“I said what I said. I’ve thought it this entire time, but now I know.”
“You don’t know anything. You’ve barely seen us together.”
“I know he’s good-looking. I know he’s familiar, and you need that. But he’s not like you. He’s worse.”
“No, he’s not.”
Joey shook his head. “I can’t believe you. Is the dick that good?”
“Stop. That’s inappropriate.”
“It’s true. Nothing you say will change my mind about him.”
My heart raced, the pounding loud in my ears. It felt like my grip on reality was slipping, and that was the last thing I needed. “T-then I won’t talk about it. Maybe we won’t talk at all.”
“Are you being serious right now?”
“I am.”
“You’re choosinghimover me?”
“Yes.”
Joey stared at me before shaking his head. “You’re making a mistake.”
“I hear you, but you’re wrong.”
“You’ll regret this.”
“I suppose we’ll see.”
His fists clenched, but I could see tears in his eyes.
Mine were wet too. This hurt. I hated every second of it.
But I had to do this.
My body was tight and I knew I couldn’t take much more. I needed to get home before I could fully feel everything that had been said.
I turned for the door.
“You’re really leaving?”
“I am.”
Joey let out a long sigh. “I didn’t want to do this, but you’re giving me no choice.”
Pausing, I looked back at him. “You didn’t want to do what?”
Joey was on his phone, jaw taut. He tapped the screen and then looked at me.
“Tell everyone who he is.”
“Wait, what?”
“I joined that Facebook group you sent me. I’ve been watching, and Theo always had a reputation for being quiet. Probably because he didn’t want people to know who he was. Now they do.”
I scrambled to pull my phone out of my pocket. The most recent post was from the person I considered my best friend.
