1. Brielle

The airport is bustling with activity, and I clutch my phone tightly to my ear as I weave through the crowd. My eyes scan the signs above me for directions while Callie's excited voice chatters in my ear.

"God, Brielle, I can't believe you're actually coming back home! It feels like it's been forever!"

Two years is way too long to not see my best friend. There's so much I have to tell her, so much she's missed while I've been away.

I smile, feeling a mixture of nerves and excitement bubble up inside me. "I know, Callie. I'm nervous, though. What if everything's changed since I left for New York?"

"Of course things have changed," she reassures me, her tone comforting. "But that doesn't mean they're bad. You'll see when you get here."

"Is there anything I should know before I land?" I ask hesitantly.

Callie goes quiet for a moment, and I know from experience that her silence means trouble. My best friend is usually quite the chatterbox. "Spill it, Cal. What's going on?"

"Ugh, fine. I didn't want to say anything until you got here, but…Jamie's seeing someone else."

My heart drops, and I feel my stomach twist into knots. "What? When did that happen?" My voice trembles as I try to process the unexpected news.

"Sorry, Brie. I wasn't sure how to tell you," Callie apologizes, genuine concern in her voice. "And, well…he's dating Marina Turner."

"Wait, what?" I stammer, my heart pounding in my chest as I try to process Callie's words. "Marina Turner? You can't be serious."

Marina Turner. He couldn't have picked a worse girl to try and get back at me with.

"Unfortunately, I am," she sighs. "And it gets worse—they're not just dating, they're engaged."

She's right. It does get worse.

I stagger to the nearest row of chairs and sink down into one, barely noticing the cold, hard plastic against my thighs. My mind races, thoughts blurring together as I struggle with this new reality. Jamie—my Jamie—is going to marry Marina Turner, a girl who was once one of my closest friends. The betrayal cuts me to the core.

I guess I can't really call him "mine" anymore. I'm the one who left.

"Earth to Brielle." Callie's voice breaks through my reverie, pulling me back to the present. "Are you still there?"

"Sorry," I apologize, feeling the heat rise in my cheeks. "I just…zoned out."

"Understandable," she says kindly. I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself before I speak again. The cold plastic seat beneath me does little to offer comfort as I adjust my posture. "Honestly, you're taking this a lot better than I thought you would."

"Callie, I know it's not fair for me to be upset about this. I mean, I'm the one who broke up with Jamie," I admit, my voice wavering slightly.

"Whoa, hold on," Callie interjects, her tone firm. "Broke up is putting it mildly. You fled to New York without telling anyone after he proposed, because you were scared of commitment."

It sounds harsh when she puts it like that.

"Okay, okay," I concede, raising a hand defensively. "No need to remind me. You know, you don't always have to say everything on your mind."

"Hey, I'm just keeping it real." She chuckles, and I can't help but smile at the familiar sound. "That's why you keep me around, right?"

"Of course," I respond, my heart swelling with gratitude for my best friend. "But still, maybe consider what I said."

"Fine," Callie sighs, relenting. "I'm sorry, Brie. I know this isn't what you want to hear right now."

"No, it's okay," I reply, swallowing the lump in my throat. "Honestly, I'm not sure what I expected. I hurt him, so it makes sense that he'd move on."

I had an insane notion that he was going to wait for me until I came back. That's not even fair to ask of him.

"True," Callie concedes, "but he didn't have to go and choose one of your best friends. That's just low."

Talk about adding salt to a wound.

I try to push away the bitterness that threatens to rise within me. "It's too late now, I can't change it. What's done is done."

"Girl, Marina was always a selfish trick anyway," Callie retorts, her voice filled with disdain. The corners of my mouth curve into a small, hesitant smile as I hear the fierce loyalty lacing her words.

"Thanks, Cal. You've always got my back, haven't you?" I say, feeling a warm wave of affection for my best friend.

"Always," she promises. "But there's one more thing I think you should know about the situation before you come home."

My stomach clenches, bracing for another blow. "What is it?"

"Promise you won't get mad?" Callie asks hesitantly.

"Can't promise that," I reply, trying to keep my tone light despite the anxiety clawing at my chest. "Just tell me."

"Okay, so…I heard that Jamie and Marina might have been hooking up before you even left town." There's a pause on the other end of the line, and I feel my heart shudder to a stop.

"Before he proposed to me?" I ask, not wanting to believe what she's saying.

"I'm sorry, Brie."

"That can't be true," I whisper, my voice trembling. My eyes widen in shock, searching the airport around me as if it could somehow confirm or deny Callie's words.

"Look, I don't want to hurt you, Brielle, but I thought you had the right to know," Callie says gently, her voice tinged with sympathy. "He's a dirty snake, and honestly? You deserve so much better than both of them. Those two backstabbers kind of deserve each other in some twisted way."

As her words sink in, I feel a mixture of emotions swirling inside me—betrayal, anger, and an indescribable ache that settles deep within my chest. My mind races, torn between wanting to confront Jamie and Marina and wishing I could just forget the whole thing and move on.

"Hey," Callie interrupts my thoughts, her voice soft but insistent. "Remember, you're strong, Brie. You don't need anyone who doesn't treat you right, and clearly you were smart enough to get out of it when he proposed."

I guess she's right.

"Thank you," I whisper, my heart swelling with gratitude for the unwavering support of my best friend.

A part of me wants to scream, while another part feels…indifferent. As I search my heart, I realize that although I loved Jamie, I'm not sure I was ever truly in love with him. We were seen as the picture-perfect couple, but there was no fire, no passion between us.

And yet, even if our relationship lacked that spark, it still didn't give him the right to cheat on me.

"Y'know, Brie," Callie says, her voice taking on a contemplative tone, "you basically saved your virginity for him for no reason."

I wince at her blunt words but nod in agreement. "I thought I'd go out into the world and then come back, thinking he'd be waiting for me and we would reconcile and have this magical night together," I admit, feeling foolish. "But why am I even holding on to it? It's not this special thing like my mom told me once upon a time."

Callie snorts. "As a certified sex addict, I can tell you it really isn't this magical thing. There's good sex and bad sex, and let's face it, your first time probably won't be that great. So why do it with someone special? Trust me when I say that you won't want to remember it anyways."

Her words make sense, and I can't help but concede that she's probably telling the truth. The grip I've held on my own desires loosens, and I feel an unfamiliar freedom take hold.

"Maybe you're right, Callie," I say, my voice steadier than I thought possible.

"Of course I am. Look, what you need to do is come here and maybe the two of us can go out to a bar, scout the scene, that kind of thing, and if there's a particularly handsome guy that catches your attention, you can get it on and then sneak out in the morning."

"I don't know," I sigh. "That's not really me."

"Who are you, then?"

I don't have a clear answer to her question. "You're right, maybe I need to reinvent myself and do things the old me wouldn't have done."

"Damn straight, you do!" Callie exclaims, her enthusiasm infectious. "The world is full of incredible, sexy people just waiting for a taste of what you have to offer."

"Thanks, Callie," I murmur, grateful for her unwavering support. "You always know exactly what to say."

The PA system crackles to life, announcing that my flight will be boarding soon. "Gotta go, Callie," I tell her.

"Can't wait to see you, Brie!" she exclaims before we hang up. Somehow, the weight of all the information I've just learned makes it hard to walk straight. My body craves something to steady myself, and my eyes dart toward the nearby airport bar.

"Quick shot, please," I tell the bartender, holding up one finger. He grins knowingly and pours me a smooth-looking amber liquid. As soon as the glass touches my lips, warmth spreads through me, like a spark igniting a hidden fire inside.

I learned to drink when I was young; that's an advantage of having an alcoholic for a mother.

"Thanks." I place some cash on the counter. Turning around, I'm too lost in my thoughts to notice where I'm going. My body collides with a rock-hard chest, the impact sending my drink splattering across the stranger's shirt.

"Shit!" I exclaim, my face flushing with embarrassment. When the stranger looks up, I'm immediately ensnared by his gaze. Without a doubt, he has to be the sexiest man I've ever laid eyes on.