Chapter 2

He said "watch yourself," but his tone was pure teasing, without a shred of seriousness.

Marilyn pouted, then suddenly hopped off the couch, crossed the room in her heels to the karaoke screen in the middle, and grabbed the mic.

"Fine, then I'll sing the boys a song to make up for it, all right? That one Ervin said I sang so well at the last team dinner——"

She didn't announce the title, but the moment the intro played, it was a sugary love song.

She stood in the spotlight, hair loose over her shoulders, the hem of her dress swaying gently with the beat, her voice soft and sweet, nothing like the pushy girl from a minute ago.

The room went quiet.

The guys glanced at each other, and the look in their eyes had changed.

"Damn, Mari can sing like that?"

"How did we never notice… Mari's actually pretty feminine."

"Ervin, you kept this quiet. You've got a childhood friend like this and you still hang out with us every day?"

When Marilyn hit the chorus, she threw a flirty look toward Ervin.

Ervin had just pushed the door open, carrying the ginger tea, and he froze for a second, then the corner of his mouth curved up.

I'd never seen that smile before.

It was full of admiration.

He set the tea on the table and leaned against the bar.

Arms crossed, he listened, quiet.

When Marilyn held the last note, the room broke into a mix of applause and whistles.

She dropped the mic and skipped back to Ervin's side.

She snatched the ginger tea out of his hand and took a big gulp, then stuck out her tongue at the heat. "So hot, so hot!"

Ervin frowned. "Slow down, no one's going to take it from you."

Marilyn tipped her face up, eyes bright. "Was it good?"

"It was okay." He turned his face away, but the tips of his ears went a little red.

"Okay means it was really good!"

Marilyn hugged his arm smugly and nuzzled her head against his shoulder.

"Then I'll sing for you every day from now on—ow, kidding, kidding, your girlfriend's still here. Ervin, your face just went dark, ha ha ha."

The whole room roared with laughter.

No one cared about me, wretched in the corner.

Reg wandered over and handed me a drink.

There was a trace of pity in his voice. "Don't just stand there, sit. Those two have been like this since they were kids. You'll get used to it eventually."

I took the glass, my fingertips ice-cold.

Get used to it.

Get used to Ervin's coldness, or to Marilyn crossing every line?

I tipped my head back and drank the whole thing, the liquor burning until my eyes stung.

"No need. I can't get used to it."

2

It wasn't until ten that night that Ervin called me.

"Why aren't you home? Throwing a tantrum in the middle of the night?"

I was curled up under the blanket, my breath scalding.

"…Ervin, let's break up."

Three hours had passed before he even realized I was gone.

And I'd already swallowed the fever medicine, and now my whole body was limp.

Ervin was quiet for a moment.

"Over a game?"

"I know you're sensitive, but can you stop blowing everything out of proportion? Marilyn didn't mean any harm. She just likes to have fun."

I cut him off softly. "I don't like it."

"You two are two of a kind. Make her your girlfriend."

Ervin's tone turned displeased. "Don't spread rumors."

"Marilyn's still single. Saying things like that is irresponsible toward both of us. If you were half as easygoing as her, you wouldn't be trying to break up."

Every sentence landed straight in my chest.

It ached and it swelled, and I stared at his profile picture, lost.

It used to be the matching one we shared, a sweet-faced little bear.

Later, because he kept losing at truth-or-dare with his friends,

he wanted to switch to matching pictures with the girl he'd known the longest.

Marilyn was the girl next door to him.

At first he'd still explain. "We'll switch back in a week."