When Best Friends Become Strangers

When Best Friends Become Strangers

Gavin

5.0
Comment(s)
480
View
27
Chapters

I spent my entire childhood as one-third of an inseparable trio: "EOM Forever." That meant a built-in future, headed to UCLA with my best friends, Olivia and Maya. And by college, I was supposed to choose which of them I' d pledge my heart to. But as my cursor hovered over the UCLA "Submit" button, thinking about that pact, triumph was replaced by a chilling sense of surrender. Instead, on a whim, I clicked "Confirm Enrollment" for Yale. It wasn't just a different school; it was an escape route. Because for months, our tight-knit world had been invaded by Liam Spencer, a charming new transfer. He charmed Olivia and Maya, and then effortlessly pushed me to the sidelines. My messages in our group chat became sparse, often ignored, as their plans revolved around him. Liam's "accidents" were always strangely convenient – a spilled glass of red wine on my laptop, a sudden "fainting spell" right before graduation. And every time, Olivia and Maya leaped to his defense, dismissing my feelings. "It's just a sweatshirt, Ethan," Olivia chided when Liam wore mine. "He needs it more," Maya chimed in, with a heart emoji. The ultimate betrayal came on Decision Day: Liam pushed me, cracking my head open on a stone planter. Even then, as I lay in the hospital, Olivia and Maya pled for his forgiveness, calling him "tormented." How could they be so blind? My childhood best friends had become total strangers, enabling a manipulative narcissist, turning my life into a living hell. I was done being their afterthought, their punching bag. Leaving them behind wasn't just a decision; it was a desperate declaration of war for my own life. But letting go of "EOM Forever" meant they wouldn't let go of me. Not Olivia, not Maya, and certainly not Liam.

Introduction

I spent my entire childhood as one-third of an inseparable trio: "EOM Forever."

That meant a built-in future, headed to UCLA with my best friends, Olivia and Maya.

And by college, I was supposed to choose which of them I' d pledge my heart to.

But as my cursor hovered over the UCLA "Submit" button, thinking about that pact, triumph was replaced by a chilling sense of surrender.

Instead, on a whim, I clicked "Confirm Enrollment" for Yale.

It wasn't just a different school; it was an escape route.

Because for months, our tight-knit world had been invaded by Liam Spencer, a charming new transfer.

He charmed Olivia and Maya, and then effortlessly pushed me to the sidelines.

My messages in our group chat became sparse, often ignored, as their plans revolved around him.

Liam's "accidents" were always strangely convenient – a spilled glass of red wine on my laptop, a sudden "fainting spell" right before graduation.

And every time, Olivia and Maya leaped to his defense, dismissing my feelings.

"It's just a sweatshirt, Ethan," Olivia chided when Liam wore mine.

"He needs it more," Maya chimed in, with a heart emoji.

The ultimate betrayal came on Decision Day: Liam pushed me, cracking my head open on a stone planter.

Even then, as I lay in the hospital, Olivia and Maya pled for his forgiveness, calling him "tormented."

How could they be so blind?

My childhood best friends had become total strangers, enabling a manipulative narcissist, turning my life into a living hell.

I was done being their afterthought, their punching bag.

Leaving them behind wasn't just a decision; it was a desperate declaration of war for my own life.

But letting go of "EOM Forever" meant they wouldn't let go of me.

Not Olivia, not Maya, and certainly not Liam.

Continue Reading

Other books by Gavin

More
When Love Turns to Ash

When Love Turns to Ash

Short stories

4.2

My world revolved around Jax Harding, my older brother's captivating rockstar friend. From sixteen, I adored him; at eighteen, I clung to his casual promise: "When you're 22, maybe I'll settle down." That offhand comment became my life's beacon, guiding every choice, meticulously planning my twenty-second birthday as our destiny. But on that pivotal day in a Lower East Side bar, clutching my gift, my dream exploded. I overheard Jax' s cold voice: "Can't believe Savvy's showing up. She' s still hung up on that stupid thing I said." Then the crushing plot: "We' re gonna tell Savvy I' m engaged to Chloe, maybe even hint she' s pregnant. That should scare her off." My gift, my future, slipped from my numb fingers. I fled into the cold New York rain, devastated by betrayal. Later, Jax introduced Chloe as his "fiancée" while his bandmates mocked my "adorable crush"-he did nothing. As an art installation fell, he saved Chloe, abandoning me to severe injury. In the hospital, he came for "damage control," then shockingly shoved me into a fountain, leaving me to bleed, calling me a "jealous psycho." How could the man I loved, who once saved me, become this cruel and publicly humiliate me? Why was my devotion seen as an annoyance to be brutally extinguished with lies and assault? Was I just a problem, my loyalty met with hatred? I would not be his victim. Injured and betrayed, I made an unshakeable vow: I was done. I blocked his number and everyone connected to him, severing ties. This was not an escape; this was my rebirth. Florence awaited, a new life on my terms, unburdened by broken promises.

You'll also like

Chapters
Read Now
Download Book