- 3.
People drank and talked to lighten the mood.
Someone got drunk and yelled at Mark, “What
the hell, man? We’re here for YOUR GIRL’S
birthday! Which one is it?”
My girl…
I realized Mark had never called me that.
He liked to call me Mandy. Sometimes he’d
say, “It’d be so much better if you just
listened!”
I’d joke and tell him to stop trying to
く
manipulate me.
C
¡
He’d crush out his cigarette, hug me tight,
and whisper, “If you stay this way, I’ll love you
forever.”
He had sent the text tonight, and it was my
birthday, so I thought it was me.
I grabbed my phone and looked at the chat
from last year.
He had started the text the same way:
“Birthday bash for my girl!”
So, which girl?
I met Sarah’s gaze. She looked calm and
confident.
く
She seemed like the star of the party.
Dave frowned and started to get up, but
Sarah was faster.
She took control, picked up the shrimp and
put it on my plate. “Mark’s being a jerk. Don’t
blame him.”
She was smart. One move, a few words, and
she was off the hook.
I was the crazy one.
Mark wiped his hands with a napkin and
pulled Sarah back down. He looked at me,
cold. “Amanda, what’s your problem?”
What was my problem?
く
My boyfriend of two years had brought
another girl to my birthday party and was
peeling shrimp for her.
I hadn’t flipped out or demanded answers.
And he was asking what my problem was?
My nails dug into my palms. I fought back the
tears and forced a smile. “If I’m ruining Mark’s
night, I’ll leave.”
I grabbed my purse.
Mark yelled, “Sit down!”
