Chapter 1 One

• I applied a bit of make-up just the way my boyfriend loved it, painting my lips red, blending with my red spaghetti strap dress that stopped just above my knees. I slipped on black heels, glancing in the mirror one last time, and smiled, winking at my gorgeous reflection.
• I didn't enjoy wearing high heels, but Jaden loved them, so I learned to endure just to please him.
• My phone buzzed and I checked. It was a text from Jaden.
• “I really miss you, and I wish I could come and spend the vacation with you in London,” his message reads.
• This message from him made me grin from ear to ear, my heart fluttering with so much excitement.
• He believed I was in London for the summer break. I had lied to make this surprise visit more perfect.
• We are in our fourth year of school, and I had dated him for five months. I have decided to give him my virginity today and I have no regrets.
• It felt right—he had proved to be the man I would spend the rest of my life with, and once we are done with college, we would both plan our future together and get married.
• I picked up my black handbag which had just my credit card, phone and some cash. I scurried out with excitement bubbling inside me, boarding a taxi immediately to his place.
• It took the taxi almost an hour to get to his house because I made a stop at a flower store to buy him the best bouquet with a bottle of red wine which was his favorite.
• The car finally reached the front of his apartment and came to a halt, making my heartbeat accelerate as I paid and alighted. I could see the light emanating from his room window, so he was at home.
• I was already Imagining him going crazy when he saw me. He won't be able to contain his joy and would hug me into his arms and plant kisses all over me. More excitingly, we will be having our first sex tonight.
• I hurried to the elevator, clutching the bouquet to my chest.
• Jaden was from a very rich family and although my parents aren't poor, but we can't be compared to his. He had a duplex all by himself. How he fell for me among other girls in school still marvels me.
• I got to the front door and unlocked it since I had his door lock code. I stepped in, but couldn't find him in the sitting room.
• Everywhere seemed silent when I stood outside the door, but the moment I stepped in, I began to hear some low voices and laughter upstairs and it was a female voice.
• My heart skipped a beat and I was confused for a moment. Jaden told me he was bored at home without me beside him.
• My legs trembled as I moved closer, taking a slow pace up the stairs and trying to convince myself I had misheard.
• But then, along the hallways, I spotted the scattered clothes: a blouse, bra, panties, and Jaden's shirt, as if they had started off from here before entering his bedroom.
• “No, Jaden can't be cheating on me, right?” I muttered, my voice trembling as tears welled in my eyes. My chest tightened painfully and every breath came in a rush.
• I reached the bedroom door, and my shaky, sweaty hands grasped the door knob but couldn't pull it down. I had never imagined Jaden would ever cheat on me, and this was like a slash to my heart.
• “I really miss you…Aghh! Baby, you don't know what I would do to have you with me every second of my life.” I heard Jaden say from inside.
• “What about Diane?” The female voice was clearer now and I froze with a sharp gasp of pain slipping out of my mouth as I recognized the voice but I tried to force myself into believing it can't be her.
• Selene is my best friend. We had been friends since my second year in college. She had always told me how I was lucky Jaden fell in love with me and how she is so happy and grateful to be my friend because that had given her the opportunity to come close to him.
• I had also texted her that I traveled out just so there won't be any way Jaden would find out I was coming since I had noticed she talks to Jaden a lot and would have sheepish smile
• “Don't tell me you really think I love Diane. Yuck! That girl isn't my type at all. I have told you many times. It was a dare game to get her to bed but she is really serious about being a virgin till she is done with school.” He hissed with irritation.
• “Alright, but it felt so real. I was so jealous.” This time I couldn't doubt it was Selene even the way she laughed..It was followed by the sound of kisses.
• “I only wanted to take her virginity because my friends swore I would never be able to get that. It is you I want, and I am already hard beneath looking at your pretty and charming eyes.” He groaned out.
• I couldn’t believe what I was hearing, every word hurting me like a lance buried deep into my skin. My knees buckled, and the flowers slipped from my grip. My heart felt like it had been wrenched from my chest.
• I was struggling to stand firm, struggling to breathe as my heart grew heavier inside my chest with the sound of their soft moan in-between kisses.
• “So when are you breaking up with her? I am tired of pretending.”
• My lips quivered as I covered my mouth with my palm, praying I would wake up and realize all this was just a bad dream.
• “As soon as school resumes! I really can't wait to dump her, baby.” He replied with a scoff, and the last thread of hope I was clinging on shredded off. I felt my entire world crumble.
• I barged into the room at that moment, and both of them turned towards me with wide eyes, startled as they broke off the deep kiss they were engrossed in.
• Tears welled up in my eyes as I stared at Jaden and then Selene in disappointment.
• Jaden narrowed his eyes at me as if he were seeing a ghost and Selene had her jaw dropped, both finding it hard to believe I just caught them.
• “What are you doing here?” He asked in frustration.
• “I thought…you were away.” Selene stuttered, covering her naked body with the duvet as she avoided my gaze in embarrassment.
• “She lied.” Jaden sighed, gritting his teeth as he peered back at me.
• The scene was killing me. Watching my best friend who I thought was a sister to me on the bed with him really scarred me and it seemed they had already gone one round.
• “Selene, why? I thought we were friends.” I swallowed painfully, unable to understand where I wronged her to deserve this.
• Had she been wanting to snatch him from me? When did the relationship start behind my back?
• Turning back to Jaden, and my heart shattered even more, remembering he had called the relationship a dare game. He only wanted to have my virginity.
• I blinked out hot tears, fighting back the tears threatening to fall out. I felt like a fool. How didn't I notice?
• “I..am sorry…” Selene managed to mumble, tucking her blonde hair as she finally looked at my face with those green eyes that appeared sad.
• All I could remember was the memory of our friendship, shattering my heart with a brutal reminder that she had betrayed me to the core. She knew how much I loved Jaden, how much I was ready to sacrifice for him. Yet, here she was on his bed because they thought I was out.
• “For how long?” My voice was breaking, my emotions wrecking hell inside me and it was as if I would explode.
• “Okay okay okay, no more questioning.” Jaden snapped at me and turned to Selene. “You have nothing to apologize for. It is my fault for not breaking up with her the moment we fell in love.”
• He sighed and ran his fingers through his brown hair.
• “I am sorry you had to find out this way. I was planning to break up. It isn't entirely my fault though. You won't want to let me make love with you and everything was so boring. Your priority is your book and I am not a dead wood. How do you claim to love me and won't allow me to have sex with you?” He shot at me and I sneered, feeling so irritated.
• Was he trying to gaslight me? Pushing the blame on me now? I felt anger pulsing through my veins. He thought I hadn't heard what he told Selene.
• “All these time you only wanted to have sex, it was for the dare from your friend. You never loved me!” I bawled and his eyes widened as he flinched on finding out I already knew. “And you, Selene! You knew and didn't tell me! Oh, I forgot you don't even care and had been urging him to break up with me. Whore!”
• “Diane… I am sorry. It was on my birthday when he came with you. He developed…”
• “Shut up!” I yelled at her as hearing her voice only added to the pain consuming me.
• I couldn't stand there any longer because I was going to collapse. What will I tell my parents when they return? What will happen when school resumes and they all realize I was dumped and replaced already?
• Worst of all, I was a toy for a truth and dare game, and everything was never real to him. The shame and insult I would receive from other students when they found out. His new girlfriend was even my own best friend.
• My head was aching and tears blurred my vision as I opened the door and stormed out. I could hear the door shut and locked behind me immediately as if they badly wanted me out.
• I got outside his apartment and blindly waved down a taxi, stumbling in and leaning on the headrest as tears spilled freely down my cheek.
• “Where, madam?” The driver asked and I realized I hadn't told him anything since I entered.
• “To the nearest bar.” I mumbled, trying to wipe my tears.
• I have never been a fan of alcohol, nor had I gone to a club before but today I will ease my pain with all that. Also fu
• ck virginity because I would have fun and give that up to any handsome man I meet in there tonight. I don't care.