Wait…Why Did Everyone I Love Suddenly Call Me a Bitch?! novel Chapter 61

Chapter 2

The first real crack? My birthday. Coney Island date.

Garrett and I had been planning it for weeks. Just us. Cyclone, hot dogs on the boardwalk, sunset over the beach.

Right as we’re about to leave, he hits me with this:

“Sloane… Harper’s never been to an amusement park. Can we bring her? Just this once?”

I looked at his puppy-dog eyes. Felt my stomach drop.

But nodded anyway.

Didn’t want him thinking I was being a bitch.

But that day turned into a fucking nightmare.

Harper showed up in a white sundress almost identical to mine. Spent the whole time clinging to Garrett like some scared little deer.

On the Cyclone, she went pale, grabbed his arm, buried her face in his chest.

I sat on the other side watching them like I wasn’t even there.

Like some pathetic third wheel.

Log flume? Water splashed everywhere. She screamed, threw herself into his arms.

He wrapped both arms around her. “Steadying” her.

I’m sitting there soaking wet, looking like a drowned rat, and they’re having their perfect rom-com moment.

But the worst part? Fireworks that night.

I’ve loved fireworks since I was a kid. Garrett knew that. Used to say my eyes lit up brighter than the explosions.

When the sky burst with color, I grabbed his hand. Wanted to share it with him.

But when I turned to look at him, he was staring at Harper.

Lights reflected in her eyes. And his face-he had this soft look I’d never seen before.

She whispered, just loud enough: “Garrett… it’s so beautiful. I wish I could see this every year.”

He didn’t answer. But that look on his face-soft, tender, completely focused on her-felt like I got fucking stabbed.

Right then, I suddenly didn’t give a shit about those fireworks anymore.

On the subway home, I finally snapped.

“Garrett, what the fuck is going on? Today was supposed to be about US!”

He frowned like I’d asked him to solve some impossible equation.

12:48

Wait… Why Did Everyone I Love Suddenly Call Me a Bitch?!

Chapter 2

“Jesus, Sloane, what’s your problem? Harper’s never even been to Coney Island. We’re helping her. Why are you being such a bitch about it?”

“A bitch?” My voice shook. “That’s what you think I am?”

“I mean, yeah. She’s alone here. Can’t you just chill out?”

“Chill out? Are you serious right now?”

“See? This is exactly what I mean. You’re freaking out over nothing.”

We didn’t speak the rest of the ride.

I spent that night crying my eyes out. Wondering when the fuck I became the villain in his story.

Looking back now? Harper had already figured Garrett out. His whole white knight thing. His need to feel needed.

He’d spent his childhood getting passed around. Deep down, he felt like shit about himself.

My family’s help gave him stability. But also this constant pressure. This reminder he was the charity case.

But Harper changed that.

Suddenly he had someone worse off than him. Someone who looked at him like a hero.

Around her, he wasn’t the poor kid who needed handouts. He was the protector. The strong one.

That shit? Being needed like that, worshipped like that?

He got hooked on it.

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Wait… Why Did Everyone I Love Suddenly Call Me a Bitch?!

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