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WYNNIE

"I can't believe...I finally said it," I whispered to myself.

"I guess it should have been obvious. I guess it all makes sense now," Trippy said.

My phone started to buzz against my leg. It was a text from Starra. By now, she had probably heard all about what went down at the hotel back in Houston.

I quickly text her that Wynnie and I were fine. I didn't bother mentioning Khangela because...if she had heard about what she was frantically texting me now, then she would know that the person I once considered Evelyn's girlfriend was gone for good.

"Who's that?"

"Starra. Just checking up on us," I shrugged.

"I understand everything that you were saying before now," Trippy quickly glanced over at me, "I'm sorry for being an ass and for being so blind to your feelings."

"It's fine," I said quickly.

"What we did when we were high. Or...I was high. It wasn't right."

My gaze snapped to her. "It wasn't right in the way that I was using you for what I needed, then expected you to play the role of my best friend. It was unfair of me not to consider your feelings and when I did...I brushed them off. Khangela tried to show me so, so many times," Trippy's words trailed off. "I feel something for you too. I don't know what it is yet, but..."

"The other girl," I turned my face away, seeing where she was going with this.

"I don't want to mislead another person. Low key, in fear that something as bad what happened to Khangela will happen to you too in some sort of way."

"You're torn between some sneaky link and your best friend. Sounds like it's straight out of a boring 抖阴社区 story," I scoffed.

"Just because I've known you the longest doesn't mean you're the one I wanna invest my heart in."

"I'm not even asking you to do that. I'm just asking you to tell me how you feel. I don't even know if...I want that. A relationship with my best friend."

"And I'm not exactly the best at not cheating," Trippy added.

"Yeah...that," I agreed.

"We can be something more loose. The right fit for us," she suggested. "Friends with benefits."

"Friends with benefits," I echoed.

But as I peeked at Wynnie as she drove, all I saw was myself being put on the back burner yet again.

Lost, forgotten, and boiling hot with anger.