“It’s good you came when you did,” the nurse said, her hands gentle as she cleaned the raw, burned skin on my arm. “This is a second-degree burn, and honestly… you also needed stitches.”

I didn’t answer. I simply nodded, staring at the white ceiling above, blurred and endless. I remained in the hospital for two more days.

Not a single call. Not a single text. No “Are you okay?” No “I’m sorry for what happened.”

Nothing. Not even enough concern to pretend they cared.

By the second night, I found myself scrolling through my phone without purpose. Somewhere deep down, I thought maybe they would reach out. But all I discovered were pictures.

Sabrina. Her brand-new red dress glowing in the photos, grinning between Nathan and Gabriel. Champagne glasses raised high. That same victorious smirk she always wore when she knew she’d won.

“Thanks, Nathan and Gabriel, for the most amazing birthday ever! I’ll remember this forever! Check out our new friendship bracelets!!!”

I zoomed in, seeing three matching bracelets. And then I noticed—they no longer wore the friendship bracelets we had once shared.

I turned the phone face down and placed it on the side table. Silence reclaimed the room. My heart thudded in the quiet, but it didn’t hurt anymore. There was only… emptiness.

Two days later, I returned to the apartment—the same one we had all moved into after college. Supposedly a home for a family. Only they had betrayed me.

I stepped into the empty living room and walked straight to my bedroom. Opening the closet, I started packing.

I reached for my shoes and froze. There it was—the memory box. That ridiculous little box I once called my “treasure chest.”

I sank to the floor, pulling it toward me, letting the dust settle on my fingers. Inside were letters—crumpled, faded remnants of my childhood, written by Nathan and Gabriel. Stick figure drawings, silly poems, “get well soon” cards for when I was sick.

And a photograph. The three of us—me, Nathan, and Gabriel—kneeling by a treehouse, dirt smeared on our clothes, grins stretching across our faces.

I remembered that day vividly. The summer I almost got bitten by a dog. I had always feared dogs, and the neighbor’s had broken free. I froze in terror. Nathan and Gabriel jumped in front of me without hesitation. Nathan even got bitten on his arm just to keep me safe.

After that, everything shifted. They became my shadows. My protectors. And somewhere along the way, I had fallen for Nathan, while Gabriel treated me like a sister.

Until Sabrina came and destroyed everything.

I sat on the floor, clutching a friendship bracelet with my name engraved on it. I had been a fool.

My parents had warned me when I begged to adopt Sabrina. “Are you sure about this, Elena? Not everyone wants a sister the way you do. And what if she hurts you? You can’t trust just anyone so easily.”

I hadn’t listened. I believed that love alone would be enough.

But now?

Now I understood. She hadn’t wanted to be my sister. She wanted to replace me.

I finished packing the rest of my belongings. Then I carried the memory box to the backyard. I struck a match.

The flames caught almost immediately. Letters curled and blackened. Bracelets twisted in the heat, their golden shine turning lifeless. Photographs disintegrated into ash.

“Elena!”

I looked up to see Nathan running from inside, panic etched across his face.

“What are you doing?!” he shouted. “Those… those are our albums! The bracelets?!”

“Yes,” I replied, simply. “I’m destroying all our memories.”

He stepped closer, but I planted myself in front of the fire, blocking him. “It’s over. All of it.”

Gabriel appeared moments later, looking equally shocked.

“Is this some kind of tantrum?” he asked, arms folded. “We get it, you’re upset. But this… this is extreme, even for you.”

“This isn’t a tantrum,” I said, voice steady and calm. “This is the end.”

“You’re really going to let one terrible night erase years of friendship?” Nathan asked. “Elena, please… we can talk—”

I met both of their eyes before turning to Nathan. “I don’t ever want to have anything to do with either of you again.”

I turned my back and walked inside the apartment, leaving the smoke curling behind me like the last trace of a life I would never return to.

I had hoped that after I burned everything, they would finally leave me alone. But they didn’t.

Days slipped by, and gradually, Nathan started acting as if nothing had happened. Flowers arrived at my door again. His texts were sweet, casual—asking about my day, sending little jokes, even attempting a quick kiss when our paths crossed outside the building. It was like the past weeks had vanished into thin air.

Gabriel followed suit, stepping back into his “big brother” role. Coffee deliveries, reminiscing about old times, easy jokes. Every time they said, “We’re sorry. Let’s make this right,” it sounded less like an apology for betrayal and neglect and more like an excuse for a stubbed toe.

Then came the surprise dinner.

“Our treat,” Nathan texted. “The old spot. You remember.”

Part of me wanted to delete the message and forget it ever existed. But another, quieter part—the exhausted, broken part—wondered if maybe, just maybe, we could close this chapter without bitterness. Without hatred.

I went. The restaurant hadn’t changed. Warm wooden booths, soft jazz humming overhead, dim lighting casting shadows across familiar corners. Rosemary scents floated in the air alongside memories I wasn’t sure I wanted back. I watched them laugh, the way we once did, and for a fleeting moment, it almost felt… okay.

Then Nathan’s phone buzzed. He checked it and froze.

“It’s Sabrina,” he muttered, frowning.

“What? Slow down… robbed? Stabbed? Where are you?!” His voice went sharp as he dropped everything.

In seconds, both he and Gabriel were on their feet.

“She’s crying,” Nathan explained, voice tight. “She’s been attacked. We have to go.”

No goodbyes. No glance in my direction. They ran, as if the world depended on her survival.

I stayed seated, staring at the half-eaten food, the flickering candle slowly burning down to nothing. I paid the bill myself.

Outside, the sky had opened up. Thunder cracked and rain poured in sheets. Streets were empty—no taxis, no buses. The restaurant manager offered an umbrella, but the doors were already locked. I had to keep moving.

Each step weighed me down. My arms throbbed under the bandages. My body ached. But worse than the pain was the storm. Thunder rolled across the city, striking a deep fear I’d carried since childhood. During storms, I always froze. Lightning flares and thunder cracks made it feel like the world itself might split apart.

I clutched my coat tighter, pushing forward, the city a blur of lights and shadows.

Then—a sudden flash. A horn. A car.

No time to react.

Darkness.

When I woke, everything felt unnaturally soft. I blinked against dim lighting, clean white walls surrounding me. My body ached, but the pain was distant, manageable. I turned toward the source of movement nearby.

“Nathan…?” I whispered.

Not him.

A man sat in the corner. Tall, dressed in black, eyes unreadable. He didn’t stir until I tried to sit up.

“You’re awake,” he said, steady, deep. “Don’t move too much.”

“Who… are you?”

“Roscoe,” he replied. “Found you after the accident. Took you to the hospital. You were unconscious.”

I wanted to ask more, but the room spun, and I blacked out again.

When I opened my eyes, Roscoe was gone. No note. No explanation. No contact. No missed calls, no messages, no check-ins.

Except for my mother.

Mom: Call me when you’re on your way. Everything’s ready. Come home.

I didn’t tell her what had happened. I couldn’t—didn’t want her to worry.

The nurse said I’d been lucky. The car hit me from the side. Nothing broken. Still, I needed a few more days to heal.

So I stayed. Alone.

Finally, discharge day arrived. I returned to the apartment, just to collect the last of my things before booking my flight home.

That’s when Nathan appeared in the doorway.

“Oh, good, you’re back,” he said, smiling as if nothing had ever occurred. “Listen… we had to sell your car. And some of your things. Sabrina needed emergency funds, and—”

“What?” I froze. “You sold my things?”

“Relax,” Gabriel said, stepping in. “We’ll pay you back. Sabrina’s been through a lot since the robbery. She needs someone to care for her—can you cook? She hasn’t been eating properly.”

I blinked, stunned. “Are you serious?”

Gabriel’s brows knitted. “Where’ve you been anyway? Sabrina said you went to a party after dinner. You weren’t here when she needed you! That’s selfish.”

I laughed, bitter and hollow. “Right. A party.”

Then I hurled the hospital discharge file at them.

“There. That’s where I was. The hospital. You left me out in the rain. I walked home through a thunderstorm. I got hit by a car.”

“What…?” Nathan stammered, shocked. “You were in the hospital?”

“I thought you were with friends…” Gabriel mumbled, confused. “Sabrina said—”

“Of course she did,” I snapped. “It’s always Sabrina, isn’t it?”

Before they could speak further, a piercing scream echoed down the hallway.

“Help! Nathan, Gabriel—it hurts! Please!”

Sabrina. Of course. Always Sabrina.

I didn’t wait to see their reaction. I turned, crossed the threshold, and walked away.

My body ached all over, every muscle screaming for rest. Instead of leaving the room as I had intended, I stayed anchored to the bed, letting the dull pain hold me in place.

I didn’t cry. There were no tears left to shed.

When I opened my eyes again, sunlight spilled through the curtains, warm on my skin. And there, at the foot of the bed, were Nathan and Gabriel.

“Morning,” Nathan said, a sheepish smile tugging at his lips as he held a tray. “We brought you some breakfast.”

Gabriel carefully set the tray on my lap—toast, scrambled eggs, some fruit, and a glass of orange juice. Slightly cold, uninspiring.

“Thought you could use something to start your day,” Gabriel added, perching at the edge of the bed.

I looked at them. They seemed at ease, relaxed even. Almost happy. Like the past few days had never existed.

Nathan scratched the back of his neck. “Look, we’re sorry. Sabrina told us she saw an Instagram story from that night… you were at a party, and she was hurt. Robbed, even stabbed, and she thought you were ignoring her on purpose.”

Gabriel nodded. “She really believed that. So… maybe you should apologize to her. Just to make things right.”

I stared, incredulous, before scoffing.

“Maybe you should apologize to me.”

They both blinked.

Nathan frowned. “Why would we? We didn’t do anything wrong. You didn’t tell us what happened. If you had, we could’ve been there.”

I laughed, bitter and hollow. “Do I have to beg to be cared about now? I was gone for days, and not a single check-in.”

“Don’t say that,” Gabriel said firmly. “Sabrina got stabbed. She needed us.”

“And I didn’t?” I snapped. “So if I’m not bleeding in front of you, I don’t matter?”

Before they could answer, the door creaked, and she entered.

Sabrina. Soft, oversized sweater, a slight limp. Pale face, lips quivering, tears brimming in her eyes.

“Picking a fight now, Elena?” she whispered, voice trembling. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to get hurt. None of this was my intention.”

I studied her—the tremor in her hands, the pout, the subtle manipulation in every word. Like she was the victim. Again.

Tears streaked down her cheeks.

“I just… I don’t want us to be enemies. We were sisters once… I wish we could go back.”

And just like that, the boys reacted.

“Stop making her cry, Elena,” Nathan snapped.

“Come on, Sabrina,” Gabriel said softly. “You shouldn’t be walking around. Let’s get you back to bed.”

Their care for her stung, the attention raw and unearned.

“I’ll feed you,” Nathan said, taking her hand. “You need to eat.”

“Yeah,” Gabriel added. “We’ll bring your favorite seafood. You need your strength.”

Then they turned to me.

“You eat what we made, Elena,” Nathan said. “You’re discharged. Stop being picky.”

And with that, they led Sabrina away, leaving me alone again.

I stared at the plate. Rubber eggs, dry toast, unripe fruit.

From across the hall, laughter rang out. Sabrina’s voice was bright: “Mmm, I love crab legs! You remembered I hate toast, right? Seafood’s my favorite!”

Of course it was. They gave me scraps and lavished her with a feast.

I didn’t cry. Not this time. I was just… done.

My phone buzzed. A message from Mom: Venue options are in. Dresses attached. Let me know what you like, darling.

I tapped the call icon.

“Mom,” I said, voice steady.

“Elena! Did you see the pictures? What do you think of the flowers? And the dresses?” she asked, excitement bubbling.

“I like everything. It was actually hard to choose,” I replied. “I’ll finalize today. But I think the vintage one is my favorite.”

“Perfect! We’ll prepare it for you. How long until you’re back? Your groom is waiting—he’s excited.”

“A few more days. Something came up, but I’ll be there. I can’t wait to wear the dresses… for the wedding.”

Mom chuckled softly. “That’s my girl. We’ll wait for you.”

I hung up and stared at the untouched tray. Then I sensed the shift.

Nathan and Gabriel were standing in the doorway. I hadn’t even noticed them return.

Their eyes fixed on me, unreadable.

Gabriel’s voice broke the silence first. “Dress… for the wedding?”

Nathan stepped forward, frowning. “Wedding? What wedding?”