Chapter 1 Eight Years

• ~•Maya•~
• Eight years.
• I was excited to celebrate our eighth anniversary and even though he hadn’t called yet —probably because of how busy he was —I decided to surprise him myself.
• His apartment was unlocked and that meant he was home. It made me even more giddy.
• We’ve been together ever since our first year in college and we were just perfect for each other. Two nerds doing what they knew best. Even though one of us was hot.
• Which wasn’t me by the way.
• I practically skidded towards his bedroom but I heard noises and slowly drew to a stop.
• It wasn’t just any noise. It was moans.
• My heart lodged itself in my throat and for a second, I thought one of his friends had brought a woman over. That meant, Tom wasn’t home.
• It should have made me turn around and back away, but I was curious, so I pushed the door open, and what I saw shredded my heart into pieces.
• “Harder, Tom,” my sister moaned as my boyfriend drove in and out of her. I blinked and pinched myself.
• Oh well, this was reality and I wasn’t dreaming.
• The bunch of flowers I had come with, left my hands and fell on the floor with a soft thud. It drew Tom’s attention and he whipped around to see me.
• His eyes widened and he pulled out of her.
• “Maya?” he called and glanced at Jenny as she lazily sat up on the bed putting her arm around him and staring me right in the eyes—the audacity.
• “Maya? What are you doing here?” he asked, running his fingers through his hair.
• I had no idea if he realized how ridiculous that sounded.
• “We did not mean for you to find out this way...” he said and I blinked again. My eyes felt dry and I couldn’t even formulate words at the moment.
• “You just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?” he asked before pulling his pants up his waist and tossing her a blanket to cover herself up.
• “It’s our eighth anniversary,” I whispered. I had no idea if I was supposed to feel some sort of betrayal and anger or why I wasn’t feeling it yet.
• “Right,” he muttered and shrugged.
• “She’s my sister,” I whispered again and he glanced at Jenny who plastered a smile on her face.
• “Oh, Jenny? We’ve been together for almost two years now. I’ve been thinking of a way to tell you,” he said and my mouth tasted bitter. He’s been cheating on me for two years? With my sister?!
• Jenny batted her lashes at me. I stared at both of them, how could they?
• “I’ve no problem with you, Maya. You’re cool and I honestly wish we ended on better terms and not for you to find out like this…” he said and stood up. My eyes fell on my sister.
• “Really? You couldn’t get any other man and decided to go for the one I love?” I asked and she huffed.
• “Oh please, Maya. Spare me the nonsense. We both know Tom is too good for you, he deserves someone better,” she said, rolling her eyes.
• Of course, it should be her.
• She was the bitchy older sister who took away everything from me.
• Friends, gifts, parents…and now? My boyfriend. I should have known she’d go the extra mile, she was good-looking, hot, and in good shape.
• What I never expected was for Tom to fall for her.
• I took a step back.
• “Maya…” he called out and I glared at him.
• “Don’t,” I bit out and he pressed his lips together. I bit my lower lip, before taking a deep breath.
• I could feel it now, the pain ripping through my heart. It felt like my heart was being extracted from my chest.
• But I won’t give them the satisfaction of breaking down. I would just turn around and walk away. They can continue fucking themselves for all I care.
• “I loved you Tom, and this is how you repay me? By fucking my sister?” I asked, even as tears welled up in my eyes.
• I blinked.
• Don’t break in front of them.
• “Don’t act all emotional right now,” Jenny hissed but I didn’t even spare her a glance. I was used to her taking everything away, but God, this one hurts the most.
• I closed my eyes for a split second. Once I reopened them, I had my mind made up.
• “Yeah, of course,” I said, more to myself than anyone before I grabbed the bouquet I’d come with. Pathetic me.
• “She brought you roses, Tom,” Jenny sneered and I pressed my lips together.
• I gave her and Tom one last look before storming out of the room —and the house.
• I’d always been the unlucky one both in relationships and in real life.
• While Jenny?
• She got favoured because of her looks and while I wasn’t as pretty as she was, I knew I had my perks.
• But they were all ignored when it came to her. As always.
• I had no idea when tears streamed down my cheeks as I crossed the street and waved a cab. I got in immediately slamming the door shut.
• I managed to call out my address to the driver before breaking down in the back seat of his cab.
• It hurts. God, it fucking hurts.
• Being betrayed by a man whom I’d thought loved me and a woman I’d thought was family.
• It hurts. So fucking much.
• I caught the cab driver glancing at me through the mirror. He looked away when our eyes met and I curled into myself shielding my face from his view.
• Tom had told me, I ugly cried and it wasn’t good for a woman like me.
• He said my face always had this blotchy look and it made my eyes look smaller. He’d said my crying face annoyed him.
• Jenny had announced to the whole school back then how ugly I looked on a normal day and I was worse if I cried.
• So crying wasn’t my strong suit. Especially, in public or where someone could see me. I’ve always been ridiculed and bullied my whole life and my family wasn’t an exception.
• I sniffed and wiped my eyes. I needed a break. From life. From the harsh reality. From everything.
• And I knew just the perfect place to go.