Love Green Plum
Chapter One
After graduation, Jake sweet–talked me into
losing my virginity at a motel.
He was awkward, endearingly so, and his usual
cool demeanor melted away, replaced with a
surprising gentleness.
“Riley, if it hurts, just tell me. I’ll take it slow.”
I bit back the pain, a giddy happiness blooming
inside me. Finally, after all these years of
crushing on him, it felt like he felt the same
way.
The next morning, his phone alarm blared.
Jake instinctively rolled over, pulling me closer.
“Riley, kill the alarm.”
く
Still half–asleep, I reached for his phone and
accidentally clicked open his text thread with
his best friend.
“Dude, Jake, you’re such a jerk. Just because
Brittany rejected you doesn’t mean you gotta
go sleep with someone else!”
I tapped the voice message. Jake’s voice, thick
with sleep, filled the room.
“Riley doesn’t count.
“She’s been tagging along since we were kids…
kinda pathetic, really. Figured I’d do her a
solid.”
The words hit me like a punch to the gut, my
ears ringing.
My hands started shaking uncontrollably.
So it was all a game to Jake? He’d lured me to
<
So, it was all a game to Jake? He’d lured me to
that seedy motel last night just to get back at
Brittany, the queen bee, for turning him down?
It wasn’t about me at all.
My chest tightened, and I gasped for air, tears
welling up.
The old blinds in the motel room didn’t quite
close all the way, letting a sliver of sunlight
creep onto the bed.
Jake groaned, squinting, and just pulled the
covers over his head.
His phone buzzed again.
It was a confirmation for a hotel reservation.
Another text came through from his friend.
“Yo, Jake, booked you a killer ocean view suite.
Tomorrow’s the day you finally win Brittany
<
Tomorrow’s the day you finally win Brittany
over!
“Damn, you’re really pulling out all the stops for
Brittany.”
The words “ocean view suite” twisted the knife
in my gut.
I don’t even remember how I managed to gather
my clothes from the floor, how clumsily I
yanked them on.
Before I left, I glanced back at the cramped,
run–down room.
