Game Over, Heartbreaker — Episode 2

That look held every memory since kindergarten. Every summer afternoon, crickets chirping. Every late night, stargazing in the backyard at 2 a.m. But right then, every last feeling I'd had for him died.

Then I turned and walked away. Hey, Joan, where are you going? Come on, I'll buy you a burger to make it up, okay? Joan!

I didn't look back. When I got home, I went straight to the bathroom. My reflection was covered in rope burns and bruises. I turned the water as hot as it would go and stood under the spray,

scrubbing myself over and over, shuff all the humiliation, but I couldn't. Tristan's line- It's just a joke.

Plays on repeat like a lousy song. Can't skip. Joan, you okay? You've been in there almost 40 minutes.

I'll be out soon! Mom had a night shift. She was in a hurry and didn't push further. That was fine for me.

I didn't want to explain. I couldn't bring myself to say it out loud. Twelve years. Tristan and I had known each other twelve years.

No one would have guessed the rising star everyone admired now. But we were the perfect partners. I'd even written him into my future. I'd waited, hoping one day he'd say it for real.

Joan, be my girlfriend. But the truth was, to him, I was just a sidekick who'd never leave. A prop he could grab whenever he wanted a laugh.