Wishes Exhausted, Love Dispersed

On his birthday, my boyfriend, Donald Cole, made three wishes over the cake I had baked with my own hands. First, he wished Cecily Reynauld would be happy every day. Second, he wished Cecily's project would win its award. Third, he wished the cat that Cecily and he were raising together would grow up healthy. Cecily Reynauld… My best friend. I stood there, frozen. But everyone else in the room laughed and cheered. Blushing, Cecily gave Donald a playful shove. "Why didn't you make a wish for Summer? "She is your girlfriend after all." Donald smiled with absolute confidence. "Do I even have to guess what she wants? "She obviously wants to marry me." The next second, he dropped to one knee and pulled out a ring. If this had happened before, I probably would have cried and said yes. But this time, my eyes locked onto the ring as he slid it onto my ring finger. It slid right back down. It was one size too big. Exactly Cecily's size. A faint smile tugged at my lips. I'd loved Donald Cole for seven years. While letting him go only took a single moment. Chapter 1 Someone in the crowd couldn't resist stirring the pot. "Wait... isn't that ring about Cecily's size?" Cecily's face immediately flushed. She quickly hid her hands behind her back. "Don't be ridiculous." The more flustered she looked, the more suggestive the atmosphere became. Someone else laughed. "Cecily, why are you hiding your hands? "Don't tell me it really is your size." Amid the roomful of laughter, I stood frozen as my fingertips slowly turned cold. Cecily hurried over and gently looped her arm through mine. "Summer, don't take it the wrong way. "I'm sure Donald didn't do it on purpose." Her voice was soft, as though she were sincerely worried about me. "He helps me hold my rings and bracelets all the time. "He probably just mixed up the sizes." Her eyes were slightly red, but beneath the concern flashed a fleeting look of triumph. So they had already become that close. Close enough that Donald held onto her rings, fastened her bracelets… And remembered the size of her finger better than he remembered mine. Still smiling, Cecily lightly squeezed my hand. "You're just too skinny, Summer. "Everything you wear ends up feeling loose." Her gaze casually drifted over my chest as if it were all a harmless joke. "Remember when we used to shop for bras? "Even the smallest size still had gaps on you." The room instantly erupted in laughter. Heat crawled across my face as I stood there, humiliated. Donald only shot Cecily a helpless look. "Quit teasing Summer." It sounded like a reprimand. But his eyes were filled with nothing but indulgence. Someone urged them on. "Come on, the proposal was a success. Birthday boy, cut the cake!" I picked up the cake knife and handed it to Donald. Just then, Cecily's phone chimed. She glanced at the screen and immediately smiled. "Oh! Someone sent a video of Mochi." Donald paused and leaned over without hesitation. "Let me see." Cecily held up her phone. In the video, a chubby little kitten was batting around a toy ball. Their shoulders brushed together. So close that it felt as though there had never been room for a third person between them. Standing in front of the birthday cake, I felt like nothing more than an extra in someone else's story. A moment later, Donald finally remembered the cake. He took the knife from my hand and cut the first slice. Then, without a second thought, he handed the plate to Cecily. "You barely ate anything earlier. "Have a bite first." Cecily hesitated. "Are you sure? "Summer made this cake herself. She should have the first piece." Donald answered without thinking. "She won't mind." As his words hung in the air, I suddenly found even a smile too exhausting. Over the past few years, that was the sentence Donald had said to me more than any other. When Cecily worked late, he drove over to pick her up. "She's your best friend. You don't mind, do you?" When her project ran into trouble, he stayed up all night helping her finish it. "I'm only helping because of you. You don't mind, do you?" When Cecily said Mochi was sick, he spent the entire night taking care of the kitten. "It's just a cat. You don't mind, do you?" But Donald had never once asked me... Whether I actually minded. Cecily accepted the plate of cake, her eyes glistening as she looked at me. "Summer, please don't be upset. "My blood sugar's just been a little low today." As if afraid I wouldn't believe her, she feigned a slight stumble. Donald immediately reached out to steady her. "Why didn't you tell me sooner? "Sit down." He helped her onto the couch before placing the cake into her hands. The movements were so practiced, as though he'd done it countless times before. He never asked if I was tired after standing there for so long. He never noticed that I'd spent the entire day preparing his birthday party, without eating a single bite myself. I lowered my eyes to the ring on my left hand. It looked absurdly oversized. With the slightest bend of my finger, the ring would slip off. Just like this relationship. I'd tried countless times to hold on. But no matter how tightly I grasped it... I could never keep it from slipping away. Chapter 2 I didn't say another word. I simply grabbed my coat and went home. Not long after I got back, a message from Cecily popped up. "Summer, don't be mad. "Donald feels terrible about the wrong ring. "We're picking out a new one for you together right now." A photo followed. Under the bright lights of a jewelry store, Cecily sat beside Donald. She was trying on a diamond ring. Donald had his head slightly lowered, his eyes fixed on her hand, carefully checking whether the ring fit. I stared at the photo. Suddenly, I was reminded of a long time ago. The first time I'd introduced Cecily to Donald. She had always been outgoing, and they'd started bickering almost as soon as they met. He teased her for talking too much. She teased him for acting too cool. I sat there laughing, genuinely happy that the two of them seemed destined to become good friends. Later, the three of us went out for food together. Cecily kept stealing the fries from my plate. Donald frowned, slid the serving platter over to me, and said, "Get your hands off it. "If you want more, order another one." Back then, I'd believed... That no matter what happened, I would always be the one Donald chose. But somewhere along the way... Their playful arguments turned into an unspoken understanding that only the two of them shared. They laughed together. And I became the one sitting beside them, laughing along because I didn't know what else to do. In a relationship between three people, the first person to be pushed out is usually the last one to realize it. Now Donald was supposedly choosing a new ring for me. Yet it was still Cecily's hand he used to try it on. To them, there was probably nothing strange about that at all. At eleven that night, my phone buzzed again. A mutual friend sent me a screenshot of our group chat. Someone had been trying to talk sense into Donald. "Donald, you should really make things right with Summer. "The ring incident today really hurt her." A few minutes later, Donald replied. "Summer's just acting on emotion right now. "I'm already picking out a new ring for her. "She'll calm down eventually." Cecily added a message of her own. "This is all my fault. "Maybe I should apologize to Summer in person tomorrow." Donald replied almost immediately. "How is any of this your fault? "You were put in an awkward position today, too. "She shouldn't have taken it out on you." I stared at those words. But the sharp pain I expected never came. I suppose I had simply run out of pain. So even when those words flashed across the screen, All I felt was numb. Chapter 3 It wasn't long before Donald came home. He was carrying a small jewelry box, which he carefully held out to me. "Summer, buying the wrong ring was my fault. "So I bought you a new one." As he spoke, he slipped the ring onto my finger. This time, it fit perfectly. But when I lowered my eyes, I noticed a tiny engraving inside the band. C & R. Donald Cole and Cecily Reynauld. I stared at the letters and let out a mocking smile. Donald followed my gaze, and his expression stiffened for a split second. "The salesperson must've given me the wrong one. "Don't overthink it." Just then, another receipt slipped out of the box. I picked it up. Same day. Same jewelry store. Donald had purchased two rings. This one cost three times as much as the other. In that instant, I understood. The expensive ring engraved with his and Cecily's initials... Had never been meant for me. Donald paused before gently patting my head in reassurance. "When we get married, I'll buy you another one." Another one. Next time. There was always a next time. Donald always believed every disappointment he caused could be made up for later. Suddenly, I remembered the first trip we'd ever planned together. I'd spent two full weeks putting together the perfect itinerary. Which evening we'd watch the sunset. Which seafood restaurant we had to try. Which beach would be the quietest. But on the day we left, I got to the airport only to discover... My name wasn't on either plane ticket. Donald stood there in stunned silence for a long moment before finally saying, "I think I mixed up your ID information with Cecily's. "The flights are booked, and the hotel isn't refundable. "Summer, I'll take you next time." That island vacation... Ended with the two of them going without me. Cecily posted photo after photo. Golden sunsets. Palm trees. And one picture of Donald standing barefoot at the water's edge, carrying her sandals. I remember staring at that photo, the sadness lingering for so long. When Donald came home, all he brought me was a box of duty-free chocolates from the airport. "Don't be upset," he said. "I'll definitely take you next time." Later, my favorite singer—someone I'd loved for years—finally came to town on tour. Donald managed to get two seats together. I was so excited I couldn't sleep all night. But when we arrived at the venue, the attendant politely looked at the tickets and said, "These tickets are registered to Mr. Cole and Ms. Reynauld." Donald rubbed his forehead awkwardly. "I mixed them up again." In the end... He and Cecily sat in the front row. After the concert, Cecily posted a photo online. She was leaning against Donald's shoulder, waving a glow stick. She captioned: "Listening to my favorite songs with the person who knows me best." I confronted Donald afterward. He only sighed. "Summer, you're reading too much into this. "Cecily's your best friend. She's not a stranger. "I couldn't just let her go to a concert by herself." He always had an explanation. And I was always expected to be the understanding one. With that thought, I took off the new ring and placed it back into its box. Then I turned and walked into the bedroom. I began packing. As I did, I realized... There weren't actually that many things in this house that truly belonged to me. The cashmere throw draped over the couch? Cecily had once mentioned she'd get cold when visiting us in the winter. Donald bought it the very next day. When I reached my vanity, I spotted a silver bracelet inside the drawer. It was Donald's birthday gift to me last year. It cost a little over thirty dollars, and even the gift box had dented corners. He'd smiled and said, "It's the thought that counts. The price doesn't matter." But for Cecily's birthday this year, he'd given her a custom-made necklace. She'd carelessly tucked the receipt inside a book, and it had eventually fallen between the cushions of our couch. $3,000. More than ten times the price of my bracelet. Even our refrigerator was stocked with Cecily's favorite low-sugar yogurt and fresh cherries. The jasmine tea I liked had been gone for weeks. I'd reminded Donald several times. He always answered the same way. "I'll pick some up next time." Eventually, he never did "next time." Donald stood in the bedroom doorway, watching me fold clothes into my suitcase. For the first time, impatience crept into his voice. "How long are you going to keep this up? "I bought you another ring. "I apologized. "What more do you want?" I quietly zipped up my suitcase. Then I looked down and spoke in an almost whisper. "Donald. "There isn't going to be a next time." He shoved the door open and stormed out. I didn't go after him. In my inbox, the confirmation email for the overseas long-term assignment sat quietly, waiting. My flight was tomorrow. Donald and I... Would never have a next time again. Chapter 4 Early the next morning, I went to Cecily's apartment. I was there to retrieve the glass picture frame I'd made for her when we were eighteen. Inside it was our very first photo together. On the back of the picture, I'd carefully written, one stroke at a time: "Summer and Cecily - Best friends forever." Back then, she'd hugged the frame and cried for the longest time. She told me, "I'll never lose you. Not for the rest of my life." But when I unlocked her door with the spare passcode... The first thing I saw was Cecily. She was wearing an oversized men's dress shirt. It hung loosely over her body, exposing a faint reddish mark just below her collarbone. I recognized that shirt immediately. It was the limited-edition one I searched all over town to buy for Donald's birthday last year. The moment Cecily saw me, she froze in surprise. Then she smiled as though nothing was wrong. "Summer! What are you doing here?" She rubbed her eyes, her voice still husky from sleep. "Mochi kept throwing up last night. Donald was so worried he insisted on coming over to check on it. "We were up until almost three in the morning. We're both exhausted. My eyes dropped to the bare stretch of legs visible beneath the oversized shirt. My fingers slowly tightened. She blinked at me, an amused smile playing on her lips. "You know... "Your boyfriend's actually in pretty good shape. "The only problem is his abs are way too hard. "I used them as a pillow, and now my neck's sore." My entire body went cold. I shot a look toward the bedroom door, which was still slightly ajar. "You slept together?" Cecily laughed as though it were the most ordinary thing in the world. "It wasn't the first time. "When Mochi got sick in the middle of the night before, we'd stay up taking care of it together and sometimes just fall asleep." She reached over and playfully tapped the bridge of my nose. "Relax, girl. "I've already done the quality check for you. "He can spend the night holding a gorgeous woman like me and still behave himself. "Though he really should work on those abs." Donald let out a low chuckle from the doorway. "Then who was the one touching me all night? "And saying I was even better to cuddle than Mochi?" Cecily's face instantly turned bright red. "Donald! "Stop making things up!" She rushed over and playfully hit him. In her haste, she stumbled forward and nearly crashed into his arms. The soft curve of her chest brushed against his arm. Donald's laughter caught in his throat. Even from where I stood, I could see the tips of his ears turning red. It looked as though he wanted to step away. But before he did, his hand had already instinctively settled around her waist. Cecily seemed to notice it too. Her face grew even redder. Yet she didn't move away. The two of them remained standing there, pressed close together. As though they'd completely forgotten... That I was still there. I tightened my grip on the glass frame. Then I laughed. "Cecily. "Do you know what this makes you? "You're a side chick. "And you know exactly what you're doing." The laughter vanished instantly. Cecily's face went pale, and tears immediately filled her eyes. "Summer, how could you say that? "I've only ever thought of Donald as a friend." A mocking smile tugged at my lips. "A friend sleeps on his abs all night?" Donald's expression finally darkened. "That's enough, Summer." I looked at him, my voice trembling. "Enough? "You two spent the night together, and I'm supposed to pretend nothing happened?" Donald frowned. "Summer Brooks, do you really have to say something so ugly? "Cecily may be better than you in just about every way, but is that why you're so jealous? "Do you really have to make up lies about us?" The moment those words landed... My fingers went numb. The glass frame slipped from my hands. It shattered across the floor. Our photo slid free, landing in the middle of the broken glass. Instinctively, I crouched to pick it up. Cecily reached down at the same time. The shattered glass sliced across both our hands. I gasped in pain. But the first person Donald looked at was Cecily. He rushed over without hesitation and grabbed her hand. "How could you be so careless? "Is it deeply wounded?" Cecily shook her head through her tears. "I'm fine. "Summer's hurt too..." Only then did Donald glance at me. His eyes paused on the blood running across my palm, then he immediately looked away. "She can take care of herself. "But if your hand scars, what then?" I remained crouched among the shattered glass. Somehow, even the pain had started to feel distant. Donald scooped Cecily into his arms and headed for the door. As he passed me, he said coldly, "Summer, take some time to calm down. "When you've learned how to talk like a reasonable person, you can apologize to Cecily." The front door slammed shut. After I got home, I threw the photograph into the trash. One by one, I packed my ID, my bank cards, and a few changes of clothes into my suitcase. A new message from Donald appeared on my phone. "I'll take you to your favorite restaurant tonight. "You can apologize to Cecily then, and we'll put all of this behind us." I stared at the message. Then I quietly locked my phone. The click of my suitcase closing was barely audible. But in that moment... I knew I would never look back again.