Page 146 of A Solid Guide to Surviving a Situationship

“Just to talk,” Andi said. “That was the only rule.”

My eyes flickered to Andre.

He looked away first, because he knew what I was going to throw at him.

“And Kyle?” I said. “Was him fucking me and getting back together with me part of the plan?”

No one answered.

But they didn’t have to.

I let out a slow breath, shaking my head. “That’s why you kept popping up on Kyle’s notifications that night.”

Andre’s jaw tightened. “He wasn’t supposed to go that far.”

“But he did,” I said.

Silence again.

“He slept with me,” I continued, my voice flatter now. “We got back together. And then he broke my heart again.”

“I know,” Andre said, and for the first time, I saw him cry. “And I’m sorry, James. I told him off for it.”

“But you still brought him back into my life,” I shot back.

“That wasn’t the plan,” Andre said.

“But it happened,” I said, my voice rising. “Because of you.”

Another silence, but thicker now—and more dangerous.

I looked at all of them.

“You don’t get to decide how I heal,” I said, softer, but it landed harder than anything I’d said before. “You don’t get to reopen doors I already closed just because you think you know what’s best for me.”

“We weren’t trying to hurt you,” Honey said.

I know… and that was the worst part.

I really looked at them this time—my people, my constants—and felt something fracture in a way I couldn’t name.

“You just did,” I said.

Silence followed, but it didn’t settle anything. Instead, it cracked something open.

Andi let out a breath, shaking her head like she was done holding it in. “You want the truth, James?”

I let out a humorless laugh. “Apparently I haven’t been getting that from you.”

“Fine,” she said, stepping closer. “Watching this happen again is pathetic.”

That word landed harder than anything else had.

Honey’s head snapped toward her. “Andi⁠—”

“No,” Andi cut in. “He needs to hear real shit.”

My chest tightened. “Excuse you?”