My Best Friend Stole Him. So I Stole Better. Chapter 05
Sienna and Julian both froze.
Ethan gave a slight jolt too. He hadn’t expected me to come out with it so bluntly. Weren’t we supposed to wait until they went public before hitting back?
But Sienna only stalled for a beat before grabbing my hand, her voice sugary.
“Aw, Summer, you can’t joke like that just because you’re upset. Are you reading into the fact that I’m here with Julian?”
“You’ve got the wrong idea. You said Julian stood you up the other day, right? I thought I’d book a place for you two and drag him out here so I could surprise you when I got him to agree.”
She peeked up at me, blinked her big innocent eyes.
I’d never once suspected Sienna. Which was probably why her lie was this clumsy.
I gave a dry laugh. “Wow, thanks for that.”
Ethan and I had agreed to wait until the day they went public before making our move. So I said nothing more.
Sienna wasn’t happy.
Her hand went to her hip. She frowned.
“Summer, I did this for you. And now you’re being all snide, like I’ve done something wrong.”
She said it just loud enough that Julian caught it.
He walked straight over. Saw the pink rimming Sienna’s eyes. His gaze went dark.
“Summer. Apologize.”
“Don’t take your feelings out on other people.”
He’d immediately assumed I was dumping my frustration about being stood up onto Sienna.
I glanced at Sienna. Sure enough, the corners of her mouth twitched up.
The heat in my chest flared.
“How is this any of your business?”
Ethan smoothly stepped up beside me.
“Yeah, exactly. What are you to Summer, standing there lecturing her? Her parents aren’t even on her case—what makes you think you get to teach her anything?”
I could’ve applauded.
Julian’s face changed. He stared at me without a word.
That silent stare, the one that meant he was waiting for me to reflect on what I’d done wrong.
I laughed, cold.
“Julian. We’re not close. Watch your words.”
“And Sienna—I thought you were an adult. Your emotions should be steadier than this. Stop being so thin-skinned. You and I don’t get along. We shouldn’t live together anymore. Move your things out within three days. Settle the rent for the year while you’re at it.”
I’d gone soft on her before, worried Sienna couldn’t afford rent.
I’d exhausted every excuse to get her to live with me, to ease her burden.
I hadn’t realized some people didn’t deserve sympathy.
Or that they’d take other people’s kindness as mockery.
I still didn’t understand why Sienna would treat me this way.
But that didn’t stop me from seeing her clearly. And walking away.
Sienna blanked for a moment. This time she looked genuinely thrown.
“Summer, are you mad at me? But everything I said was true!”
“We’ve been friends for years. How could you be mad at me? Good friends forgive each other. Right?”
I looked at her, expression flat.
“No. They don’t.”