= SARAH POV =

I unlocked the door to my new place and smiled. The apartment was already furnished with all my stuff as I had moved most of my belongings weeks ago, in anticipation of this final move. 

I locked the front door and headed to my bedroom, where I flopped onto my bed, staring at the ceiling as reality sank in.

 I could print the new contract here, but setting up the printer seemed like an ordeal. Driving back out to a print shop felt equally exhausting.

In the end, I took the lazy route. I texted Chris the new contract, attaching it with a short, nervous message.

"Hey. Thought we could talk about this properly when you get home. Let me know when you’re back."

The message stayed on one tick. 

I stared at the screen until my eyes blurred, then set the phone down with a frustrated sigh. Maybe she was busy. Or maybe she was with someone. That last thought dug in like a thorn, sharp and unwelcome, but honestly what did I expect, when even I, her best friend, had thoughts about being with her too?

I needed to move. Grabbing my car keys, I drove to Chris’s apartment, hoping to distract myself by making dinner. I told myself it wasn’t crossing a line; I was supposed to be living there. I had a spare key. Chris would be fine with it. Eventually I’ll explain to Chris why my keychain had two front door keys. 

When I reached the apartment and opened the door, a surge of excitement bubbled up inside me as I immediately saw that Chris’ shoes were there at the genkan. 

I pulled off my own heels, stepping into the familiar warmth of her home, reading to get started on my official pitch, to start this contract, and somehow weave into it the opportunity for us to become friends with benefits in order to help me expand my horizons.

However as I moved further into the house, my footsteps came to a halt. Chris wasn’t alone.

Chris’ bedroom door was ajar. Clothes were strewn across the floor. I didn’t need to see more to know what was happening. I could hear it. The soft moans and muffled whispers cut through the silence like a blade. 

More so I recognized the other woman.  

Jenny. It had to be Jenny. When we were at uni, the sound of their coupling was as frequent as the sound of rain in Spring. It never really bothered me before, I would just leave and let bygones be bygones, but for some reason...

My stomach twisted painfully, and my vision blurred. I backed away, forcing my legs to move even as my mind screamed at me to stay. I had a plan, I had a…

I slipped into the guest room and shut the door, leaning against it as my breath shuddered out of me.

This was stupid. I had known, hadn’t I? Chris had always been like this, always had girls wrapped around her finger. And yet, somehow, I thought…with the contract…and since she had already brought me into the guestroom…maybe this time would be different… Special.

But at the end of the day, I had just spent the last 24 hours, making up daydreams in my head again.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and grabbed my suitcase. Shoving my clothes back into it felt like a final blow to the dream I’d been clinging to. 

This wasn’t a romcom. It wasn’t going to end with a kiss, a spicy cut scene and a song and dance. It was just... reality.

Zipping the suitcase, I wiped my eyes and took a deep breath. I opened the door carefully, peeking toward Chris’s room. The sounds had grown louder. 

My stomach turned.

I slipped out of the apartment, closing the door softly behind me. The weight of my suitcase felt heavier than it should have, but I kept walking. 

Each step echoed the same thought: this was over before it even began.