"Edmund agreed to let you go to Antarctica?"
"Why would I need his permission to go anywhere?"
"But aren’t you and he...?"
"Edmund and I are just friends."
Victoria didn’t even flinch as the words left her lips. To her surprise, she felt a strange calmness wash over her.
She understood why her best friend had asked.
For the past five years, she had loved Edmund with everything she had.
She had learned to cook, do the laundry, handle housework, all for him.
When he said he preferred girls in dresses, she tossed out all her jeans and jackets, replacing them with an endless collection of frilly gowns.
When he said he didn’t want their relationship to be public, fearing it might interfere with his studies, she kept quiet, fading into the shadows as the quiet woman behind him.
Even though everyone knew they were living together, Edmund never acknowledged her on social media.
Not a single photo of her appeared in his posts.
Everyone knew they were together, yet they also knew that Victoria wasn’t Edmund’s girlfriend.
Despite this, she had sacrificed her chance to join the Antarctic research team for him.
Some whispered behind her back, mocking her as a lovesick puppy.
Others said she’d never be anything more than what she was to him now.
Back then, Victoria didn’t care.
Now, she cared even less.
On the other end of the phone, her best friend let out a relieved sigh.
"It’s good to hear you’re thinking like this."
"When Isabella went abroad, Edmund couldn’t get her off his mind. And now that she’s back, he’s practically wagging his tail, begging for her forgiveness."
"If we’re being polite, we’d call it sentimental. But if we’re being honest, he’s just greedy, eating from one bowl while eyeing the next."
"Those two are a match made in hell. I just hope they stay together and leave the rest of us in peace."
Victoria couldn’t help but laugh aloud, but her laughter was cut short when a familiar voice called her name.
"Victoria?"
She looked up and saw Isabella, arm linked with Edmund’s, walking toward her.
"I thought it looked like you. It really is!"
Isabella’s smile danced with mischief, while Edmund looked visibly uncomfortable, his hand instinctively trying to pull away. "Victoria? What brings you here?"
Victoria’s eyes fell on the bowl of food Edmund was holding. He didn’t like buffalo wings, so they were clearly for Isabella.
Isabella noticed Victoria’s glance and explained with a deliberate, almost teasing tone, "I suddenly craved buffalo wings, so Edmund came with me to grab some."
"I’m sorry for being gone so long; I couldn’t even remember where the restaurant was."
"I hope you’re not upset I took him away."
Though it sounded like an explanation, it carried the sharp edge of a taunt.
"Why would I be upset? We’re all friends," Victoria replied with a calm, composed smile.
"But what a coincidence, I was here for buffalo wings too. After all..."
Her gaze swept over the pair before continuing, "After all, my takeout still hasn’t arrived. I wonder if it got delivered to the wrong address."
Her words made Edmund furrow his brow and just as he opened his mouth to explain, Victoria waved at them brightly.
"But now that I smell yours, I’ve suddenly lost my appetite. The meat doesn’t seem fresh; it smells slightly off."
"Well, I’ll be going now. Enjoy your meal."
Back at her apartment, the evening had already settled in.
As her eyes swept around the familiar space, the scattered remnants of their shared life made her feel momentarily unmoored.
She and Edmund had met in their sophomore year.
Though they studied different subjects and were in separate departments, fate had brought them together in the same classroom.
