Chapter 4

I baked Colten' s favorite chocolate fudge cake, adding extra dark chocolate chips just the way he liked them. My heart fluttered with a nervous excitement as I carefully placed it in a box, tied with a bright red ribbon. I imagined his surprise, his rare, genuine smile when he saw me waiting at his dorm. He' ll be so touched, Ila. You' re the most thoughtful girlfriend ever! The Comments sang, a sweet melody of anticipation.

I arrived at his building in the late afternoon, the golden hour painting the campus in warm hues. I sat on a bench outside, clutching the cake, my phone clutched in my other hand, ready to send him a cute little "Happy Birthday!" text.

The sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in fiery oranges and purples. Then the sky turned inky black, and the campus lights flickered on. Still no Colten.

My calls went straight to voicemail, each automated message twisting a new knot in my stomach. The cake, once perfectly shaped, began to sag under its own weight, the frosting melting slightly in the humid night air. I imagined it slowly collapsing, just like my hopes.

Panic started to set in. What if something happened? What if he was hurt? I even considered calling campus security, my hands shaking as I scrolled through my contacts.

Then, a new message popped up. It was Kelsey. A single screenshot.

It was from Addisyn' s Instagram story. A brightly filtered image of Colten, surrounded by lab mates, a smear of cake frosting on his nose, a wide, unrestrained laugh on his face. The caption read: "Happy Birthday to the most brilliant mind and kindest soul! So glad to celebrate with our lab family!"

My breath left me in a ragged gasp. Colten, laughing, with cake frosting on his face. He' d always claimed he hated the texture of frosting, citing "sensory issues" when I' d tried to playfully smear a bit on his cheek on my birthday. He' d recoiled, his face tight with annoyance.

Now, he was practically beaming at Addisyn, his eyes crinkling at the corners in a way I hadn't seen in months. The kind of adoration that had once been reserved for me. My own birthday, a few months ago, had been a quiet dinner, just the two of us, overshadowed by his phone constantly buzzing with lab notifications.

No, Ila, don' t be silly. It' s just a work celebration. He' s being polite. He' s obligated! The Comments tried to reason, but their voices sounded tinny, distant.

The cake slipped from my numb fingers, thudding softly onto the cold pavement. The box burst open, and the once perfect chocolate fudge collapsed into a messy, dark puddle. A bitter, acidic taste filled my mouth. This wasn' t just a work celebration. This was betrayal.

I sat there, frozen, the tears starting to fall, silent and hot, stinging my cheeks. I wanted to scream, to smash something, but all I could do was sob, the sound muffled by the still night air.

A shadow fell over me. Colten. He looked exhausted, but his eyes were sharp, scrutinizing the ruined cake, then my tear-streaked face. "Ila? What are you doing here?" His voice was flat, devoid of warmth.

"Where... where were you?" I choked out, my throat raw.

He glanced at the mess on the ground, a faint look of disgust flashing across his face. "In the lab, obviously. Working. What else do you think?"

My chest tightened, a searing pain blossoming in my ribs. I shoved my phone's screen, still displaying Addisyn's story, into his face. "Working? What about this, Colten? 'Most brilliant mind and kindest soul?' You said you hated cake on your face! You said you had sensory issues! But for Addisyn, you're fine?" My voice rose, cracking with each word.

He frowned, his lips thin. "What's with the attitude, Ila? It was a simple lab celebration. Are you seriously making a scene on my birthday?"

The comment was like a physical blow. The last remnant of my composure shattered. The image of the fallen cake, a dark, sweet mess, mirrored the brokenness inside me. My vision blurred.

"My attitude?" I screamed, tears streaming down my face. "What about your attitude? What about her? What about us? Do you love her, Colten? Is that what this is?"

I lunged forward, grabbing his shirt, my fingers digging into the fabric. I pulled him close, my nails scratching at his skin. A button, a small, polished pearl, popped off his shirt and bounced onto the ground. It was the same button I' d sewn back on for him just last week, the one from his favorite shirt, the one he' d worn on our first date. Our first date.

His eyes, usually filled with a detached intelligence, were now cold, devoid of any recognition or warmth. He looked at me like I was a stranger, a pest. "You're being hysterical, Ila," he said, his voice clipped, disgusted. "It's my birthday, and you're assaulting me. She's just a colleague. Can't you just be sensible for once?" He gripped my wrists, his fingers like steel, and peeled my hands off him. "You always do this. Always overreacting. You need to grow up."