Done Being a Simp

r relationship, I broke

hat I found cat

in her vehicle, claimin

he shrugged nonchalantly

that, but not only

begged me to get back together,

ady to pick Sloa

a familiar smell hit me. I shook

laced a bouquet of flowers in the

I spotted a clump

re be cat hai

ll cat named Nala, but Sloane only all

to shower and change clot

time, my fingers absent

saw the car parked in front of a unive

etic wear appeared i

ong? I had a file due today, so I'm late. You don't have t

through. "What can I do

ge. She was two years ahea

gate sometimes, but she had no pati

minutes late, and by the time

meant to be kept. My time is valuable. If yo

n the early stages of her career, and driving back and forth

t hate waiting. She jus

s. "Sloane, I saw a stray cat at school t

ead, she said warmly, "Then k

oane, you'r

Sloane laughed often, and the at

shcam, my mind drifting bac

ars ago, my mother got sick with ast

oane's car door, hoping she co

ats. They leave a smell in m

ain, she shut the d

t paycheck to rent a

r graduation, every time I visited Nala, I had

cat left not just a sme

ould be broken,

seemed to mock my years

Sloane and me flashing throu

tween us felt too wide. She was the campus beauty, cycling t

a bar when I saw her drunk. I took her to a nearby

he next morning, she wo

us this time, that our six-yea

down she never

ness faded, signs of he

very day and wearing perfume. Then she started ta

rew bolder, coming home la

anger fizzled out when she sai

me figur

ved her and w

ointment piled up,

ed a tirade. "Josh, you said you'd pick me up! How late are you? I told

ahead. "Sloane,

rough, stunned. "

d we'r

hy

at hair in

ecause

that, but not only

t a light laugh. "Fine, Josh. If you've go

chanical thud of

pstairs, and packed my thin

iving there, I realiz

e closet were the sporty,

d I have left? I couldn't help but moc

I'd been promoted t

cation, offered me a role managing a new bra

adily agreed, telling me to wrap up m

ck to my rental, Nala

leaving Sloane was easier than I'd thought. I

, Sloane's drunk. We're at the usual bar. Hurry up. Oh, and m

Danny F

respond, the

's kept man, or more accurate

endence, citing studies that men

oking, cleaning, and making

wn job, or I'd be a freeloader, a

nded to Sloane's needs. Often, I'd pick her up from

the bar, I couldn't complain, or I'd

e were the standar

thought for a momen

e, obsessed with chasing men, had few real friends. Even if I w

y to see her and Danny surrounded by a group o

knowing look. "See? I told you, wh

ly. Another one

is, using me as a pa

got together, Danny pull

y and I should be grateful. She said Sloane's job wa

t like she didn't want S

, our sweetness turned sour, and ou

times early on, but Dann

Danny insisted I didn't deserve her and

all me out of the blue, saying Sloane wa

they were messing with me, but I

s housekeeper, driver,

ot think, and definitely

eyes showed indifference, lik

r the flicker of ho

another man rus

He hurried in, crouched in front of Slo

kissed the boy, and laughed brightly. "Good boy, my swe

the bracelet on her wrist. "You always

ed and slid the bracelet off, handing it to Kaiden

took her to meet my family, passed down from m

nd rushed forward. "Sl

a distance as she gave my mother's jade br

ildly, but it

, grabbed a few napkins to wipe her mouth, t

ne, the other

close, mocking my dignity. "Someone's

, leaving me al