2: 2
Two months ago, my biological mother found me.
She lives in the West now, and she had been wanting to bring me over to study abroad.
But I couldn't bear to leave Clay, so I kept putting her off, and I never got around to telling him any of it.
Now there was no point.
I forced myself through the last lap, planning to go straight back to the dorm and rest.
But Clay said everyone was heading to a restaurant to celebrate Bridget, and I had to come along.
My head was spinning, and cold pangs kept rolling through my lower belly. On top of that, I wasn't even on the student council anymore. I meant to say no.
Clay frowned and cut in.
"Bri thinks of you as her best friend. That's the only reason she invited you. And you're going to fake being sick just to ruin it for her? If you don't come, she'll be hurt."
"Besides, that whole thing earlier was just people running their mouths. You don't need to take it to heart."
"Clem, you lost the bet, so own it. Don't make everyone think you can't handle losing. Go change, and don't keep them waiting."
In the end, he dragged me to the restaurant anyway.
Once the food was on the table, someone shot Clay a knowing look.
"Clay, didn't you get Bridget a celebration gift? What are you waiting for?"
Clay raised an eyebrow and pulled a jewelry box out of his coat.
He opened it, and inside was a delicate diamond bracelet.
Bridget clapped a hand over her mouth in delight, and the others shrieked.
"Oh my God, isn't that a piece from that little jewelry exhibition the other day? That's got to be over four hundred grand, right?"
"No wonder Clay put in the money his family gave him for a car, and even sold that new watch of his. Bridget really does have it going on."
I froze and glanced at Clay's wrist without thinking.
Bare, just as they said.
Last year Clay had had his eye on a watch.
His family was comfortable enough, but not so comfortable that they'd casually drop a hundred thousand on a watch.
I was the one who worked part-time jobs for a year and a half, took a few small design commissions on the side.
Then I pulled part of it from the allowance my mother wired me, and finally gave it to him a few weeks ago for his birthday.
Back then he was so happy he'd spun me around in his arms, saying he'd treasure it, that he'd keep it until he was eighty.
And now he'd sold it, for Bridget?
All at once my stomach turned violently.
I shot to my feet, the chair scraping with an awful screech, and everyone stared at me, startled.
I couldn't stop to explain. I ran to the restroom outside and dry-heaved until there was nothing left.
When I came out, Clay was standing in the doorway with a dark look on his face, and the first thing out of his mouth was an accusation.
"Clementine, how long are you going to keep sulking?"
"Do you have any idea how humiliating it was for Bri when you just walked out like that in front of everyone? She thinks you're still angry. Her eyes were red."
"You're going to go back in and apologize to her."
I found it almost funny.
"You sold the watch I worked so hard to buy, to get another girl a gift, and I'm not allowed to be angry?"
"Clay, do you even remember today is our fifth anniversary?"
Clay went blank for a moment, then his frown dug in deeper. "Can you stop being so unreasonable? Who said I forgot?"
He shoved a document envelope into my arms.
"Aren't you planning to do jewelry design after graduation?"
"Here. I took these photos for you at the exhibition. That's enough for you to study and work from for a while."
I looked at those photos and laughed.
"So Bridget gets a diamond bracelet worth hundreds of thousands, and all I'm worth is a stack of photos you snapped in passing?"
"Clay, who exactly is your girlfriend here?"
A wave of irritation rose in Clay's face.
"Everything was fine. Why are you bringing this up now?"
"We can celebrate an anniversary every year. But today matters to Bridget. She's wanted that bracelet for ages, and you, her so-called best friend, did nothing. Somebody had to show some care to your friend for you."
"It's just a piece of jewelry. You'd even fight her over that? Fine, once I'm working I'll get you something better. Money, money, money, that's all you talk about. Clem, we haven't even started real life yet. Don't turn into someone this materialistic!"
I stood there, staring, as he turned and stormed off in a temper.
But this was never about the bracelet.
When I got back to the private room, the door was half open, and inside they were playing a spin-the-wheel game.
Bridget's spin had landed on choosing someone of the opposite sex to kiss for three minutes.
Refuse, and you had to down a beer.
She caught sight of me out of the corner of her eye and made a show of being torn.
"Oh, this... My stomach hasn't been great today... but I think I'll just drink."
She'd barely reached for it when Clay snatched the glass away.
"You already don't feel well, and you're going to drink? Are you trying to hurt yourself?"
With that, he cupped the back of Bridget's head and kissed her, right there.
