I looked down and gave a small laugh, then pulled an old movie ticket out of my pocket.
"So how do you explain this?"
Tyler glanced at it, and his face shifted at once.
"You went through my pockets."
His hand came up on reflex to snatch it back.
But I only stared at him, cold.
"I said I wanted to see that movie. You and Isabel had already seen it."
"I told myself it was a coincidence. That the two of you just happened to have the same idea."
"It never crossed my mind."
"That you were the one who asked her to go with you."
Under what circumstances does a man skip over his own girlfriend to go see a movie alone with his girlfriend's best friend?
I couldn't think of one.
But once he was caught, there was no panic on his face at all. His brows only knit tighter.
"It was just one movie."
"Yes, I asked Isabel to come. So what does that prove?"
"Her advisor had assigned a reaction paper on that exact film."
"A friend had given me a ticket, so we went. It's that simple."
I froze for a moment.
Tyler, always so terse, never bothered with long-winded explanations like this.
Except when it came to Isabel.
For her, he always made an exception.
I had nothing left to say. I turned to leave, and he caught me by the wrist.
"Elaine, can you please stop letting your mind run wild?"
"You're my girlfriend."
"Your best friend and I just share the same sign, that's all, so our personalities and ideas and interests happen to line up."
"At most she's a close friend."
"Or another version of me."
"You're the only one I love. It won't be anyone else."
My steps only paused for a beat, and I walked out anyway, without looking back.
At the door I ran straight into Isabel, her face full of surprise.
"Elaine?"
"It's so late. Where are you off to?"
My eyes dropped to the two cups of coffee in her hands.
Starbucks.
Most of the times I wasn't around, Isabel would bring two, one for her and one for Tyler.
"Isabel, shouldn't I be the one asking you?"
"It's this late. What are you doing at my place?"
I smiled, and took one of the cups from her hand.
"You brought me coffee, right? I'll take it."
"Hey—that one isn't for—"
Isabel caught the look on Tyler's face and shut her mouth instantly, forcing on a smile.
"Oh, Elaine, it's just a cup of coffee. Look at you, my little glutton, fighting your own boyfriend over it."
"I only figured you usually don't have to stay late running experiments, so I didn't get you any food."
"Since you want it, then this one of mine can go to Tyler."
But she'd clearly already taken a sip from that cup's straw, a faint trace of lipstick still on it.
Tyler, who was always so particular, didn't mind in the least. He took it right from her.
"Thanks."
"Those experiment files you wanted, I'll send them to your email later."
"No rush!"
Isabel waved a hand, then turned and crouched down to pet the cat Tyler kept.
The motions easy, familiar, as though she were back in her own home, stroking her own pet.
"Tyler, why is your cat still so skinny?"
"Didn't you feed it that cat food I bought last time?"
Tyler laughed too.
"Of course I did. It just won't put on weight."
He leaned in toward her without thinking, and the two of them fell into their back-and-forth.
And in an instant, I was air again.
