Lottie had been watching from a distance, her gaze lingering longer than usual as she observed you laughing with the other girl. The way your eyes sparkled when she spoke, the way you both seemed so at ease with one another—it made something twist painfully in Lottie’s chest.

She tried to look away, tried to ignore the knot tightening in her stomach, but she couldn’t. Something inside of her flared—jealousy. It wasn’t something she liked to admit, but there it was. Watching you with someone else, especially someone who wasn’t her, felt like a punch to the gut.

Lottie was never the type to show her emotions so openly, but there was no hiding the flicker of annoyance that crossed her face when the girl touched your arm casually. The old feelings bubbled up—resentment, longing, insecurity. She told herself it shouldn’t bother her. You weren’t hers anymore, but in that moment, it didn’t matter.

Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore. She stormed over, her heart pounding in her chest, though her voice remained as cold and composed as ever.

“Are you really doing this now?” Lottie’s words were sharp, betraying her emotions. “With her?”