His Betrayal, Her Breakthrough

y was fo

mily' s lake house. He said it wa

te daughter of a retired general. She had this wide-eyed,

a hand on Chloe's back, guiding her th

glass of water in my hand. He

a signature of the caterer Liam had hired, the one famous for their artis

we had navigated since we were kids. He was the one who used to check every label for me,

t, he

didn't

a friend asked, holding a

e drifted back to Liam. He was laughing, lean

e. Our families, neighbors for generations. Our future was an unspoken

iet slip out the back. But as I reached the

syrupy sweet. "Liam was just telling me you have t

. A small, green cookie sat

s eyes distant. He didn' t

ir was being vacuumed out of my lung

ask of confusion. "Oh, why

voice flat, devoid of the panic that us

gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. "

h wide, accusing eyes

faded into a dull roar. I dropped my glass, the sound

for my EpiPen. My hand

ice finally held

answer. I

was Liam' s panicked face, and Chloe stand

ere blinding. My grandmother was sitting in a chair by my bed, her face a mixture of fur

calm. "The paramedics said he drove Chloe home first bec

rt. They just landed in

whispered,

g my hand. Her grip

His grandmother and I have been friends for fifty

her eyes sea

He would never let th

allergic reaction still visible on my skin. I thought o

," I

ce was

it