Chapter 2

Liam shot me a dismissive look, turned on his heel, and followed Vanessa back into the lounge.

I stood alone in the dimly lit hallway for a moment, took a deep, shaky breath, and followed them back inside.

Just when I thought an arms-locked drink was as trashy as it could get, they managed to stoop lower.

"Spaghetti dare! Two people, one noodle, race to the middle!"

Someone had actually called the server to bring out an uncooked strand of spaghetti.

Vanessa’s eyes sparkled. "Oh, this is going to be good!"

"Couples only for this one!" someone shouted.

Vanessa immediately swiveled to Liam, arching an eyebrow. "What do you say, boyfriend? Up for it?"

A couple of people in the room finally seemed to realize this was crossing the line and tried to laugh it off.

"Come on, guys, that’s a bit much. Isn't that something you save for the reception games...?"

"Even better!" Vanessa laughed, unapologetic. "Think of it as practice. I’m just breaking Liam in so he doesn't embarrass Chloe at the altar."

She shot a playful wink my way. "Watch closely, Chloe. Take notes from me so you know what to do on your big day."

With that, she clamped one end of the pasta between her teeth and leaned toward Liam.

A few people noticed the dead silence radiating from my corner, and the laughter started dying down.

I stared at Liam with a blank face, still holding onto the pathetic hope that he would finally put a stop to it.

The very next second, he leaned in and bit the other end.

"Whoaaaa!"

The room erupted into an absolute frenzy, louder than a stadium crowd after a winning touchdown.

They began nibbling toward the center, their faces inching closer and closer.

The chanting reached a deafening roar.

"Faster! Faster!"

"Almost there!"

I watched their lips draw nearer until barely a millimeter of pasta remained. Suddenly, someone shoved Vanessa from behind.

Her lips slammed directly onto Liam’s.

For a split second, someone might as well have pressed pause on the entire room. Then it exploded.

"Holy shit!"

"They kissed! They actually kissed!"

Shouts, wolf whistles, and people slamming their palms against tables echoed through the room.

Vanessa feigned embarrassment, burying her face into Liam’s chest with a flushed giggle.

Liam froze for a beat.

Then he grinned, threw an arm casually around her shoulders, and waved off the crowd. "Alright, alright, that’s enough, you animals."

He just kept his arm around her.

Right in front of me.

In front of everyone we knew.

I stood up.

Nobody noticed.

I grabbed my purse.

Nobody looked.

I pushed the door open and walked out into the corridor. Still, no one cared.

Behind me, Vanessa’s breathy giggle drifted through the closing door: "You guys are terrible—"

The heavy mahogany door shut out the noise, plunging the hallway into absolute silence.

I stepped into the elevator. As the reflective doors slid shut, I saw my own face.

No tears.

No expression at all.

It was nearly eleven by the time I got back to the apartment. I slipped off my heels and sat on the living room sofa, staring blankly ahead.

My phone screen lit up, dimmed, lit up, and dimmed again. Not a single message.

Over an hour later, the deadbolt clicked.

Liam and Vanessa walked in, side by side.

"Chloe? Why did you sneak off early?"

Vanessa asked the second she stepped inside. "You aren't actually mad, are you? It was just a game. Someone pushed me, it’s not like I meant to kiss him."

Liam’s forehead creased with annoyance. "Storming off like that made things super awkward for everyone."

I held my glass of water, looking up at him.

"Awkward?"

"Yeah," he kicked off his shoes and walked in. "You walked out on a room full of our friends. Where does that leave my reputation?"