ionally checked her phone, and I saw the name 'Mark' light up the screen. Each time, a knot of acid formed in my stomach. I was driving m

trees. I checked into my room-a king suite with a stone fireplace and a balcony ov

es down the road," she said brightly. "We're going to get settle

as deafening. I walked out onto the balcony. The air was crisp and cold, smelling of pine and wet earth. It was su

as promised. `Meet at the tra

d laughing about something, their body language easy and familiar. Sarah was wearing a ne

, as if we were just three frien

at me, a smirk pl

e I trailed behind like a third wheel. They talked about meditation, about energy flows, about

his region is fascinating," I said at one point, pointing

m." Then she immediately turned back to Mark. "A

ow-capped peaks, I tried one last time. I took out th

remembered you li

rk, who was helping her adjust her backp

id, her voice soft. "You

rink from his own water bottle. She took it, their fingers brushing. The small gesture was mor

ff on one side. The path was slick with loose gravel. As Sarah steppe

er arm to pull her back. At the same instant, Ma

d her. She

on his. She instinctively leaned towards him, pulling her arm from my grasp as if

ed, her voice shak

d pulled away. She hadn't even looked at me. In a moment of perceived crisis, I

gering fantasy, died. The cold, hard truth crashed down on me with the force o

r of silent misery. Back at the par

said to the air. "I think I'll go b

atched them drive away, dust kicking up from the ti

y breath. My vision started to swim. I leaned against my car, my legs suddenly weak. The stress, the humiliation, the final, brutal