Chapter 28 Chapter Twenty-Eight
Derin had been restless all morning. She sat on her bed hugging a pillow, watching Victoria scroll through her phone, the silence between them filled with little unspoken things Derin had held in for weeks. Eventually she cleared her throat.
“Can I ask you something?” Derin said softly.
Victoria looked up. “Shoot.”
Derin hesitated, then let everything tumble out at once. “How come in our group, I’m never… included? Like, you guys talk, gist, laugh, run outside to discuss things — and nobody ever calls me. But when it’s my turn to talk, suddenly everyone’s gathered.”
Victoria’s eyebrows lifted. “Where did that come from?”
“It’s true,” Derin insisted. “Felicity calls you, calls Mope, calls Gwen… but never me. Sometimes I don’t even know what’s going on. I’m always the last to hear anything.”
Victoria sighed, shifting on her chair. “Derin… it’s not intentional. Felicity isn’t excluding you purposely. You’re just… quiet. She probably thinks you don’t care.”
“But I do care,” Derin murmured, lower now. “Nobody even knows I’m paying attention.”
Before Victoria could answer, the door opened and Felicity stepped inside, already flushed from walking quickly. Her eyes were wide, nervous, and she clutched her phone like it was her lifeline.
“Vic, please come,” she said breathlessly. “I need to talk to you. It’s important.”
Victoria stood up immediately — then paused, remembering Derin’s words only seconds earlier.
“Derin should come too,” she said gently.
Felicity blinked. “Oh—okay. Sure.”
Derin’s face brightened instantly. She got up so fast her slippers almost flew off. The three of them stepped into the hallway, but Felicity led them outside where the other roommates wouldn’t overhear. She was jittery, fidgeting, her mind still replaying everything from last night and this afternoon with Imran.
They found a quiet corner between two blocks and sat on the low concrete ledge. Felicity inhaled deeply, bracing herself.
“Okay,” she began. “I need to tell you guys something.”
Derin’s eyes were shining with anticipation, like she’d finally been invited into the inner circle.
Victoria nudged Felicity. “Just say it. We’re here.”
Felicity nodded. “Last night… Leon came over.”
Derin’s smile froze just as it formed.
Felicity kept talking, her voice small and embarrassed. “He wasn’t okay. He said he needed someone. And…I let him in.” She swallowed hard. “We talked. And—something happened.”
Victoria let out a soft, surprised breath but didn’t interrupt.
Felicity looked down at her fingers. “I slept with him. Again. And I feel stupid because this morning everything is still a mess. And then Imran texted me today that he’s in town. We even had lunch and he said he wants to try again.” Her voice cracked. “I don’t even know what I’m doing anymore.”
Victoria placed a comforting hand on her back. “Fel… you’re overwhelmed. Anybody would be.”
But Derin had gone quiet — too quiet. Her earlier excitement dimmed like someone blew out a candle inside her chest. Her eyes kept darting between Felicity and Victoria, her expression stuck between shock and worry.
Felicity didn’t notice. Her head was bowed, shoulders hunched.
Victoria rubbed her arm again. “Babe, you didn’t force yourself on him. Leon came to you. And Charity keeps acting like they’re still together when they’re not.”
Derin blinked. “Wait… they’re not?”
Victoria turned to her. “No. They broke up. Charity is just… in denial. And Felicity met Leon months before she even knew Charity existed.”
Derin looked down at her lap, biting her lip. “Oh.”
But her thoughts were swirling anyway, slipping into judgement before she could stop herself.
She didn’t know the full story.
She didn’t know the feelings behind it.
All she saw was the surface — and the surface looked messy.
Felicity exhaled shakily. “I feel like I’m losing myself. Like I’m doing everything wrong.”
Victoria pulled her into a hug. “You’re not. You’re just hurting.”
Derin didn’t say anything. She just watched, silent, her mind running places none of them could see.
Meanwhile, across town…
Leon’s day somehow got worse.
Mrs. Wyatt and the event planner drove him to the selected venue — a private waterfront location with lanterns already strung high, like the place was preparing for a celebration he didn’t even want.
The planner walked ahead of them, clapping excitedly. “And this is where you’ll walk in! The lighting will focus on you first, then Charity. Perfect dramatic timing.”
Mrs. Wyatt linked her arm with Leon’s. “Isn’t it beautiful? You should be happy, darling. This is a once-in-a-lifetime moment.”
Leon barely responded. He was too busy imagining Felicity’s face when she found out. He felt sick.
The planner pointed to a spot under a massive floral arch. “Here is where you’ll kneel. We’re thinking soft music. Maybe violinists. Then you’ll give your speech.”
Leon stiffened. “My speech?”
“Oh don’t worry,” said the planner. “We already drafted a lovely one for you.”
“Absolutely not,” Leon muttered. “If I’m being dragged through all of this, I’m at least writing that myself.”
Mrs. Wyatt frowned. “Dragged? Leon, really. Stop using that word. No one is dragging you. Look at the bright side! You love Charity. This was always going to happen.”
He didn’t answer.
Because if that were true, he wouldn’t feel this hollow.
Mrs. Wyatt clapped her hands once. “Now enough sulking. Let’s continue planning. This will be amazing once you stop fighting it.”
Leon followed them down the decorated pathway, but every step felt heavier than the last.
Back at the hostel…
That night, while the room was dark except for the soft glow of Victoria’s lamp, Derin turned toward her bed, whispering across the room.
“Victoria?”
“Hm?”
Derin’s voice wavered. “Don’t you think it’s… wrong? Felicity being with Leon? Knowing Charity calls him her boyfriend?”
Victoria sighed. “Derin, listen… Charity and Leon are not together. She’s holding onto an image. That relationship was dead long before Felicity even entered the picture.”
Derin shifted, still uncertain. “It just looks bad.”
“It looks complicated,” Victoria corrected, sitting up. “And you don’t know everything yet. Felicity has cried herself to sleep over that boy more than once. Leon wasn’t honest with her either. They’re both hurting.”
Derin stayed quiet.
“And ask yourself,” Victoria added softly, “why do you feel left out? Is it because you care about Felicity… or because you want something to judge?”
Derin didn’t respond.
But she thought about it long after Victoria fell asleep.
Long after the room went still.
Long after the truth settled uncomfortably in her chest.