When Love Becomes a Cage by Nora

Rachel dragged me to the small garden bench outside the hospital.

She plopped down with a sigh and patted the spot next to her, "Have a seat."

I reluctantly took the far edge, keen on keeping a buffer zone between us.

She glanced my way.

"Melanie, you're infuriatingly beautiful, even with a wig."

Her random comment threw me off, and I didn't quite know how to respond.

But she didn't seem to expect a reply, instead, she gazed up at the sky.

"Reminds me of our first day at college, kinda overcast, but oddly comforting. Melanie, I was the first person at school to meet Clyde. The very first, no one knew him before I did."

There was a hint of pride in her voice, a sparkle in her eyes.

Back in our dorm, she always seemed a bit out of place, and I hardly knew anything about her.

Just that her family wasn't well-off, she relied on scholarships and student loans, even signing up for work-study programs from day one.

she and Clyde had shared a train ride to college on

helped a girl struggling with her luggage on the platform, and

work-study in the cafeteria, both tutoring to make ends meet. He was always so cheerful and charming, always carried himself with such grace, despite everything. I thought we were

tone suddenly turned cold, her gaze turning sharp as she looked

you showed up,

had

we were roommates, I,

pulled some strings for

never saw it as me

it

the

face.

is it fair that you throw around skin care products worth hundreds, while

and treats like they're nothing, tossing

and she stood up, pointing

dad sponsor Clyde, just to steal him from me, knowing full well I had

to

have