He Kept Me in the Backseat, So I Left Him Behind

Ethan slammed on the brakes, and the SUV came to a smooth stop at the red light. He didn't try to persuade me otherwise, nor did he ask what I was going to buy. Instead, he just turned around and gave me a look of pure, unbothered impatience. "Once you’re done, call an Uber to the mountain cabin. Don't waste too much time. Chloe has a sensitive stomach, and we need to have dinner on time." Chloe turned around from the passenger seat, her silky long hair brushing against the leather. "Hazel, I’m so sorry. Was my music too loud? How about I go with you?" Though she said she was sorry, her hands remained tightly gripped around her seatbelt. She hadn’t made the slightest move to unbuckle herself. "No need. I’ll go alone." I pushed the door open and stepped out of the car. The second the door slammed shut, the engine roared. Ethan hit the gas, and the SUV sped off into the distance, leaving me behind without a single look back or a word of caution. The dust kicked up by the tires settled on the hem of my dress. I stood under the blazing sun, squinting at the harsh light. I’ve never liked arguing with people. I didn't in the past, and I didn't now. This was the first time in five years that I had actively walked away from our three-person dynamic. During my freshman year of college, I was quiet and slow to warm up to people, which left me isolated. Ethan was the one who reached out, took my hand, and brought me into his social circle. He said I was a quiet mouse who needed someone to look out for her. He promised that with him around, no one would ever bully me. Three years ago, when my dad passed away, Ethan was the one who stood by my side at the hospital. He promised my dad that he would take care of me forever, that he would love me for the rest of his life. I had no family left. He was supposed to be my family. Later, Chloe came into my life, claiming she wanted to "vet" my boyfriend for me. That was how she met Ethan. She was bubbly, artsy, and knew a lot about architecture. Soon, she and Ethan became inseparable soulmates. Whenever the three of us went out, Ethan naturally gave the passenger seat to Chloe. His excuse was that she got motion sickness and needed a clearer view of the road. I was relegated to the backseat, responsible for handing them water, navigating, and staying quiet while they laughed and talked up front. Habit is a terrifying thing. Over five years, I had actually come to accept this as normal. I didn't walk into the mall. Instead, I turned around and walked toward the bus station. Just as I boarded the bus heading back to the city, my phone screen lit up. It was a text from Ethan. "What kind of tantrum are you throwing now?" "Chloe has been crying and blaming herself because you got off midway. You completely ruined our graduation trip." "Take a cab here right now and apologize to her." I don’t know when it started, but I had somehow become the one who constantly had to apologize. I stared at the screen for a long time, my fingers tapping slowly on the keyboard. "I’m not coming. Have fun, you two." I hit send, powered off my phone, and closed my eyes. As the bus rumbled along, the usual bitterness in my chest was gone. There was only a strange, solitary peace.By the time the bus arrived back in the city, the sky was pitch black. I dragged my heavy feet back to our rented apartment. This was the place Ethan had rented last month, promising we would move in together after graduation. But the living room corners were currently piled high with Chloe’s cardboard boxes. A few days ago, Chloe had cried to Ethan, saying her landlord had suddenly kicked her out. Without even consulting me, Ethan brought her here. He claimed it was just a temporary arrangement to give her a place to stay. When she moved in, she took the master bedroom, Ethan took the study, and I was pushed into the small guest room. I poured myself a glass of warm water and sat on the sofa, quietly staring at the mess belonging to another woman cluttering the apartment. The next afternoon, the front door clicked open. Ethan walked in, rolling Chloe’s suitcase, the two of them laughing and chatting. Seeing me sitting on the balcony pressing plant specimens, the smile on Ethan’s face instantly vanished. He marched over, his brows knitted in a deep frown. "Hazel, what is wrong with you? You vanished without a word last night and turned off your phone. Do you have any idea how worried we were?" "Can you please be more considerate of others, like Chloe is?" I paused my tweezers and looked up at him. His eyes held nothing but irritation over his ruined plans. There wasn't a shred of actual worry to be found. Chloe stepped out from behind him, holding a beautifully packaged red gift box. "Hazel, don't blame Ethan. He didn't sleep well last night. Look, we bought you these pastries from the bakery on the mountain. They're your favorite." I looked at the box. It was walnut bread. I am severely allergic to walnuts. Throughout college, even a tiny bite would break me out in hives and make it hard to breathe. Ethan had literally carried me to the ER twice in the middle of the night because of this. Yet, he stood beside Chloe now, chiming in naturally. "Chloe waited in line for half an hour to buy this for you. Just take it, and stop looking so miserable." I didn't reach for the box. I just looked at Ethan with a cold, calm gaze. "I am allergic to walnuts, Ethan. Is this what you mean by being 'considerate' of others?" The air in the room froze for a second. Chloe’s smile stiffened, and she looked at Ethan, seemingly lost. Ethan’s brow furrowed deeper. A brief flash of guilt crossed his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a wave of defensive anger. "If you can't eat them, couldn't you have said so earlier? Do you have to make things awkward for Chloe right now? If you don't want it, fine. Throw it away." He snatched the box from her hand and tossed it straight into the trash can without even opening it. Then, he quickly changed the subject, pointing to the green plants I had been cultivating on the balcony for the past six months. "Chloe starts her new job next week, and she needs some plants for her desk. I think this pot looks pretty good. Let her take it. You play with dirt all day anyway, you won't miss this one." He said it so casually, as if it were worthless. That was a rare hybrid species I had cultivated specifically for my upcoming final-round interview at the Botanical Research Institute. I had documented the growth cycle of every single leaf, pouring countless sleepless nights into keeping it alive. Chloe walked over, reaching out to grab the heavy ceramic pot. "Hazel, I really love this color. Can I borrow it for a few days?" I quietly watched her hand, then shifted my gaze to Ethan. He was looking at Chloe with pure, doting affection, as if to say, I knew you'd like it. I stood up and pulled the heavy pot directly into my arms. "No." "This is my work. I’m not lending it, and I’m not giving it away." Ethan’s face darkened completely.Ethan took a step forward, his tall frame blocking my way. "Hazel, are you deliberately trying to make things difficult for Chloe today? It's just a pot of grass. Do you have to be this petty?" I held the pot tightly, my fingers digging into the rough ceramic edge. "To you, it's just grass. To me, this is my ticket to the final interview at the Botanical Research Institute. Ethan, do you even know the meaning of the word respect?" Ethan stunned for a moment, then let out a cold, mocking laugh. "The Botanical Research Institute? Are you still dreaming about going to that dead-end place?" He took a deep breath, his tone turning condescending, dripping with patronizing charity. "Let me tell you the truth. I pulled some strings with the HR manager at my architecture firm. I secured a receptionist position for you. It’s a stable, nine-to-five job, and most importantly, you’ll be close to me and Chloe." "With your awkward personality, you aren't cut out to deal with the real world. Staying under my wing is the best way for me to keep my promise of taking care of you. “ “You start tomorrow. Stop wasting your time with those dead leaves." My brain went numb. I had been waiting for my interview notification from the National Botanical Research Institute for an entire week. It was the top research institution in the country, the sole goal I had worked toward by living in the lab for four years. Suddenly, I remembered that before we left yesterday, Ethan had borrowed my laptop to look up some files. I set the flowerpot on the table, marched into my bedroom, and flipped open my laptop. I logged into my email. The inbox was empty. I clicked on the trash folder. There lay an unread email. The sender was the HR Department of the National Botanical Research Institute. I clicked it open. It was an invitation to the final interview scheduled for the day after tomorrow. But at the bottom of the email, someone had clicked the decline button, sending an automated response: "I wish to withdraw my application and decline the interview." The timestamp was yesterday morning. I stared at the words on the screen, my chest rising and falling rapidly. Ethan followed me into the room. Seeing the email on the screen, he didn't show a hint of remorse. Instead, he squared his shoulders. "You saw it? Yes, I declined it for you." He shoved his hands into his pockets, looking at me with absolute self-righteousness. "If you go to that institute, you'll be running off into the mountains with research teams for weeks. Who is going to take care of our apartment?" "Besides, you’re so naive and slow. Without me, you’d get eaten alive out there. I did this for your own good to protect you. You should be thanking me." For my own good. Those words felt like a dull knife hacking at my nerves. He did it so I could always be home to cook him hot meals. He did it so he and Chloe could work side-by-side at their prestigious design firm while I sat at the front desk downstairs, sorting their mail like a servant. I turned around to face the man I had loved for five years. My voice shook with cold rage. "Who gave you the right to make decisions for my life?" Ethan frowned, reaching out to grab my wrist. "Hazel, calm down. I’m your boyfriend. What’s wrong with me planning your future?" I dodged his touch and took a big step back. Right then, Chloe, who had been eavesdropping outside, chose the perfect moment to walk in.