Chapter 6: The Breaking Point

At that moment, Maddie peeked at the car’s navigation and pouted, “Traffic is always so much worse in the rain, especially when we have to make an extra stop. Sitting here makes me want to get out of these heels.”

Caleb replied, not missing a beat, “Then go ahead and change. Aren’t your flats in the back?”

Maddie nodded and pointed over her shoulder. “Rachel, could you pass me the flats behind the seat?”

I followed her gaze and, sure enough, spotted a pair of white ballet flats.

My face went ice-cold. “Where are the black flats I left here?”

“Oh, those were yours, Rachel?” Maddie looked genuinely surprised. “I was confused when I saw those—thought I’d somehow acquired a pair of oversized, old-fashioned shoes. Sorry, I tossed them by accident. Tell you what: I’ll have Caleb buy you a new pair, just like them.”

Perfect. Just perfect.

I’d planned to wait till I got home to hash this out with Caleb.

But I never expected anyone could be so shameless, so casual about throwing out my things.

If I let this slide, I’d have to start calling her mom.

“Change shoes, right?” I grabbed a couple napkins from the glove box, bent down, and picked up those flats like I was handling dirty laundry.

Then I hurled them at Maddie, aiming for her lap.

There was a sharp smack as the flats hit the dashboard, Maddie gasping in shock. Caleb’s knuckles whitened on the steering wheel as I snarled, “Fine! Change! Knock yourself out!”

“Ah—” Maddie shrieked.

She tried to dodge, but the tip of one shoe grazed her cheek, leaving a red scratch along her jawline.

Maddie clapped a hand over her face, panic blooming in her eyes.

“Maddie!” Caleb slammed on the brakes, his whole body angling toward her as he reached out, alarmed. “Are you hurt? Let me see.”

Maddie, tears in her eyes, let her hand fall away. “Caleb, is my face ruined? Oh my god, it hurts so bad.”

When he saw the scratch on her chin, Caleb’s face twisted in anger as he turned on me. “Rachel, what the hell are you doing? Maddie just asked you to hand her shoes—why’d you lose it?!”

Without missing a beat, I grabbed anything I could reach—fast food napkins, my reusable water bottle—and lobbed them at Caleb, one after the other. “Hand shoes? I don’t even hand my own mom her shoes! Who does she think she is, treating me like her personal maid?”

Honestly, the whole scene was a circus: them playing house in a car I paid for, and me, finally losing my grip.

This car was my gift to Caleb.

Last month, he started a new job. As an intern, he was pulling crazy hours, always exhausted.

I felt bad for him, so I bought him a new hybrid SUV—a practical, city-friendly Outback, complete with camping mode and a fancy sunroof.

I thought it would make his commute easier and give him a private space to catch a nap at lunch.

But never in my wildest dreams did I imagine he’d immediately find a carpool buddy, a girl who’d treat my car like her personal Uber, and lord it over me every chance she got.

When I didn’t back down, Caleb put an arm in front of Maddie, as if shielding her from me, his voice rising with frustration: “Enough! Maddie and I are just carpooling, nothing more. Twenty days ago, I saw her walking in the rain after work—she looked so pitiful, so I offered her a ride. She never once asked!”

I stopped, slowly gathering my bag from the floor. “Just carpooling? Then kick her out, right now. I’m sick of looking at her.”

“It’s pouring out—you want me to throw her onto the sidewalk? Come on, Rachel, don’t be cruel. I swear, starting tomorrow, she’s off the carpool list.”

“It’s raining, so what?” I laughed, my voice cracking as I tried to sound tougher than I felt. “This is my car. I don’t need a special occasion to boot someone out of my own car.”

Protected by Caleb, Maddie suddenly bristled, snapping back: “Rachel, I heard from Caleb that you’re five or six years older than us—almost thirty. Maybe you’re just cranky because you’re pushing thirty? They say that’s when women start losing it, right?”