Chapter 1 : The beginning of my loss

"Hello? Jimmy, what are you doing?"

I groan, eyes half-closed. The phone screen reads 3:01 AM.

"Dude, you'd better be dying if you're calling me this late."

"Oh, sorry, princess! Since when do you go to bed early? Are you planning on doing homework and helping old ladies cross the street tomorrow, too?"

I sigh, ready to hang up.

"Seriously, Cael, I'm hanging up."

"Wait, don't hang up! It's about Emma. And I'm at a party right now."

"Party? What party? We didn't plan anything."

"Dan mentioned it at the last minute. It's his cousin's birthday, a costume party with no parents home. The real party is just starting."

"Why didn't you call me sooner?" I ask, annoyed.

"Check your history, idiot—I called you three times."

I quickly check—three missed calls.

"Oh… sorry. But seriously, it's late, I'm not sure…"

"No, man, the real fun's just getting started. And as for Emma, you need to see for yourself. I'm sending you the address. See you soon!"

He hangs up, leaving me in oppressive silence. I stare at my dark ceiling, Emma's scent still lingering around me, a cold rage tightening in my stomach. I close my eyes for a moment.

Then I jump out of bed.

I rummage through my closet, not entirely sure what I'm looking for but certain of one thing: tonight, I want her to regret it. I want her to look into my eyes and realize exactly what she's lost—even though I know it won't be enough to fix my broken heart.

Finally, I settle on a black shirt over a white T-shirt, black pants, and white sneakers. Emma hated this look, calling it "rebellious." Good. I want to show I've changed, to prove she has no power over me—even though that couldn't be further from the truth.

I quietly slip downstairs, glancing at the living room where my sister has fallen asleep on the couch, exhausted from work. A wave of guilt hits me. Since our parents died, she's struggled to manage everything. I don't know how she managed to spend all the money so quickly. Poor choices? Bad company? I've never dared to ask—too afraid to hear the truth.

I gently close the door behind me.

The walk to Dan’s house feels surreal. When I reach it, I pause for a moment, impressed as always by the ivy climbing the old walls, the perfectly aligned red flowers along the paved path. Beautiful, yet tonight, the place feels oddly hostile.

I slowly climb the porch steps, my heart pounding in sync with the bass booming from behind the front door. Anxiety grips me tight. Every party before this one had been with Emma. Laughing together, gossiping together. Tonight, I'm alone, and that terrifies me more than I'd like to admit.

Taking a deep breath, I push open the door.

Everything hits me at once: the deafening music, flashing lights, laughter, and shouting. Perfect chaos. I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket.

Message from Cael: We're on the balcony, second floor. Hurry before you miss your ex caught red-handed.

My heart skips a beat. Red-handed? Emma is already here—with someone else? A painful knot forms in my throat. For a second, I consider running away, back to my room, deleting the message as if it never existed.

But my legs move on their own, driven by rage mixed with morbid curiosity.

I climb the stairs one by one, my mind screaming to turn back, my body refusing to listen. At the top, I clearly see my friends leaning over the railing, their faces illuminated by mocking smiles.

I already knew that whatever I was about to

 witness would change everything.

For better or worse.