He Chose His 'Bro' Over Me

The air at the party was thick and heavy, almost suffocating.

Music pounded through the room, loud enough to rattle my bones.

My chest started to constrict, each breath becoming a struggle.

With shaky hands, I fumbled for my emergency inhaler in my pocket.

The canister felt way too light.

I gave it a frantic shake—silence.

Just then, Adrian walked over with Zoey tucked under his arm.

He shrugged like it was nothing. "Zoey had a scratchy throat, so I let her use your puffer."

My grip tightened around the empty inhaler, knuckles turning white.

"That was my emergency meds..."

Zoey peeked up from his shoulder, all sugar and innocence. "Don't be mad, sis. It was just a little tickle."

I was fighting for air, each gasp feeling like a hand around my throat.

"A tickle? Couldn't you have just had some water?"

Adrian rolled his eyes. "Or a cough drop. Stop being so dramatic."

The strobe lights flickered across his face, making him look cold and distant.

My legs gave out, and I slid down the wall onto the floor.

My phone screen swam in front of my blurry vision.

I typed with trembling fingers, each word a battle.

Every breath came out as a ragged wheeze.

"Mom. Asthma attack."

"Adrian gave my inhaler away."

Adrian glanced at my screen and let out a harsh laugh.

"Really? Tattling like a kid?"

He snatched my phone and held it high above me, smirking down like I was some kind of joke.

I tried to stand, to reach for it, but my head spun and I dropped back onto the couch.

"My asthma… please…" I choked out.

Zoey strutted over, waving a different inhaler with a sly grin.

"Oh, is little Evelyn feeling sick again? Or is this just another performance?"

"That's why you don't bring girls like her to guy hangouts. Always pulling some jealous stunt."

I glared at her, each breath a fight.

Zoey was Adrian's so-called "best friend" from childhood.

Always glued to the guys, acting like she was just one of them.

Adrian always praised her to me—how she was bold, straightforward, a real cool girl.

When we first got together, I actually thought she was fun.

But then Adrian brought me into his circle.

Zoey put on a sweet act.

"Adrian has good taste! Where'd you find this delicate flower?"

"Stick with me, girl! We'll have fun together and ignore these losers."

But her eyes always had a sharpness to them.

She was sneaky.

She'd talk about sisterhood while subtly pushing me to the sidelines.

At every hangout, she'd bring up inside jokes and childhood stories I couldn't be part of.

I'd end up sitting quietly in the corner.

Then she'd throw an arm around Adrian and laugh.

"Why so quiet, Princess? Jealous much?"

I'd told Adrian again and again how she made me feel.

But he always brushed it off. Told me I was being too sensitive.

That's just how Zoey is—blunt and real.

But now, Zoey wasn't even pretending.

"What's wrong, Princess? Upset 'cause you're not the center of attention?"

The guys burst out laughing.

"Give me… the inhaler… I can't breathe…" My voice was shaking.

The room got quiet for a second.

Then the laughter got louder, harsher.

Zoey clung to Adrian, cracking up like it was the funniest thing she'd ever seen.

"Good one! Adrian, don't fall for it!"

The others joined in.