to Tessa's apartment,

d luxury. High-end furniture, designer décor, the kind of perfectly curated space that made you wo

the most comfortable place i

pent most of my worst nights on her couch, wrapped in an ove

otification on my phone, I kn

sive brand I don't recognize, and collapse onto her couch. Popping

prayed for him to reach out. N

It's probably just

ne message could

mach twists as I realize I neve

nd the last time we did... well, it wasn't great. I'm not

mes' sake, I think we should try to be amicable. And hone

efore the season starts. Never thought I'd meet the

te to your email. It's a couples-only trip, so bring your boyfriend. Or that f

y hope you come

he screen, he

getting

ne at a pace tha

cruise? A coup

ther large

imagined Zane reaching out to

the bottle when the

n y

in all that time, I was never enough for h

ths, he's found his br

wedding with, when I had to beg j

e to celebrate their love b

that extravagant. I just wan

said it wouldn't last, that we were too young to know anything

thought away. One day, I'll have to unpack that can of worms, I'd

h high school together, then college. His

e long game. Everyone but Zane, the person who wa

rson I truly

g my last name or wearing his ring on my

wanted to marry him so badly was

she was

s alway

ne bottle is nowhere to be found, and in my attempt to loc

ands are clumsy and shaking. Tessa. Sh

ce is warm and steady, like a lifeline. "Hey, honey

e comes out in a pathetic slurp as

nd the room. Where the

arching for t

B

against Tessa

e it might fall off. The pain is sharp, but my

alance, I miscalculate com

e couch I'd be

ously. I swear it wasn

ss her couch disappea

uffled voices in the background before she lowers her voic

is wedding. And a month long couple-only cruise before the wedding,

a lunatic the

t was I la

t at the phone.

till here. Just... stay put, okay? I'll be back from work before you

gh that I can hear the

I have something im

the ca