"Nicole is so pretentious! I told you two weren’t a good match, but you wouldn’t believe me."
"Having someone else at every party is exhausting! You might as well have married Tara!"
Tara sent a tongue-out emoji:
"Lulu, it’s my birthday today. Why mention that annoying person? Ethan said he’d buy me a cruise. I want to face the sea and enjoy the spring blossoms!"
Ethan teased, "Bend over backward to your father. This life belongs to you."
Tara immediately bent over backward:
"Your life belongs to me now. I command you not to bring any family today!"
"Ethan, I saw Tara in a bikini. Whose birthday present is it? [smirk]"
It felt like a bucket of ice water had been poured over me, suffocating every breath.
As expected, you can act, but you can’t fake your social life.
When I first tried to fit in, everyone seemed as friendly as angels.
But I took their politeness seriously. They were impenetrable fortresses, and I, forever, the unacceptable outsider.
The cramps worsened, and I trembled as I pulled out my phone, snapping pictures and saving them page by page.
By the time Ethan came in to retrieve his phone, I was already curled up on the sofa in pain.
He didn’t even glance at me, eager to leave.