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Instead, I’m crying over what I let him do to me. To my self-esteem. I’m crying over the fact I ever let someone else dictate how much love I deserve. Most of all, I’m crying because I know I’m not the only person he’s done something like this to, and he’s nothing but manipulative and toxic. He hurts people and pushes them down; it’s what he does. For years, I told myself I could take it, but I won’t let him do it to other people. Now I’m just done dealing with it. He doesn’t get to call the shots anymore.

Instead, it’s my turn to return the favor and make him realize what it means to lose someone. First thing tomorrow morning, I’m heading to Charleston to end it.

March2024

Two and a half hours after leaving Bryce and Josie’s, I’m pulling up to Will’s apartment building, unsure he’s even home. Since taking the job in Columbia, it’s been harder to keep track of his schedule. He mostly just gives me a day that will work for a virtual date each week, and if there was a week we couldn’t do one, he didn’t seem to care. If I had called, we would have been done sooner, but I meant what I said to Josie. This needs to happen in person.

Not for him, but for me. I deserve to have my voice heard.

“Katrina?” I whirl around at the sound of Will’s voice. He’s walking from his building toward me, dressed in his work clothes with a bag slung over his shoulder. He’s about to go to work, but I don’t really care. “What are you doing here? I literally just saw you yesterday.”

“So, I’m only allowed to see my boyfriend at scheduled times?”

He lets out a tired sigh, like my mere presence is too much for him to take right now. “We just spent the entire weekend together, Katrina. You know I don’t like being caught by surprise.”

“Then you’re really about to hate this conversation.” I cross my arms over my chest as he straightens. “I know about what you did to Carter.”

He stays stoic, not a flash of regret or remorse. “I should have known they’d come crying to you as soon as they found out you and I are together.”

“No one told me, Will. You tipped me off, and I did my research,” I snap. “Stop blaming other people when you get called out for shitty behavior!”

“What do you mean, I tipped you off?” he demands, his own voice raising.

“When you dropped me off yesterday, you told me that Carter should have been more cautious with information he wanted kept private, and it stuck with me. So, I went looking, and it’s the same comment you gave after he came out. I didn’t want to believe you were capable of something so low, but what choice did I have when the evidence was right in front of me?”

“Because you know me, Katrina. I just did what I had to do. Every guy on that team deserved to know who they were sharing a locker—”

“You absolute prick!” I snarl, cutting him off. “That’s such a cowardly, homophobic excuse. Did Carter ever try to hit on any of you?”

Will shifts, suddenly uncomfortable under my gaze. “It’s the principle of the thing.”

“Then you’ll understand why this is over,” I reply. His eyes widen. “I have no desire to be associated with someone like you. You have no regard for anyone but yourself, so good luck with the rest of your life, Will.”

Before I can turn back to my car, he reaches out and grabs my arm. “You can’t do this. Do you know what you’re giving up? I chose you when I could have anyone.”

I wrench my arm from his grasp, my cheeks flushing in anger. “Then go out and get anyone. Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine. I might not be a size two, but you are not the only person who will ever want me, and I hate you for making me think otherwise.

“You took what you saw as a weakness and you preyed upon it, because that’s what you do. You take other people down because that’s the only way you’ll ever get ahead. You did it to Carter and you’re done doing it to me.”

Anger flashes in Will’s gaze as he takes a menacing step toward me. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Back the fuck up, Will, and let me go.” My heart beats wildly in my chest, but I stand up straighter, refusing to back down. “It’s done.”

He’s not going without a fight. “What are your parents going to say about this? Your mom was so adamant I meet you, told me I’d be able to look past any flaw, and she was right. She picked me for you and she’s going to be disappointed to know you’re leaving me for someone like Carter fucking Abrams.”

“First of all, thank you for finally admitting you only asked me out to please my mother.”

He realizes his mistake as soon as the words leave my mouth, but I don’t let him backtrack. It’s liberating to know the truth, to know if it wasn’t for my meddling mother, he would never have looked my way. It makes saying goodbye even easier.

“Second, I’m done giving a shit about what their opinion is. I deserve love, Will, real love, and this relationship benefited everyone but me. I’m done living my life for everyone but myself. Keep Carter out of it. I’m not leaving you for him. I’m leaving you because you’re an ass.”

“You have things in my apartment,” Will sighs, going back to the exhausting manipulative tactic that’s worked for years. “Come upstairs and you can calm down. You can spend the day there, and when I get home, we can talk, or you can gather your things.”

I scoff, shaking my head. “I’m not going anywhere with you. Keep my shit, trash it, or give it away. I don’t care.” I open the door to my car. “Trust me, there’s nothing here that I can’t live without.”

I slide into my driver’s seat, slamming, and locking the door behind me. Will is still standing there as I back out of my spot and pull away. I don’t look back. I have no desire to.

IwanttoseeCarter’s face when I tell him everything is over with Will. I want him to see my face, to understand how angry and hurt I am over what one person was capable of doing to both of us. I want him to know I don’t share the same views. I’m never going to take something that’s simply part of Carter, or anyone else, and use it against them, especially in such a cruel way.