Cheating with my boyfriend's best friend novel (Olivia and Aaron)

“Last night, I….”

My mind began to race. I was unsure whether to tell the truth or not.

If I told him that I was working in the lab instead of with Aaron, it would be difficult to explain why I was wearing an expensive dress and in the car with Aaron. But if I told the truth, everything would go to shit.

And if I lied, Vincent would find out after seeing the pictures.

“I’m in the lab, what’s wrong?” After thinking about it, I chose to lie. After all, now wasn’t the time to have a showdown with

Vincent.

“The lab? Weren’t you with Aaron?”

Vincent’s accusing voice came over the phone and my blood froze instantly. Damn it, he must have seen the post.

“What are you talking about? What does this have to do with Aaron?” When it came down to it, I had to just focus on something else. “Vincent, I have work to do, so I’m hanging up.”

I turned my phone off and tossed it aside. Out of sight, out of mind.

But avoiding him wasn’t the best idea. By the time I turned on my phone again, Vincent’s missed calls overwhelmed me.

I took a deep breath and mustered up the courage to open

my voicemail. But I didn’t expect to hear Vincent’s desperation.

“Olive, I’m so sorry. Please answer the phone, babe.”

What the hell?

I was at a loss when another call came in from Vincent and I pressed the answer button.

“Babe! You finally answered the phone.”

Vincent sighed in relief, but his voice was hoarse, and I suddenly felt a little guilty.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“I shouldn’t have doubted you, babe. I just looked at some shitty paparazzi photos and assumed you were going out with my best friend. I’m sorry baby, I was wrong…”

I found out from Vincent’s incessant apologies that he recognized the woman in Aaron’s car as Molly. I felt like I was being held by the throat and dangling over the edge of a cliff.

I remember Molly. I met her once. But I didn’t understand how Vincent saw her in those photos.

Vincent explained that he had seen Molly’s Instagram and she’d reposted the photos.

“Baby, I’m sorry, I was being impulsive. Molly looks so much. like you, and that photo was blurry, so I jumped to

conclusions.

“It’s Aaron’s fault,” Vincent continued. “Son of a bitch has a

type.”

My ears perked up and I felt I had caught something.

“Vincent, do you think Aaron has a type?” I asked softly, “What is it?”

Vincent, who had been chattering away, fell silent.

“Am I his type?”

Silence.

“Vincent, answer me!”

I heard Vincent’s breathing on the other end of the line get a little heavier.

“Don’t tell him I said this,” Vincent finally whispered. “It’s a secret and Aaron had a crush on someone before, but they didn’t get together. So every woman he dated after that had the same features as her. In fact, you look exactly the same as that girl. That’s why I told you to stay away from him.”

My heart dropped.

Was he telling the truth?

All of Aaron’s girlfriends were a shadow of his first crush. Did he give me special treatment because I had the same pretty face?

Vincent said I looked the same as her, so that was why Aaron wanted to fuck me. I’m just a stand–in for the one he truly loved.

I felt like I was choking on air and it made me a bit nauseous.

I hung up the phone and left the lab to go back home. My whole body felt numb and I dragged myself into the

bathroom.

Just get some sleep, Olive. Tomorrow will be a brand new day.

I don’t know why my heart felt so broken. I knew Aaron was just my fuck buddy, my tool to get back at Vincent. So what if he was using me? I was just using him. We were just using

each other.

But why did my heart hurt so much? It hurt even more than the day I found out Vincent was fucking Emily.

Was I really a fuck buddy? Or was I asking for too much?

I cupped a handful of water and splashed my face, trying to clear my head. But as I looked up at the mirror, I saw my face and thought of Molly, Lisa, and maybe so many other girls who I didn’t know.

A wave of nausea swept through the body.

I fell to my knees and hugged the toilet, crying and throwing

up.

This was hell.