wave of profound sadness washed over me, so deep it left me breathless. I closed my eyes, a single tear escaping. There was no point in explaining. He wouldn't believe me. He had already chosen.

Graham, oblivious to my pain, continued to fuss over Britney, murmuring soothing words, gently stroking her hair. He then stood up, his face grim. "I'm going to get some ice for her. And pain medication." He shot me a cold, disgusted look. "You should know better, Katelyn." He then left, Britney still on the floor, looking up at me with a smirk.

The moment Graham was gone, Britney' s tears vanished. She sat up, rubbing her head, a triumphant glint in her eyes. "Well, Katelyn," she said, her voice dripping with venom, "Looks like you lost this round too, didn't you?"