My parents set me up with Kyle’s family when
they passed away.
I never liked him, so I kept my distance.
It’s time to give Kyle a chance.
At least, he was single with no baggage.
Word spread around school that Jake and I
were done.
He became the first of many chasing Brittany.
Wherever Brittany was, Jake was.
He was totally infatuated.
L
Jake’s tall frame was dappled by the light
from the trees outside my dorm.
My friend, Jenny, looked at me nervously.
“Annie, you’re gonna find someone hotter and
more successful than Jake.”
I gave her a weak smile and didn’t respond.
Everyone thought Jake dumped me for
Brittany.
I’ve been dealing with pitying looks all week.
I can almost ignore them.
All of a sudden, a nervous guy jumped out
from behind a tree.
“Annie, this is for you.”
He was holding a box of imported chocolate.
Super expensive. Pretty packaging.
But this wasn’t for me. It was for Brittany.
Everyone knows Brittany and I were attached
at the hip.
All the guys chasing Brittany like to go through me first.
At a reunion after graduation, I learned how bad my reputation really was. People thought I was a player, only interested in rich guys
and free stuff.
Brittany knew this and happily accepted the
<
“I can’t give her stuff for you anymore, she’s
going to have to get used to it,” I said,
making the guy blush.
Just then, Brittany came out of the dorm.
Jake stepped forward, looking stern.
“Annie, what are you talking about? Brittany never took anything from him,” he said, like someone was trying to steal his precious
treasure.
“Oh, really?”
Brittany was the pure, untouched goddess,
not about to get caught doing that.
“Brittany, you didn’t take any gifts from other
L
Brittany gave a small grin.
“Annie, I know you and Jake broke up, and you’re upset, but I don’t blame you.”
I was even colder to her than I am to Jake.
“That expensive phone you’re holding is from him, the headphones are from this other
dude, and the flowers last week were from
him too. She told him flowers were too cliché,
so he gave her fancy lipstick.”
I know all the details.
“Annie, those were all from your admirers,
weren’t they?” Jenny asked.
I shook my head.
“All for Brittany. I gave them all to her.”
Brittany stopped with the cute act.
“I thought they were for me.”
I scoffed.
“Do you believe her?”
Jenny threw her hands up.
“Of course not!”
But Jake was staring at her, so she touched
her nose nervously.
“Maybe she just misunderstood.”
Jake said. “You accepted someone else’s
<
gifts and blamed Brittany. Are you for real?”
I felt a pang of pain, but I shook it off.
“What’s wrong?”
Jake rushed to help me, his brow furrowed.
I snapped back to reality and pulled away.
“If you don’t believe me, I can call everyone
and we can all talk together.”
“If you don’t believe me, I have people who
will testify.”
I looked at Brittany’s clenched fists and said,
“I have everyone’s contact info. Every time
Brittany took something, I let them know.
Should I call them now?”
Г
I acted like I was going for my phone.
“Enough, Annie! You’re just jealous that Brittany’s more popular than you. You’re jealous that she’s prettier than you. You’re
pathetic!”
I heard Jenny gasp.
Jake’s parents died, and he became mature.
He’s always been a gentle scholar in front of
everyone.
But there’s one exception.
Whenever Brittany was involved, he’d lose it.
I thought we were in the same boat, helping
<
each other through tough times, but he didn’t
have any other options at the time.
I closed my eyes and wanted to tell him.
He wasn’t even in the top ten on Brittany’s
list.
Jake became the big boss and was now
feared by all.
Brittany came back from Europe and finally
gave him a chance.
They were secretly going on dates while I was giving him advice about life.
How many times did Jake feel annoyed when
I sent him all those messages about taking
care of himself while he was having fun with
<
I never told Jake that his success was
because of me.
His ego was fragile.
I’m so happy I’m not the one being used this
time.
He had the audacity to accuse me of being
jealous.
I had to set the record straight.
“Jake, why are you defending Brittany?”
Ignoring his face, I grabbed Jenny and left.
I think I got under Jake’s skin, because he
stopped waiting for Brittany after school.
く
Brittany was focused on the competition, so
she didn’t notice Jake.
The campus competition was coming up, and
I met Brittany in the piano room.
I finished playing a song and saw Brittany at
the door.
She looked off, so I smiled.
“Annie, I didn’t know you were so good.”
I closed the piano and packed my stuff.
“Is that so? I guess I’m just a little better than
you.”
Brittany stopped me as I tried to walk away.
L
“Annie, please don’t enter the competition
this year. I know you’re only competing
against me because of Jake, but you can’t
blame me. He’s the one who’s obsessed with
me.”
I wanted Jake to see Brittany.
“I’m entering the competition because I want
to, and your life is not my business.”
I didn’t want to talk to her.
