Chapter 3
Next day I got up early.
Hopped on my little scooter to deliver food.[]
Soon as I opened the app, I got five orders–fifty coffees to deliver.
Rush hour traffic was murder, so I decided to take a shortcut.[]
Coming out of the alley, my scooter crashed into a big Audi.[]
Watching my drinks fly everywhere, I felt genuinely devastated.[]
Then I realized I was devastated too early.[]
Because the person getting out of the Audi was Lily–River’s childhood friend.[]
Didn’t Wish say I was the luckiest person alive?]]
LIES! Got played again.]
I tried to crawl away but successfully made it about two feet on the crosswalk.
Lily took me to the hospital.[]
I was wearing a helmet so nothing vital got hurt–just scrapes and a twisted
ankle.
0
Went room.||
While the doctor was cleaning my wounds, I heard Lily on the phone outside the
A
*** handle it.“||
I can
“It’s fine, River. You don’t need to come. The test results are in–just surface wounds,
His voice came through faintly: “I’m already at the hospital entrance. Emergency r
room,
right?“||
Lily: “I’ll come get you then.”
While she went to get him, I limped my ass out of there.[]
Really wasn’t trying to be a coward.[]
Fine, I WAS being a coward.
Ever since Marcus told me River was back, I figured we’d run into each other eventually.[]
But definitely not like THIS.[]
Before college graduation, I was a pampered rich girl.
The only bitter things I’d ever tasted were iced Americanos and medicine.[]
After graduation, I became the most ordinary of ordinary people.
That’s when I learned how fucking hard it was for regular people to make money.
4
I delivered food during the day, ran a street cart at night, and streamed until dawn–maybe four or five hours of sleep total.]]
What I made in a month was less than my old monthly allowance.
That was fine–my family owed the bank a shit–ton, after all.
I’d enjoyed the privileged life my family gave me, so naturally I had to take on the responsibility that came with it.[]
But having to face my successful ex at my absolute lowest point…[]
Hell NO!
The only thing I was grateful for was keeping my mask on the whole time.]]
Lily probably didn’t recognize me.
I went to some small clinic to get patched up.[]
The nurse there was rough as hell and had me gritting my teeth in pain.[]
I was forced to rest for a week–even had to pause the hand dancing.
Just when I was happy to get back to work, I got a call from traffic police.]
Said I was guilty of hit–and–run.[]
I went to argue at the police station: “There’s no traffic light at that intersection, I was fault. I’m technically the victim here–how is this hit–and–run?“]]
A mocking voice came from outside: “Maybe read a book once in a while!”
the
in
the
W
W
crosswalk, and it should’ve been their
“Doesn’t matter whose fault it is–if either party leaves without waiting for police, that’s fleeing the scene.“[]
I turned toward the voice and sure enough saw River.[]
And of course, Lily was with him.[]
I was so pissed my chest was heaving. I knew it was him.]
Lily was tough but gentle, kind, and soft–hearted.]
Back in high school when some girl bully who liked River was picking on her, she
The school took it seriously since she was such a good student.]
Went straight to the police, teachers, and parents.
When the school wanted to expel the bully, she thought expulsion was too harsh for a
high schooler and spoke up for her.
So the school ended up giving the bully probation, a major disciplinary mark, and made her apologize in person.[]
River raised an eyebrow: “Front bumper plus paint on two panels–estimated repair cost ninety–two grand.“[]
At this point I couldn’t care less about dignity.[]
Asking me for almost a hundred grand–why didn’t he just ask for my life?]
I didn’t want to argue with him, so I turned to the officer: “Officer, I really did have an emergency. My grandma was having a blood pressure crisis at home, so I was rushing back. Their fault, I got injured, and I’m not even asking them to pay me–why would I run? I obviously had an emergency.“]
I tried reasoning and appealing to emotions to convince the officer.
The officer scratched his head apologetically: “Rules are rules–whoever flees is fully liable.“||
Walking out of the police station, my eyes felt watery.
Just two months of work down the drain–was that really necessary?[]
I’d dealt with harassment while delivering food, fake bills at my cart, and false rumors about my streams.
I took a deep breath to stop myself from crying, ignored River, and said to Lily: “Give me your contact info. Send me the repair bill when you’re done.
Lily looked confused and pointed at herself: “Me?“[]
“Yeah, can’t you hear me?“]
I was losing almost a hundred grand for no reason–everyone looked annoying to me, including her.[]
Lily fumbled for her phone and opened her payment QR code: “Sorry, I couldn’t hear you clearly just now.“[]
Maybe I didn’t even realize my voice was soft and weak.]
I looked at her QR code and rolled my eyes: “Girl, that’s for PAYMENTS!“[]
“Oh, sorry.“]
Watching her panic, I practically rolled my eyes into orbit.
How does dating just turn someone from being cool and collected into such a mess?
River was seriously bad news!]
After adding her on Instagram, I turned to leave.]]]
River suddenly called out:
“Wait.“]
I pretended not to hear and kept walking.]
River caught up and grabbed my wrist, hissing: “Jade Morrison! How long are you gonna pretend you don’t know me?“[]
