The Attached Best Friend

After my best friend got a boyfriend, she became a phone addict. One night, her 47th call made me miss a critical work alert, costing me my job. Yet she accused me of being jealous of her happiness.
The next day, she surprised me by showing up with her boyfriend at my job interview, getting me disqualified. When my mother had a heart attack, her incessant calls caused my phone to crash—I missed the hospital’s update and never saw my mother alive again. At the funeral, she sobbed louder than I did, claiming it was her fault.
Driven to despair, I jumped off a rooftop. When I woke up, I was back at the day she started dating him.

01
The name ‘Chloe’ glowed on my phone screen.
Memories from my past life flooded back like a tidal wave. This was the first day she started dating him, and the first day of my nightmare.
Taking a deep breath, I answered.
"Anna!!! I have the most amazing news!"
Her familiar shriek pierced my eardrum.
"I'm in a relationship! It's with Mark! You know, that gorgeous guy from the party last week!"
"He just asked me to be his girlfriend! Ahhh, I'm going to lose my mind!"
I gripped the phone, my knuckles turning white.
"Anna, are you listening? Why aren't you saying anything?"
"I'm listening," I said, forcing my voice to remain calm.
"You're not happy for me, are you?" Her tone immediately shifted to wounded.
In my past life, this was where it all began. Every reaction, every word, was twisted into an accusation of jealousy.
"Congratulations," I said flatly.
"That's it?" she huffed, dissatisfied. "We've been best friends for ten years! Can't you at least pretend to be a little more excited?"
"Chloe, I'm at work."
"Work, work, that's all you ever care about!" Her voice climbed an octave. "Is your stupid job more important than me getting a boyfriend?"
I glanced at the project timeline on my computer. The proposal was due in three days. Last time, her endless calls had made me miss the deadline.
"Chloe, can we talk tonight? I'm really busy right now."
"No! I need to share this with you right now!"
"Mark just kissed me! In the middle of the coffee shop! Oh my god, my heart is still pounding!"
"He said I'm the cutest girl he's ever met!"
"And he wants to take me to the movies!"
I silently put the phone on speaker and continued typing. She rambled on for twenty minutes.
Finally, I had to cut in. "Chloe, I really have to get back to work."
The line went silent for a few seconds. Then, a quavering, tearful voice. "Anna, you've changed."
"You used to be happy for me. Now, all you care about is your job."
"Is it because I have a boyfriend now? You don't want to talk to me anymore?"
The familiar guilt trip. Last time, I would have felt guilty. I would have apologized, dropped my work, and spent hours listening to her.
Not this time.
"Chloe, I wish you all the best. I'm hanging up now."
I decisively ended the call. The phone immediately rang again. I silenced it and focused on my work. Ten minutes later, a storm of texts.
Chloe: "How could you hang up on me!"
Chloe: "Anna, you're being so unfair!"
Chloe: "I thought you were my best friend, and this is how you treat me?"
Chloe: "Are you jealous of me?"
Chloe: "ANSWER ME!!!"
I muted her notifications.
By the time I left the office, I had 32 missed calls and 156 unread messages.
I turned off my phone and went to the hospital to pick up my mom from her check-up.
"Annie, you're so early today!" my mom said, her face lighting up.
"The project's wrapping up. I'm taking you out for a nice dinner."
Last time, I was always late to see my mom because I was too busy managing Chloe's emotional crises. This time, I was saving my time for the people who truly mattered.
At 9 PM, I turned my phone back on. 78 missed calls. Over 300 messages.
The latest one read: "Anna, Mark and I are downstairs. Come out and talk to us."
I walked to the window and looked down. Chloe was in a pink dress, nestled in Mark's arms. The sight of them, so close, was like a needle in my eye.
I drew the curtains and texted her back: "I'm asleep."
Her reply was instantaneous: "I can see your lights on! You're just avoiding me!"
"Anna, you get down here right now, or I'm going to keep ringing your doorbell!"
Sure enough, the piercing buzz of the doorbell started, sharp and incessant.
I picked up the intercom. "Chloe, if you press it one more time, I'm calling the police."
"The police?" Her voice crackled through the speaker, thick with disbelief. "I'm your best friend! You're going to call the cops on me?"
"It's ten o'clock at night," I said calmly. "You're disturbing the peace."
"Disturbing the peace? I just want to see my best friend!" Her voice grew shriller.
Then, Mark's voice cut in. "Come on, babe, maybe she's really tired."
"She's not tired! She just doesn't want to see me!"
"I don't care! She needs to come down here!" Chloe started throwing a full-blown tantrum. The doorbell ringing became more frantic.
I disconnected the power to the doorbell and calmly dialed 911.
"There's someone causing a disturbance outside my building."
Ten minutes later, the police arrived. Chloe and Mark were taken to the station to give a statement. As they were led away, Chloe screamed at me, tears streaming down her face, "Anna! How could you do this to me? We've been best friends for ten years!"
I closed the door, my face a mask of indifference.
Ten years of friendship? Or ten years of me being her emotional support animal?

02
The next morning, my phone vibrated violently. A glance at the screen showed 48 missed calls. Chloe had been calling since 2 AM. I turned off the phone and got ready for work.
As I opened the door, I found them standing there. Chloe’s eyes were red and swollen, Mark was in a crisp suit.
“Anna!” Chloe lunged to hug me.
I stepped aside. She stumbled, looking at me with wounded eyes. “Are you still mad?”
“I didn’t mean to bother you, I was just so excited and wanted to share.”
“We were at the station for three hours last night. I did a lot of thinking.”
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come over so late.” As she spoke, the tears started again.
Mark handed her a tissue. “Don’t cry, babe. Anna’s not the type to hold a grudge.” He turned to me. “Anna, Chloe is really sorry. She was worried all night that you were really mad at her. You two have been friends for so long, after all.”
I checked my watch. “I have to get to work.”
“Wait!” Chloe grabbed my arm. “Have you forgiven me?”
“Let go of me first.”
“Not until you say you forgive me!”
“Chloe, I’m in a hurry.”
“Then I’ll go with you!” she insisted, clinging to me.
“I’ll drive you,” Mark offered immediately.
I wanted to refuse, but Chloe was already dragging me towards the elevator.
The whole ride, Chloe chattered nonstop.
“Anna, you know what? Mark is so good to me.”
“After we left the station last night, he wasn’t mad at me at all.”
“He even said it was his fault for letting me go to your place so late.”
“He’s honestly the kindest man I’ve ever met.”
Mark caught my eye in the rearview mirror. “Which company do you work for, Anna?”
“Apex Tech,” Chloe answered for me. “She’s a project manager. She’s amazing!”
“Impressive, making it to management at such a young age,” Mark said, his tone layered with something I couldn’t quite place. “It’s a shame she’s too busy to date.”
“Anna’s 28 and still single!” Chloe said thoughtlessly. “My mom always says a woman’s priority should be her family. No matter how successful you are in your career, it’s pathetic if you don’t have a man to love you.”
I stared out the window, not bothering to reply.
As we neared my office, Chloe suddenly said, “Anna, let’s have lunch together!”
“My treat, as an apology.”
“I have a meeting.”
“Then dinner! You have to be free for dinner!”
“I’m working late.”
“Anna!” She was on the verge of tears again. “You just don’t want to forgive me, do you? You’re still mad!”
Mark pulled the car over. “We’re here.”
I opened the door. “Thanks for the ride.”
“Wait!” Chloe scrambled out after me. “When are you free? I really want to have a proper talk with you. It’s been so long since we just sat and talked.”
I turned to face her. “Chloe, we’re adults now. I have my work, and you have your life. We can’t be joined at the hip like we were in school.”
“But we’re best friends!”
“And because we’re friends, we should respect each other’s lives.”
With that, I walked into the building, the sound of her crying echoing behind me.
For the next few days, Chloe left me alone. She sent a few texts, but they were just casual updates. I thought she had finally gotten the message.
Until Friday afternoon. I was putting the final touches on my proposal when the office door swung open.
Chloe walked in, carrying a birthday cake, with Mark trailing behind her.
“Surprise!” she yelled.
The entire office turned to look.
“Anna! Happy birthday!”
I froze. It was my birthday. But I never, ever celebrated at the office.
“What… what are you doing here?”
“Celebrating your birthday, of course!” Chloe placed the cake on my desk. “I remembered you love mango cake!”
“Make a wish!”
My coworkers started to join in. “Make a wish! Make a wish!”
My team lead, Sarah, walked over, frowning. “Anna, what’s this?”
“My… my best friend,” I managed, my face burning. “I’m sorry, I had no idea she was coming.”
“Well, since it’s your birthday, cut the cake quickly,” Sarah said, glancing at the clock. “Don’t let it interfere with work.”
Chloe had already lit the candles. “Hurry, make a wish!”
With everyone watching, I had no choice but to close my eyes and pretend. When I opened them, I saw Chloe was livestreaming the whole thing on her phone.
“Hey everyone! This is my bestie!” she narrated to her phone. “It’s her birthday, and I came to surprise her! Look! She’s so touched, she’s about to cry!”
I snatched the phone from her hand and ended the livestream.
“Chloe! What are you doing?!”
“I’m capturing a beautiful moment!” she said, completely unapologetic. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime memory! Of course, I have to go live!”
“This is my office!” I hissed, keeping my voice low. “You can’t just livestream in here!”
“Why not?” she shrugged. “It’s not like I’m filming company secrets.”
Sarah’s expression was thunderous.
Mark finally stepped in. “Babe, maybe we should go. Anna still has work to do.”
“No!” Chloe shook him off. “We haven’t even cut the cake!”
She grabbed the plastic knife and sliced into the cake. A glob of frosting splattered onto my keyboard.
“Oops, sorry about that,” she giggled.

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