The bachelor's party was meant to wrap up in just a few hours, but somehow Kael had decided to stretch it into another day.
I was sitting at the airport café, sipping the bitter coffee that had gone cold far too quickly, when my phone lit up with a notification.
Out of habit, I tapped it open.
Someone had posted a series of pictures. They were in a club with bright neon lights even though the sun was high outside.
Music pulsed in the background of the short videos, glasses clinking, people laughing.
And there, in several of the pictures, was Kael.
Kael… and Lyandra.
They were standing far too close, heads tilted toward each other, their smiles too intimate for comfort. In one shot, she had her hand on his shoulder, and he wasn't exactly pushing it away.
They looked like a couple.
My lips curled into a faint, humorless smile.
I wasn't surprised.
Disappointed? Yes.
But shocked? Not anymore.
As I scrolled through the images, I found myself remembering how it had all started.
Kael and I had met back in high school. I had been a shy but determined student, focused on grades but willing to try new things.
Lyandra had been my best friend since grade school, though "best friend" felt like a fragile title now.
She had always been… competitive. Jealous, even. It had started with little things like copying my clothes or trying to outshine me in group projects, but I told myself it was harmless.
That was what friends sometimes did. I tolerated it because, deep down, I didn't think she could ever really hurt me.
I met Kael during the school's annual sports fest. He was on the basketball team, all easy charm and quick wit, and I hadn't thought much of him at first.
But somehow, we ended up sitting together during a lunch break, talking about music and favorite movies, laughing like we had known each other for years.
We started dating a year later.
That was when Lyandra began to weave herself into our time together. At first, it seemed harmless.
She would join us for group dinners, help Kael plan little surprises for me. But then, something shifted. The way she looked at him wasn't the way a best friend should look at her best friend's boyfriend.
And every now and then, she would say something sharp and subtle little digs that made me feel like I was the one being unreasonable.
By the time we all reached college, I often found myself in situations where Kael and Draven would look at me as though I were the villain.
As though my discomfort was unjustified.
It was only now, years later, sitting here in this airport, that I could see the truth clearly.
Lyandra had been trying to take everything from me, piece by piece.
I exhaled slowly, forcing my hand to put down the phone. My chest felt tight, but I refused to let it crush me.
It was fine. I told myself I was letting it go. All of it.
My phone buzzed again. This time, it was Mom.
"Are you about to depart?" she asked as soon as I answered.
"Yes," I said, my voice calm, almost detached.
"Good. I'll be waiting here," she replied softly.
I nodded, even though she couldn't see me. "Alright, Mom. I'll see you soon."
Hanging up, I gathered my things. The boarding call echoed through the airport, and I stood, walking toward the gate.
I didn't look back.
---
The next day, sunlight spilled through thin curtains, casting a sharp glare on Kael's face. He groaned, turning over. His head was pounding, every heartbeat drumming against his skull.
And then he froze.
Lyandra was there, curled up beside him, tangled in the sheets.
She looked peaceful, content even, as though the world outside this room didn't matter.
"What the hell…" he muttered, running a hand down his face. His memory was a blur. The party. The drinks. The club. And then… nothing.
Before he could piece it together, his phone started ringing on the nightstand. The shrill sound made his headache worse.
With a low growl, he grabbed it and answered without checking who it was.
"What?" he snapped, his voice gravelly.
The voice on the other end was just as sharp. "Where the hell are you, Kael?!"
He frowned. "Who's this—?"
"Don't you know the voice of your father? Never mind. The wedding is about to start. You're not here, and the guests are already waiting. When are you coming?"
Kael sat bolt upright, the blood draining from his face.
The wedding.
His wedding.
His stomach lurched, panic clawing up his throat as he hurriedly rushed out to prepare.
"No… no, no. How the hell could I forget my own wedding?"
