r of the crowded off-campus house, the air thick with the smell of cheap beer and sweat. Red pla

in my gut told me thi

It was a painful panorama of faces I once called friends. They were all the

ey looked like the perfect couple. To everyone else, Mike was just being a good friend, keeping my girlfriend company while I was being "an

d already lost. But it was quickly replaced by a cold, hard resolve. I wasn't t

t place. It wasn't a grand, dramatic moment. It was d

I want to take Sarah out to that new steakhouse, but my p

tbook. Then for a "car repair." Soon, he just had the supplementary card "for emergencies," and the emergencies became daily occurrences. A shopping spre

. Why would he, when he had

from across the room. He gave me a wide, friendly grin and started m

er the music. "I was looking for you. We're all hea

ose money was actually paying for the "treat." In my past life, I would have

just mad

" I said, my

t? Don't be like that. It'll be fun. Sarah wants to go

ice a whiny drawl. "Don't be a b

ut because she was always "busy" or "tired" -

d, my gaze unwavering.

never said no before. I was the easyg

a flash of anger. She grabbed my

p. "You've been acting weird all week. Are you seriously g

ance. I looked down at her hand on my arm, then back up at her face. I

p, not roughly, but with a firmnes

my voice dangerously c

s, his hands up in a placating gesture. He was

before turning to me with a look of deep, fake concern. "Liam, buddy, if somethin

der, his voice dropping t

f he were my financial advisor. "Don't worry about th

his role as the generous friend who used my money to "help"

my shoulder, then into

ed his h

I said, letting a small, cold smile

e, the loud party music suddenly feeling very far away. The first crack