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Chapter 2
Dead silence fell over the room.
I’d never embarrassed Blake publicly before, always keeping my discomfort to myself. They couldn’t believe quiet, compliant me would finally speak up.
After the awkwardness, someone quickly tried to smooth things over. “Don’t overthink it, Emily! Madison just speaks without thinking! She absolutely didn’t mean anything by it! Right, Madison?”
Madison quickly covered her mouth, making an exaggerated surrender gesture. “Oh my gosh, girlfriend! I’m so sorry! I… my stupid mouth! I just say whatever comes to mind! Please don’t take it to heart!”
I just smiled silently.
S
Seeing my lack of response, Blake frowned and put down his drink, staring directly at me. “Emily, what are you doing? Everyone’s having a good time today. Why are you being such a buzzkill? Madison is just naturally outgoing
she doesn’t have all these twisted thoughts like you do. You’re being way too sensitive. Is it really worth getting this worked up over some innocent comment?”
So I was the uptight buzzkill while Madison was charmingly innocent. Fine. If that’s how he saw me, I’d lean into it.
I met Blake’s angry eyes and pulled out my phone, opening Madison’s Instagram. “Last month on the 12th, your band practiced until 2 AM, past the dorm curfew.”
Madison was wearing an oversized men’s T–shirt, smugly hugging a pillow on a dark gray
bed.
Caption: [Lmao, successfully conquered the master’s bed! Poor Blake has to sleep in the guest room~]
Below was another photo: Blake’s face peeking out from the narrow guest bed, giving the camera the middle finger with an exasperated expression.
I didn’t stop, swiping again. “Last Wednesday, band dinner.”
Madison was holding a bitten matcha ice cream cone, gripping Blake’s arm tightly with her other hand, practically leaning her whole body against him as she took a big bite of his ice cream.
Caption: [What to do about choice paralysis? This big foodie wants both flavors! Blake, let me have a bite! Try and stop me!]
I pressed down hard on her latest post–Blake spinning her around after their victory, uploaded minutes ago.
Caption: [This moment belongs to us.]
I looked at Blake and sneered. “This is what you call naturally outgoing?”
Blake frowned. His voice dropped, clearly irritated. “Emily, are you seriously bringing up those things with me right now?”
“Yes. Is that not allowed?” I met his angry gaze without backing down. “Any girl with sense knows to keep appropriate boundaries around male friends who have girlfriends.”
“Are you kidding me! Girl, are you crazy?” Madison jumped up, her voice filled with anger and disbelief. “Blake was right there! I got excited and hugged him, so what? It was just a simple hug! Are you seriously making this into some big deal? You have serious paranoia issues!”
“Madison’s right!” Someone quickly stood up to mediate. “Emily, it really was just excitement! Hugging to celebrate in that situation is totally normal! There really wasn’t any other meaning!”
“Is that so?” I stared at Madison, enunciating each word clearly. “What a coincidence then. When you get excited, you specifically pick the guy with a girlfriend to hug? Everyone else is invisible to you?”
“EMILY!!” Blake shot up, his face livid. “Enough! Stop being so unreasonable! Everyone was having a great time today, and you just had to ruin it. If you want to break up, just say so!”
In the complete silence, time seemed to stretch and distort.
