On the way to our holiday trip, I broke up with Rhys in the airport departure lounge. "You're dumping me just because she got the seat next to mine instead of you?" He laughed. "Yes." He smirked and tapped the voice memo app on his phone. "Fine. You chose it. Don't regret it." We'd known each other since we were seven, and started dating at eighteen. He thought this was another one of my dramatic episodes. He was so sure I'd never actually walk away from him. What he didn't know was that the seat assignment was just the excuse. I'd already canceled the ticket he booked for me and changed my destination. And in a few hours, we'd be flying to different cities, starting different lives. ............................ Rhys held the phone up between us. He was indicating to me that he was recording. I kept my voice flat. "May 1st, 2026. Day 2,591 together. Liora is breaking up with Rhys." He paused for a second, then shook his head like I was being ridiculous. "Okay, how long are we breaking up for this time? What's our record, three days? Four?" He scrolled through his phone and tapped on another recording. "Rhys, I miss you so much. I take it back, please don't break up with me." My own drunk, sobbing voice cut through. A few travelers turned to stare. He grinned. "That one's from three months ago." His finger kept scrolling, looking for more. I shoved the phone away from my face. "I mean it this time." The smile dropped off his face. His eyes hardened. "You're seriously breaking up with me over a seat assignment? Babe, come on. Aren't you better than that?" "No. I'm not." We'd planned this holiday trip to Miami with his friends months ago. Then his intern, Talia, decided she just had to come along. To make it work, Rhys canceled the original tickets and rebooked the whole group on a different flight. Somehow, he and all his friends ended up in Rows 3 and 4. I was the only one stuck back in Row 35. The seat next to him? Saved for Talia. He'd even posted a screenshot of the seat map on his Instagram Story. [Who's coming on a spontaneous trip with you?] Their two seat numbers, side by side, were impossible to miss. "Liora, don't be like this." "I already explained. I forgot to add you when I booked the first time. By the next morning, the only seats left were in the back." "It's a four-hour flight. You're really gonna get jealous over four hours?" He said it like forgetting to book his girlfriend's seat was nothing. Like I was the crazy one. I took a deep breath. "You don't get it. This isn't about who's sitting next to you for four hours." "Okay, okay. I'll buy us first-class tickets right now, just the two of us. Happy?" I just stared at him. I was so tired. "Are you guys upgrading? Rhysie, can I come too? I've never flown first class before." Talia popped up out of nowhere. She slid an iced Americano into Rhys's hand and started sipping from her own iced latte like she belonged there. She caught the tension and tilted her head at me. "Oh, sweetie, I didn't know what you liked. I always grab them an Americano and a latte, total habit. I totally spaced on getting you one." I turned to leave. Talia grabbed my arm. "Liora, please don't get the wrong idea. Rhysie and I are just friends." "I'm just an intern, you know? Graduation's coming up and I'm honestly so stressed out. That's the reason he lets me tag along when you guys do stuff." "Don't let little things mess up what you two have, please." "Little things?" I laughed in her face. "Asking my boyfriend to a movie alone is a little thing? Sending him pics of you in dressing room outfits is a little thing? Crashing our couples' trip is a little thing?" "You're not stressed. You're just blind. You don't see a single line you shouldn't cross." "You want him so bad? Take him." Talia's eyes welled up instantly. She bit her lip and looked down at the floor. "Liora, that's enough!" Rhys grabbed a napkin and handed it to her. "I get that you're pissed, but take it out on me. Why are you screaming at her?" A tear rolled down Talia's cheek. "Rhysie, please don't fight. This is my fault. I shouldn't have come." She turned and hurried toward the exit. Rhys sighed and went after her. The crowded terminal felt thick and suffocating, like I couldn't get a full breath.
I'd packed until past midnight the night before, and now my head was killing me. I went to grab a coffee, hoping the caffeine would clear it. That's when I heard the familiar voices coming from the seating area outside the Starbucks. Rhys's friends were posted up there, killing time before boarding. "Where's Liora? She not coming with you?" "She's threatening to break up again." Someone snorted. "Seriously? You haven't even taken off and she's already starting? What is it this time?" "She's mad I didn't save her the seat next to mine." "That's it?" The guy shrugged. "Honestly, only you could put up with her." Rhys ran his fingers through his hair, pushing it off his forehead. "Yeah, I need a break too. I'll deal with her once we land in Miami." Another one of his buddies jumped in. "Bro, you spoiled her rotten. This is what you get." "Honestly though, give me a chill girl like Talia any day. Hey Tal, what's your type? You into guys like me?" Talia covered her face and giggled. Looked like Rhys had already smoothed things over with her. Before she could answer, Rhys kicked his friend's chair. "Back off, dude." Then his voice softened. "Stay away from this guy. He's a serial cheater. If he tries to add you on Instagram, do not accept." They started cracking up. "Damn Rhys, why so protective of Tal?" "You bring her along but won't let any of us talk to her? What's that about?" "Trying to keep her for yourself, huh?" Talia's cheeks went pink. "You guys, stop. Even if I was into someone like Rhys, he'd never go for me anyway." Every head turned to Rhys. He just smiled. He didn't say a word. Talia gave a small, self-deprecating laugh. "See? That's a no. So please, if any of you know someone good, set me up." Rhys finally spoke, slow and casual. "Didn't say no." I set my coffee cup down on the counter. They erupted in laughter. "Oh shoot." Talia suddenly froze, counting heads on her fingers. She fumbled for her phone. "Oh my god. I screwed up the room reservations." "I just looked at the headcount, four guys and three girls, so I only booked three rooms..." She kept scrolling. "The hotel is completely sold out now. What do I do?" Then she looked up and spotted me across the lounge. She got up and walked straight over. "Liora, I swear it was an honest mistake." "There's another hotel right next door but it's like a thousand bucks more a night. I mean, you guys aren't exactly hurting for money, right? Maybe you could just book it?" I stared at her, expressionless. "You really have it out for me, don't you? Out of seven people, somehow I'm the one who has to pay extra?" "And you screwed up the booking. Why am I the one fixing it?" She made a pained face. "Liora, I'm just an intern, okay? I'm not even out of school yet, my paychecks are basically nothing..." I cut her off. "You're the one who insisted on handling the bookings. We already Venmo'd you our share. If you couldn't handle it, you shouldn't have volunteered." Talia dropped her head and started quietly crying. "Enough." Rhys came up behind her. He said it like it was no big deal. "It's not the end of the world. We just book another room." "Liora, you're an adult. You should be able to roll with stuff like this." I laughed coldly. "Roll with your intern freezing me out, you mean?" Talia looked at Rhys with watery eyes. "I really didn't mean to." Rhys lowered his voice. "Liora, Talia's a sweet girl. She doesn't think like that. You're being unfair to her." "I'll book us an ocean view suite. Drop it. Stop making a scene." "I'm the one making a scene?" I let out a sharp laugh. My phone buzzed. I didn't have the energy to keep arguing. I picked up the call and walked away from them.
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