I'm Done Sharing: Giving My Boyfriend to My Best Friend

On my birthday, I made a wish.

I wished that Ethan and I could finally have a real date, just the two of us.

The next second, the cake was flipped onto the floor. The unlit candles were crushed into the creamy mess.

My best friend, Chloe, wiped her tears and asked in a shaking voice if I hated her for ruining my night.

Ethan gently stroked her hair, looking at her with pure heartbreak before glaring at me.

"You know Chloe just went through a bad breakup, Hazel. Why did you have to bring up a private date right now?"

"She's going through so much. Can't you just yield to her for once?"

I stared blankly at the ruined cake on the floor. It was the cake I had stood in line for three hours to buy.

Ever since Chloe broke up with her boyfriend a year ago, my romantic dinners with Ethan had turned into group hangouts.

Our custom promise rings had turned into a set of three "friendship rings."

Even our wedding, which was supposed to happen a year ago, had been put on hold because Ethan was afraid the wedding atmosphere would trigger Chloe's depression.

For Chloe's sake, I had stepped back again and again.

But Ethan always thought it wasn't enough. He acted as if I should hand her the entire world.

As my tears dripped onto the ruined cake, I finally made up my mind.

I would let Chloe have this wish. I would give Ethan to her.

As for the rest of my life, I wouldn't waste another second of it on them.

As I stood up to leave, Ethan scoffed.

"Are you throwing another tantrum, Hazel?"

"Making such a big deal over a stupid birthday wish."

I didn't answer him. I just scooped up a bit of stray frosting from my fingertip and put it in my mouth.

It was sweet.

The pastry chef at that bakery had trained in France, and their desserts were famous.

I had waited in line for three hours for this cake.

During those three hours, Chloe had grown impatient.

She had clung to Ethan's arm, whining that her heels hurt and asking him to massage her feet.

"Ethan, if it weren't to celebrate Hazel's birthday, I would never put myself through this!"

Ethan had looked at her with pure adoration, thanking her endlessly for being there. Then, without even looking back at me, he said, "Just stay in line, Hazel. I'm taking Chloe to the arcade nearby."

My voice had caught in my throat, but I didn't stop them.

When I finally got the cake after three hours, I excitedly brought it over to share.

But Ethan only glanced at it and frowned.

"Don't you know Chloe hates this flavor?"

"You only think about yourself, don't you?"

The smile froze on my face. I felt incredibly humiliated.

It wasn't until I promised to buy Chloe another cake later that they finally smiled again.

And now, my actual birthday wish had caused Ethan to slam the cake onto the ground.

He looked at me impatiently, giving orders like a boss.

"That wish is impossible anyway."

"Apologize to Chloe. We'll go buy you another cake and you can make a different wish."

I bit my lip so hard I could taste blood.

"I won't apologize."

I didn't think wanting a private date with my own boyfriend was a crime.

Seeing me shake my head, Ethan's face darkened.

Chloe tugged at Ethan's sleeve. "Forget it, Ethan. It's all my fault."

"I rely on you guys too much. I'm the reason you don't have any alone time."

Ethan gently wiped her tears, his eyes filled with tenderness.

"Your toxic ex really messed you up. Don't blame yourself, Chloe."

Then, he turned to me, his voice dripping with disappointment. "Hazel, can't you have some empathy for your best friend?"

But I had already given her all my empathy.

When Chloe said she had bipolar disorder and couldn't bear to be alone after her breakup, she started crashing our dates. Our romantic candlelit dinners became three-person hangouts.

At those dinners, the two of them would laugh and talk endlessly about their college days, leaving me sitting there like a ghost.

On our anniversary, when Ethan was about to put a promise ring on my finger, Chloe's eyes welled with tears as she talked about how she used to have a ring too.

So, Ethan ordered an identical ring for her, calling it a "symbol of their friendship."

I had tolerated Chloe for so long. But today, the one time I asked for a date with just the two of us, Chloe cried, and Ethan lost his temper.

It was as if I had committed a mortal sin.

But I was the one who was Ethan's girlfriend.

The years of suppressed pain and humiliation finally overflowed, tears streaming down my cheeks.

I choked out, "Ethan, do you even remember what you promised me on this exact day last year?"

One year ago, on my birthday.

Ethan had gone down on one knee and promised we would be married soon.

Hearing this, Ethan looked startled. His first instinct was to shift his body, shielding Chloe behind him.

After a long pause, his mouth opened and closed, but only a few words came out.

"Just... wait a little longer."

I let out a bitter laugh as hot tears ran down my face.

I wasn't going to wait anymore.

My grandmother, Rose, was really sick, and her only wish was to see me walk down the aisle and settle down.

I had promised her I would get married this year.

Since Chloe couldn't survive without crashing our dates, then I would be the one to leave.

I went back to our apartment alone.

My phone buzzed.

Chloe had posted on her Snapchat story.

In the photo, Ethan was cutting a cake, and Chloe was wearing a paper crown, flashing a peace sign at the camera.

The caption read: The happiest birthday girl today!

Dozens of our mutual friends were commenting "Happy Birthday!" underneath.

Chloe replied to every single one of them with a "thank you."

She didn't mention a single word about whose birthday it actually was.

Feeling sick to my stomach, I locked my phone and started packing my bags.

My grandmother was sick, and I had already planned to go back to my hometown to take care of her for a while.

Only now, my temporary trip had become a permanent departure.

When Ethan walked through the door, he had a smile on his face, but it vanished the moment he saw me.

He handed me a box.

"I bought you another cake."

"No one else is here this time. You can wish for whatever you want."

It sounded sweet, but through the transparent box, I could see the cake inside was a complete mess.

It was the leftover cake from Chloe's Snapchat story, with melting whipped cream sloppily scraped together on a plate.

And it was orange-flavored.

I couldn't even force a fake smile. I looked up at Ethan.

"I'm severely allergic to oranges."

The last time I accidentally ate an orange, my body broke out in hives, and I passed out.

Ethan had been woken up by my burning skin, and he had carried me to the ER in his arms, sobbing the entire night.

Back then, his eyes were bloodshot with worry.

But now, he could remember that Chloe disliked a certain flavor, yet he forgot that oranges could literally kill me.

Ethan rubbed his ear awkwardly, raising his voice to hide his embarrassment.

"Then just don't eat it. Why do you have to be so difficult on your birthday?"

"Why can't you have a sweet temper like Chloe?"

I had nothing left to say. I turned back to my packing.

Chloe had a "sweet temper" because everyone catered to her. Whenever she didn't like something, someone else would fix it for her.

First it was her parents, then it was me, and now it was Ethan.

Of course she had a sweet temper.

Ethan finally noticed my suitcases lined up by the door.

He frowned.

"Are you going to see your grandmother now? Is she really that sick?"

For a second, my heart softened. I didn't expect him to remember me mentioning her illness.

"The doctor said..."

Before I could finish, Ethan cut me off impatiently.

"Perfect timing. Chloe's toxic ex-boyfriend found her place again, and she's looking for a new apartment."

"Make sure you clear out your room completely so she can move in here for a while."

My heart instantly plummeted into a freezing abyss.

Looking at Ethan's deadpan, serious face, I swallowed my tears.

"Whatever you want."

I was leaving anyway. Even if Chloe lived here for the rest of her life, it had nothing to do with me anymore.

Ethan looked up in surprise, a rare flash of confusion on his face.

"Hazel, since when did you become so generous?"

I blinked slowly.

"My opinion doesn't matter anyway. It's easier to just go along with what you want."

Ethan's face went sour. He let out a cold scoff and ignored me, pulling out his phone.

From the corner of my eye, I saw him texting Chloe.

Chloe sent a message: Thanks for the huge cake, boss! followed by a cute, pouting bitmoji.

Ethan sent back a blowing-kiss emoji.

If I didn't know they were my boyfriend and my best friend, I would have assumed they were a couple.

I let out a sudden laugh. Ethan heard it and immediately locked his screen.

"When I have time, I'll come visit you and your grandmother," he said softly, as if he hadn't just been flirting with my best friend.

I nodded.

"Okay."

I acted as if I didn't know that "when I have time" meant "never."

The day before I was set to leave, I received an unexpected message.

It was from the bridal boutique.

The assistant told me that the custom wedding dress I had fallen in love with six months ago had finally arrived.

My fingers hovered over the screen. My mind drifted back to six months ago.

After Ethan promised to marry me, I had been so excited. I spent every night planningthe venue, the flowers, the dress...

But Ethan's patience had slowly worn thin.

Once, when I tried to hold up a tuxedo sketch next to him, he had shoved me away impatiently.

"Chloe just lost her relationship, Hazel! She's incredibly fragile right now. Planning a wedding in front of her is just rubbing salt in her wounds!"

"We can talk about the wedding later!"

I had been silenced. I never brought up the wedding again.

But I had secretly put down a deposit on that dress.

The assistant said it was a highly sought-after designer piece that required months of pre-ordering.

I thought by the time the dress arrived, Ethan would finally be ready to marry me.

My phone buzzed again with another text from the assistant.

"I am so sorry, sweetie. Another lady just saw the dress in our shop and fell in love with it."

"She's offering to pay extra to rent it for a pre-wedding photoshoot today."

Along with the text, she sent a short video.

In the video, a girl was twirling in my dream wedding dress, and a man was watching her with absolute adoration.

The man said, "Chloe, you are the most beautiful bride. I am honored to be your groom."

I froze.

The girl was my "heartbroken" best friend, Chloe.

And the man in the groom's tuxedo was my boyfriend, Ethan.

So, he wasn't against wearing a wedding suit.

He just preferred wearing it with Chloe.

Bitterness flooded my chest. I wiped a tear, feeling a sudden surge of cold rebellion.

I transferred the remaining balance of the dress to the boutique immediately and texted back:

"I do not agree to rent it to her."

"Because she is a homewrecker trying to steal my relationship."

Within seconds, my phone rang.

Ethan's voice boomed through the speaker, furious.

"Hazel! How could you be so malicious and slander an innocent girl?"

"Apologize to Chloe right now, or I'll have my lawyer sue you!"

I let out a cold laugh.

"Do you swear to God she hasn't crossed the line in our relationship?"

Ethan hadn't realized I was the owner of the dress. He choked for a second before finding his footing again.

"Chloe was just sad because she felt like she'd never get married. She just wanted to borrow the dress to take some photos with me as a comforting gesture!"

"Hazel Miller, she is your best friend! How could you spread such disgusting rumors about her?"

Not a single explanation. Only anger and accusations directed at me.

"You're right. It's my fault," I said, feeling a genuine sense of clarity.

"I shouldn't have asked my boyfriend for a private date. I shouldn't have cared that my boyfriend was taking wedding photos with my best friend."

"And most of all... I shouldn't have stayed with you."

"Let's break up, Ethan."

I said every word clearly. It felt like my heart was being ripped out of my chest. It hurt, but the cancer was finally gone.

Ethan went silent. The line was so quiet I could hear both of our ragged breathing.

Suddenly, Chloe's voice squealed in the background.

"Hazel! Please don't break up with Ethan! This is all my fault!"

"I'll just end my life! Then you two can be happy!"

A loud scream echoed through the phone, followed by the sound of the device crashing to the floor.

Ethan was screaming Chloe's name in pure panic.

Then, his voice came back on the line, dripping with venom.

"Hazel Miller! If anything happens to Chloe, I will make you pay!"

A long time passed before the shop assistant carefully picked up the phone and whispered to me, "Um... the lady just hurt herself..."

The hospital smelled strongly of bleach and rubbing alcohol.

My hand trembled as I reached for the handle of the hospital room door, but then I heard whispering from inside.

Chloe's voice sounded completely normal, even playful.

"Ethan, your plan was brilliant."

"Now that I've 'triggered' my illness, Hazel won't care about the wedding dress photoshoot anymore!"

Ethan let out a soft chuckle.

"If she weren't so incredibly petty, I wouldn't have had to come up with this."

"When she gets here, just pretend you're unconscious. Let me handle her."

Chloe giggled happily and snuggled into Ethan's chest.

I stood outside the door, my face completely pale.

I had seen Chloe during a real manic episode before.

The day her toxic ex-boyfriend was banging on her door, she had called me, sobbing in pure terror.

I had practically abandoned a major presentation at work and rushed to her place holding a kitchen knife.

When I held her in my arms, her hair was a mess, and she was shaking like a leaf, gripping my hands.

And now, she was using that traumatic memory to play me.

And my boyfriend was the mastermind behind it.

All the strength drained from my body, and I collapsed onto the bench in the hallway.

My phone screen lit up.

It was a FaceTime call from my grandmother, assisted by her nurse.

"Hazel, look at me! I can see you..."

The sweet old lady smiled, showing her missing teeth.

"Don't worry about my illness. I'm sorry to make you travel all this way to see me."

"Is Ethan coming with you?"

Her eyes sparkled with hope. "Am I going to see my sweet granddaughter get married?"

My throat tight, I couldn't squeeze out a single word.

The door to the hospital room swung open.

Ethan walked out. On the screen, my grandmother recognized him and happily called out his name.

Without even looking, Ethan snatched my phone, swiped to end the call, and grabbed my arm, shaking me.

"How do you even have the nerve to show your face here?"

"If you hadn't pushed her, would Chloe have hurt herself?!"