Girl Get Rid Of That Jerk by Melissa Johns

Chapter 3

Shawn instinctively brushed off the woman's hand that rested on his arm, and her face fell immediately.

"I'm a friend of Pearl's, too. Is it odd for me to be at her birthday party?" Allison asked, her smile not quite reaching her eyes.-

"No, not at all. I just thought you weren't into these kinds of parties, so I didn't mention it," Shawn replied, trying to sound genuine.

Allison couldn't help but feel a twinge of sarcasm. Was it really because he thought she wouldn't enjoy it, or did he just want to bring someone else along?

After Shawn's explanation, he glanced around the room with a frosty gaze, silently questioning, 'Who let her in?'

Pearl, feeling uneasy, avoided making eye contact and pretended she had nothing to do with it.

"Hello, you must be Allison, right? I'm Kate. Shawn might have mentioned me," said the girl who came with Shawn, stepping up to introduce herself.

Oh, so this was Kate, Shawn's first love, the one he always held on a pedestal.

Allison's heart tightened. She and Shawn had been together for three years, and those feelings didn't just vanish. But she played it cool, smiling as she nodded. "I've heard so much about you."

hint of edge. "Has anyone ever told

she said it, Shawn's face clouded

smile. "Oh? Really?" she said, fluttering her eyes innocently. "I don't see it. I think

The onlookers were shocked.

always the sweet, gentle type? What had gotten into

the awkwardness, Pearl quickly jumped in. "Hey, let's grab a

forced a smile and handed over a gift to Pearl. "Happy birthday, Pearl.

it looked just like the gift bag Allison had given

and exclaimed, "Wow, I've

Kate

"Wow! Allison, you got me

girl behind Pearl scoffed without even looking. "That necklace is over fifty thousand dollars. Allison's just a young lawyer. How could she afford something like

The room fell silent.

turned

everyone agreed with the girl's

have told me if you were short on cash. I would've helped with

would Allison gift Pearl a fake

say it out loud, but everyone