Chapter 4The Day I Gave Up on Us

Jasper Hunt's birthday? I opened my eyes.

No one invited me. I wasn't about to show up uninvited and make things awkward.

"I didn't know he was having a birthday party," I said quietly.

Stella looked surprised. "How could you not know? Jasper and Mr. Cruz are so close."

I smiled, but didn't say anything.

Jasper and Brandon really were like brothers.

Last month, when Brandon came back from overseas, he didn't come home. Instead, he took Stella up into the mountains to go stargazing.

When I asked Jasper about it, he covered for his best friend.

What he didn't know was that I already saw everything on Stella's social media.

I cried and argued with Brandon over it, and he got so fed up with being at home that he stayed at a hotel for three days.

After Stella finished speaking, Brandon glanced at me guiltily through the rearview mirror.

I ignored him and closed my eyes again.

-

Our takeout arrived at the same time we got home.

I changed clothes and started eating.

Brandon came out of the bathroom and asked, "Where's mine?"

I looked at him in surprise. "Didn't you already eat?"

His expression froze for a second. Then he sat across from me, looking like he had something to say.

In the past, I would've immediately asked what was wrong.

Now, I just wanted to enjoy my food in peace.

Brandon called my name. "Ellie, when Jasper had his birthday party, we were still fighting, so I…"

I cut him off. "It's a small thing. It's already over, so there's no point talking about it."

For a moment, he looked stunned. He had said those exact words to me more than once.

The most recent time was over dinner with Jasper, when I asked why he helped Brandon lie to me.

Jasper glanced at Brandon first, then gave me a faint, knowing smile. "I was just trying not to cause problems between you two."

I was about to press him when Brandon finally lost his patience. He snapped, "It's such a small thing. How long are you going to keep dragging this out?"

After dinner, Brandon showed no sign of leaving.

I took the opportunity to pull the divorce agreement my lawyer had prepared out of my bag.

He glanced at the title and let out an incredulous laugh. "What's this supposed to mean? You're threatening divorce again?"

He tossed the papers at my feet.

I picked them up and held them out to him again. "I'm serious."

"Do you ever get tired of pulling this crap?"

I stopped talking. If I kept going, it would only turn into another screaming match.

Brandon stormed out and slammed the door behind him.

I couldn't be bothered wondering where he went or what he was doing.

I calmly left the divorce papers in his study, then went back to looking through the Hillside housing listings I hadn't finished earlier that day.

Brandon still hadn't come home by the time I went to bed, and I was perfectly happy to have the place to myself.

The next day, Brandon came to pick me up from work again.

I didn't refuse. He had hardly ever done this for me in the past few years, so there was no reason to turn it down now.

I opened the back door and got in.

Brandon gave me a strange look. "Why are you sitting in the back?"

I looked at him, confused. "You said it yourself. It's just a seat."

"Come sit up front."

I didn't argue and moved into the passenger seat.

Something small dug into me when I sat down. I picked it up and saw that it was a tube of lipstick.

Brandon immediately explained, "It might be Stella's. She's kind of careless. She's always leaving things behind..."

His voice grew quieter under my gaze, and he looked at me nervously.

I handed him the lipstick. "Then don't forget to give it back to her. That brand's pretty expensive."

"I really didn't know it was there. There's nothing between us…"

I cut him off, "Brandon, it doesn't matter."

"What?"

"I said it isn't important. Whether there's something going on between you and Stella or not, I don't really care anymore."

His face went pale instantly. I turned toward the window, ending the conversation.