chapter 5
On the way home, I found myself wondering what had made me fall for Kobe in the first place. I think it was that rainy afternoon. He was trying to launch his startup and had just been rejected by an investor for the twentieth time. My boss had just sent back my design draft for the thirty-fifth revision. We both ducked into the same coffee shop to escape a sudden thunderstorm.
It was awkward at first—just small talk to fill the silence. But by the time the rain stopped, we had clicked. After that, getting together felt like the most natural thing in the world.
I never believed in love at first sight. It always seemed too shallow an emotion without foundation, destined to fade as quickly as it appeared. Yet for six years with Kobe, I often thought I was one of the lucky ones. That I’d found my soulmate in a chance encounter.
But thinking back now, were those six years truly a story of mutual love? Or was it just me procrastinating on the inevitable?
Sophie took me out for drinks. With wedding planning about to consume her life, she wanted one last night to relax before the chaos began. She’s a lightweight, and it didn’t take long for her to get tipsy. Even then, she was slurring, insisting she had to get me home safely first.
I felt a bittersweet pang. My best friend, drunk off her ass, was still putting me first. Kobe, on the other hand, would always choose Lola over me.
“It’s okay,” I soothed her. “I’m staying at your place tonight. We can go home together.”