Chapter 1

I had a car accident and ended up in the hospital. Suddenly, I had this idea to play a prank on my girlfriend.

“Who are you?”

Seeing Clara's face freeze, I almost burst out laughing.

But then Clara pointed to her best friend, Brooke, and said, “I'm your girlfriend's best friend. She’s your girlfriend, Brooke.”

My expression stiffened into a mask.

Brooke, however, stepped forward. “Yes, I’m your girlfriend.”

I forced a smile. “Then take me home.”

Brooke took me home.

She said I’d been living there the whole time.

I looked around the place, which had no trace of my actual life, and played along, nodding as if I were as oblivious as she was.

I slept for a while in her bed. When I went out to get a glass of water, I heard voices from the living room.

“Brooke, do me a favor and pretend to be Asher’s girlfriend for a bit.”

“Aren’t you afraid he’ll suddenly get his memory back?”

“If he gets his memory back and gets mad, I’ll just sweet-talk him. He loves me so much, he’d never really leave me. Honestly, I’ve been so over him lately. This is a perfect excuse to finally catch a break and mess around a bit.”

“So, you and Lucas finally hooked up, huh? You just want to use this as an excuse to have some fun with him.”

“You know me too well. But I definitely love Asher more. Keep him close these days, but don’t get any ideas with him. Though, out of all my friends, you’re the only one I’d trust with this, especially since you always seemed to hate Asher anyway.”

My bare feet instinctively retreated, but then I deliberately made some noise by the door and walked back towards the living room.

Brooke heard the sound, quickly hung up her FaceTime, and stood up.

“The floor’s cold. Why aren’t you wearing shoes?”

Brooke quickly came over, took my hand, and led me to the couch.

“I’m thirsty,” I said, looking around, a bit lost on where to find water.

“I’ll get it for you.”

Brooke walked to the water cooler and brought me a glass.

She sat beside me, looking at me. “Still uncomfortable anywhere?”

I drank the water and shook my head.

She reached up, smoothed back my messy hair, and leaned in to kiss my forehead.

My eyes flickered. I’d just heard Clara tell her not to touch me.

I’d also always thought Brooke hated me.

But now…

When her lips met mine,

I pulled away.

She calmly stroked my face. “You don’t remember, but we can take our time. You’ll get used to me again.”

Brooke, it seemed, was also deceiving her best friend.