The Sweet-Talking Friend​

My best friend Claire constantly uses me to test her boyfriend’s loyalty.

She sends him suggestive messages from my account, orders lingerie in my name, then gets a thrill watching him shut me down and declare devotion to her.

This time, she invited me to dinner and had her boyfriend Julian serve me food while she watched with a sly smile.

I was mortified—until comments flickered in my vision:

[Here we go again. The rich protagonist uses our girl because she’s insecure the male lead actually loves the side character.]

[She even sabotaged her scholarship and ‘sponsored’ her to stay close.]

[Sienna, just eat the food. Use this guy to climb up. Let’s see who laughs last.]

1

It took me a long moment to process what I’d just read.

I had never, not for a second, imagined that the anonymous tip that cost me my scholarship all those years ago had come from my best friend.

For years, I had been profoundly grateful to Claire. When I had nowhere else to turn, she paid for my education. I considered her my truest friend. Even after I paid back every cent, I continued to do everything in my power to repay her kindness.

No matter how absurd her schemes to test Julian were, I would grit my teeth through his condescending glares and humiliating remarks, sending those degrading messages for her. I told her again and again that she and Julian were childhood sweethearts, that he was with her because he loved her.

But she refused to believe it. She would move heaven and earth to test him, needing to see that cold rejection in his eyes before she could be satisfied.

Before coming here tonight, I had been so excited. I thought that since it was my birthday, Claire’s dinner invitation was a surprise party.

Turns out, she’d just found another online trick to test her boyfriend, and I was the sacrificial lamb yet again.

2

Seeing my stunned silence, a flicker of triumph danced in Claire’s eyes.

She leaned against Julian, her voice a casual, airy purr.

"Sienna, sweetie, go ahead and eat. Julian already put it on your plate. I don't mind."

She said she didn't mind, but her eyes were glued to my chopsticks, terrified I might actually take a bite.

The comments scrolling past my eyes were furious.

[Look at her pretending. Her eyes are practically burning a hole in that plate. I'd love to see her keep smiling if our girl actually eats it.]

[Sienna, baby, let's be brave. Can we please stop being her free pawn?]

[Eat it! Eat it all! Shovel it in right in front of him! Our girl needs to piss this pampered princess off for good!]

I looked at Claire’s innocent, doll-like face, then thought of the scholarship she’d stolen from me, of all the times she’d played me like a fool. My grip on my chopsticks tightened.

She loves testing Julian's feelings for her, doesn't she?

She loves testing to see if I have any designs on her boyfriend, right?

Fine. I’ll help her out.

Snapping back to the present, I deliberately picked up the piece of asparagus he had placed on my plate. I covered my mo...