Chapter 5: Dinner with the Rival

Aubrey was a chatterbox, asking nonstop about my and Caleb’s relationship during dinner.

She peppered me with questions over tacos and sweet tea at a local Tex-Mex spot. The salsa was hot, but not as spicy as her curiosity.

Then she said, “Megan, I heard that since you got together with Caleb, you haven’t worked and rely entirely on him. Don’t you feel embarrassed?”

Her words landed like a slap. The chatter in the restaurant seemed to hush for a moment. My fork hovered above my plate, frozen. Heat crawled up my neck. I wanted to disappear under the table.

Seeing my expression change, she quickly added,

“I don’t mean anything bad, I just think Caleb works really hard. As his girlfriend, shouldn’t you be more considerate?”

She tilted her head, earnest. I could tell she didn’t mean to be cruel, but her words still stung.

“I see him delivering food after work all the time. I just don’t get it. I started interning in my sophomore year, and I made enough to support myself.”

She recounted her own achievements, ticking them off like badges of honor. I felt smaller with every word.

“Caleb is such a great guy. You should cherish him and work hard together, not just enjoy life. Don’t you think so, Megan?”

My hands clenched under the table.

I dug my nails into my palm, fighting the urge to snap back. I bit down on my pride, choosing grace instead.

Aubrey’s words were all reasonable, so I could only force a smile.

I lifted my glass in a mock toast. “To overachievers everywhere,” I said, voice light, smile strained.

“Miss Summers, you’re right. I just didn’t expect that, as Caleb’s coworker, you’d care so much about his personal life. That’s really thoughtful of you.”

I let a little sarcasm slip through, unable to help myself.

Aubrey nodded proudly.

She didn’t seem to catch my tone. She beamed at Caleb, clearly proud of her concern.

“Because we work so well together, right, Caleb?”

She looked at Caleb, but he was staring at me.

He hadn’t touched his food. His eyes flickered between us, unreadable.

I struggled to keep smiling, afraid any negative emotion would ruin my act.

My cheeks ached from holding the smile in place. I tried to focus on the cheerful music overhead, letting it drown out my embarrassment.

“Caleb, Miss Summers is a good person and helps you at work. You should thank her properly. Let’s treat her to dinner tonight.”

I forced a little laugh, pretending everything was fine.

For some reason, Caleb’s expression looked off.

He stared at me for a long moment, something dark flickering in his eyes.

His tone was sarcastic: “Sure, you’re always generous.”

His words stung, but I pretended not to notice.

Aubrey seemed to want to say more.

She leaned forward, elbows on the table, but Caleb cut her off with a look.

Caleb stood up and pulled me away.

His grip on my hand was firm, almost desperate, as if he couldn’t bear another second at that table.

“But Miss Summers hasn’t finished eating yet—”

I protested, glancing over my shoulder. Aubrey looked confused, fork paused halfway to her mouth.

Caleb cut me off. “Can you stop worrying about other people?”

He practically dragged me out of the restaurant, ignoring the glances we got from the other diners.

On the way home, Caleb stayed silent.

The car ride was tense, the only sound the hum of the tires on wet pavement. I watched streetlights blur past, counting each one like a heartbeat.

But as soon as we got in, he pushed me down onto the couch.

His brows were furrowed, his face conflicted.

“What’s going on with you? In the past, if Aubrey said even one thing, you’d have lost it.”

He paced in front of me, hands buried in his pockets, searching for the girl he once knew.

“Now you’re... it’s like you’re a completely different person...”

He stopped, standing over me, waiting for an answer.

Oh no, was Caleb starting to suspect I was possessed?

My heart raced. I fought to keep my expression neutral, forcing a casual shrug.

A girlfriend who’d always been mean suddenly turning gentle—it would be weird not to be suspicious.

It was too abrupt, too rehearsed. I prayed he’d chalk it up to guilt or a new leaf, anything but the truth.

I tried to play it off.

I let out a nervous laugh. “What, a girl can’t change her mind?”

“Caleb, I was immature before and never thought about your feelings.”

“I always took out my worst moods on you. I don’t want to do that anymore. I want to be better to you.”

My voice wavered at the end. I looked down at my hands, twisting my fingers together.

Caleb’s dark eyes fixed on me, unblinking.

He knelt in front of the couch, close enough that I could see the tiny scar above his eyebrow—the one I’d kissed a hundred times.

“Megan, are you planning to leave me?”

My heart skipped a beat. Did he know something?

His voice was so quiet, I almost didn’t hear it. The words cut deeper than I expected.

So I tested him: “Why would you say that?”

I kept my tone light, trying to mask my panic.

Caleb stood up, facing the window, his voice a little bleak.

The city lights outside painted his silhouette in blue. He crossed his arms, shoulders hunched against an invisible cold.

“Before, you could take everything I gave you because you loved me.”

“But now, you’re actually being polite. Even when you see me close to someone else, you don’t get mad. Megan, you don’t love me anymore, do you?”

He didn’t look back, but I could see his reflection in the window. The pain in his eyes was unmistakable.

I tried to explain, “No, I haven’t stopped loving you.”

My voice cracked. I wanted to reach out, to touch his shoulder, but I froze.

How could Caleb think that?

We’d been together for three years—over a thousand days and nights. Caleb had done so many sweet things.

I remembered every anniversary he’d remembered, every late-night snack run when I had a craving, every quiet apology after a fight.

He knew about my stomach problems, so he made breakfast for me every day.

Egg white omelets and oatmeal, just the way I liked. I’d always taken it for granted.

He stocked my favorite snacks by the couch because I liked watching Netflix.

There was always a bag of cheddar popcorn waiting, and the TV remote right where I left it. He noticed every little thing.

No matter how bad my temper, he always tolerated me.

He forgave me for things I never even apologized for. I’d pushed him so many times, but he always came back.

Even if I was playing a role, I’d long since gotten into character.

I didn’t know when it happened, but the line between acting and reality had blurred.

Caleb was just so good—so good it was impossible not to fall for him.

Sometimes I wondered if the universe had made a mistake, giving someone like me someone like him.

Afraid he wouldn’t believe me, I hugged him and kissed his cheek.

He stiffened, surprise flickering in his eyes, but he didn’t pull away. I held on, wishing the moment could last.

But Caleb’s next words made me freeze.

“Derek contacted me. He said you wanted to work at his company.”

The air went cold. I pulled back, meeting his gaze.

Right—when I threatened Derek, he’d said:

Only if I went to work for his company would he keep quiet about my illness.

I just didn’t get it—I was already half-dead, why was he so eager to make me his workhorse?

The thought made me grimace. I tried to keep my tone light, to steer him away from the truth.

I had no choice but to agree.

I looked down, twisting a strand of hair around my finger, avoiding his eyes.

Did Caleb think there was something between me and Derek?

The jealousy in his voice made me ache. I wanted to reach for him, but I couldn’t find the words.

“It’s just a job. Don’t overthink it.”

I tried to smile, but it came out shaky.

“Come on, give me a smile.”

I wrapped my arms around his neck and acted cute.

I used to do this all the time.

It was our old dance—fight, makeup, repeat. I hoped the routine would work one last time.

Whenever I felt guilty for being too mean, I’d try to make it up to him.

Cookies, back rubs, late-night confessions. I always found a way to patch things up.

A slap, then a treat.

I hated that it had come to this, that my apologies always seemed to follow my worst moments.

But after I used that trick too many times, Caleb became immune. He wasn’t as easy to coax as before.

His eyes were tired, but there was still a spark of hope. I wondered if I’d already used up my last chance.

Like now.

He let me fuss over him, just watching me calmly.

His silence said more than any words could. The distance between us grew, silent and heavy.

“Megan, you have the right to choose someone better. If that day ever comes, just tell me in advance. I won’t stand in your way.”

I hated hearing that.

It was the kind of thing people said before they gave up. I felt a lump rise in my throat.

I put my hands on my hips and huffed, “Don’t tell me you’ve fallen for Aubrey and you’re trying to give me a hint?”

I tried to sound teasing, but the fear was real.

Caleb suddenly laughed.

The sound was warm, genuine—a flash of the man I fell for. It made my heart ache with longing.

“Nothing like that. But I will say, Megan, this is more like you.”

He reached out, brushing my hair behind my ear, his smile soft. For a moment, we were just us again—two kids trying to figure out love in a messy world.

But even as he pulled me close, I knew the countdown had started. I was already halfway gone, and he didn’t even know it.