I remember that night. It was one of these things, and I’d met Isaac at the bar. I didn’t know he was Noah’s direct competitor, and he was charming and had seemed interested in me, so when he asked if he could give me his number, I didn’t hesitate.
Noah had found us while Isaac was inputting his number and while he had seemed pissed, I didn’t think it was because of this.
“I watched him do it, I just didn’t know it at the time.”
“How do you know?”
“You came to the office the next day,” She says, matter of fact, “Was in his office.”
I nod.
“You stepped out to go to the bathroom, but Noah got a call so I headed inside his office to let him know. He was on your cell, Sidney.”
“How do you know it was mine?” I press.
“You’ve had it at least since that night, right? Got that little pink and black case. Now I could be wrong, right? Does he go on your phone often?”
I feel the blood drain from my face and that must be enough of an answer for her.
“So let me ask you again,” She continues, that smug look on her face making me feel sick. She knows exactly what she’s just done. “Who would you have picked? Noah or Isaac?”
“I need to go,” I can hear how weak and quiet my voice is, how hurt it is. It can’t be true. It has to be some kind of coincidence. She’s just making assumptions to try and cause harm.
“Ah, well,” Lauren plucks up her purse, “Have a good night, I guess.”
Her heels clip against the tiled floor as she exits, leaving me alone for a moment. I meet my eyes in the mirror, seeing the hollow look that’s replaced the excitement that was there only sixty minutes ago.
Sickness rolls through my gut and I’m not sure what’s worse. The invasion of my privacy or the fact that helied.He’s lied for months. To my face.
When I complained about the fact that Isaac ghosted me, he comforted me, we got beer and pizza and pretended it didn’t happen.
Honestly, I don’t give a single fuck about Isaac. I don’t care that it never worked out. I was never interested in him, not really. It had always been Noah, but I had gone through the motions of trying to find someone when I didn’t think he felt the same way I did. I tried to find that spark with someone else and he knew this. And instead of admitting to what he did, he sabotaged it.
For the longest time, I’ve wondered what was wrong withme.
Why hasn’t it worked out?
Why don’t people like me?
And he knew this!
He added to it. Onpurpose.
This has to be a mistake. Maybe he was just sending himself a picture from my phone. Granted, that man has never once been on my phone without my permission but that doesn’t mean anything, right? This isn’t true. It can’t be.
Pressing my hand to my stomach, I try to ease the nausea rolling through it. I try to plaster a smile on my face, but it falls completely flat, my eyes dull…hurt.
Noah lied to me.
He lied to me.
I need to get out of here.
I’m not ignoring the fact that Lauren did this on purpose. She wanted this outcome, but I can’t blame her. It was done in malice, but that doesn’t excuse the betrayal.
Gripping my purse, I push out of the bathroom, entering the crowd. The noise hits me first but then I feel eyes on me.Hiseyes.
I find him immediately, meeting the stormy gray and I am not able to mask the pain. Even from across the room, I see his face crumble.
