There was an unspoken rule between the five of us: we never said what we meant. We guessed.
We guessed what to eat. We guessed where to go for the weekend. We even guessed who was paying.
They called it the kind of shorthand you only get after ten years of friendship.
But every single time, I was the only one who guessed wrong.
Two weeks before Labor Day weekend, I typed into our group chat: *Where are we going for the holiday?*
The other four sent the exact same reply: *Guess.*
I asked my boyfriend, Marcus, in private. He glanced at his phone. “Heard Lake Tahoe is gorgeous in September,” he said casually.
That night, I booked a flight to Reno.
The next day, Madison posted a photo of palm trees in the group chat. *Already looking forward to the ocean breeze.*
I canceled the ticket and rebooked for Key West.
The day after that, Daniel forwarded an article about hiking in Moab. *Every adult should walk through the desert at least once.*
So I changed my flight again.
In seven days, I changed my plans eight times. This time, I thought, I would finally guess right.
But the night before we were supposed to leave, I saw a group chat on Marcus’s phone. One that didn’t include me.
Madison: *I’ve decided. Seattle.*
Daniel: *Works for me. Buying my ticket now.*
Tyler: *By the way, don’t forget to give Ellie the right hints.*
Marcus sent a thumbs-up emoji.
And that’s when I understood. They hadn’t chosen a destination. The only one who had been guessing all along was me.
This time, I wasn’t changing my ticket.
I was going to the wrong place, and I was going to have the vacation *I* wanted.
They Canceled My Ticket I Canceled Them Chapter 18 Then he dropped to his knees in the rainwater pooling at the curb. “Please, give me one more chance. If you come back, I’ll do everything your way. I’ll fire Madison. I’ll never see her again.” Headlights from passing cars swept over him, illuminating
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They Canceled My Ticket I Canceled Them Chapter 17 After the dinner, a heavy rain began to fall. Riley held an umbrella over my head as she walked me to the car. The driver was about to pull away when a figure suddenly ran into the road, arms spread wide, blocking our path.
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They Canceled My Ticket I Canceled Them Chapter 16 Daniel looked as if the air had been knocked out of him. Madison hurried over, tears already welling in her eyes. “Ellie, please don’t be like this. Daniel and Tyler really missed you. Are you still mad at me? What happened back then was
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They Canceled My Ticket I Canceled Them Chapter 15 “Ellie!” Marcus’s voice was shaking, a mix of three years of pain and a sudden, wild hope. He came right up to me, reaching for my wrist. “It really is you. You came back.” I shifted, and his hand closed on empty
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They Canceled My Ticket I Canceled Them Chapter 14 The moment I stepped through the doors, I felt several pairs of eyes lock onto me. Not far away, Marcus stood with a wineglass in his hand. He went completely still. He was much thinner than he’d been three years ago. His eyes were
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They Canceled My Ticket I Canceled Them Chapter 13 They had been reduced to taking on subcontracting work that other firms wouldn’t touch. Marcus had been desperately seeking new investors to keep his company afloat. One of LN’s acquisition targets just happened to be his biggest competitor, Northstar Studio. Once the deal
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They Canceled My Ticket I Canceled Them Chapter 12 Time doesn’t solve problems, but it does remove people’s power to influence your life. Three years later. Paris. “Elena, the board has approved it. You’ll be heading the North American M&A project.” The white-haired senior partner pushed a file across the desk toward
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They Canceled My Ticket I Canceled Them Chapter 11 “I’m sorry. Is this my fault? If I hadn’t insisted on going to Seattle, she wouldn’t have…” Before, the moment Madison cried, Daniel and Tyler would have rushed to comfort her. Tonight, neither of them moved. Daniel loosened his tie. “Stop crying.
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They Canceled My Ticket I Canceled Them Chapter 10 Over the next week, Marcus, Daniel, and Tyler went everywhere they thought I might be. They went to my old company, only to be told I had resigned and that they could not disclose any further information. They went to the apartment building where
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They Canceled My Ticket I Canceled Them Chapter 09 “Marcus… there’s something on the table.” Marcus strode over. Two envelopes lay on the polished wood. He opened the breakup notice first. My signature was clear and firm. My lawyer’s contact information was listed on the final page. Inside the second
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