I Slept With My Ex's Best Friend

At a party, freshman Hannah drew a dare: kiss any guy for three minutes. Her eyes landed on Daniel, who was sitting beside his girlfriend Claire. He lowered his eyes and played with Claire's hand, pretending not to notice. Hannah asked Claire directly if she could borrow Daniel. The room went silent. Claire asked why she would pick him when there were plenty of single guys. Hannah shuffled off to ask other guys, each one turning her down until a drunk guy agreed—with tongue. She shook her head frantically, but he grabbed her wrist anyway. Daniel, who had been feigning indifference, finally let go of Claire's hand, pulled Hannah back, and called the guy out. Hannah gripped his hand, looking up at him. Claire asked him to take her home, saying she had a headache. He crouched in front of her and said Hannah was his junior, that he had to look out for her. He told Claire to be reasonable—if it bothered her, don't watch. She gave him an ultimatum: kiss her and they were done, for real. Daniel stood, looked down at her with the same polite disdain he had once aimed at a housekeeper who overstepped, and called her childish. Then he kissed Hannah. Claire opened Instagram, unfollowed him on the spot, and told him they were finished. Daniel stared, said "what the fuck Claire," and told her not to be such a sore loser. He was so sure his by-the-book good girl would never actually leave.

Minutes later, the next round landed on Marcus Hale, Daniel's best friend: take any girl home for the night. Earlier, when one of Daniel's friends had called Claire a buzzkill, Marcus had cut in coldly—asking the girl if it was no big deal, why didn't she go kiss every guy here, then adding "oh not me though, I don't play those games." Now, when everyone expected him to brush off the dare, Marcus locked eyes with Claire instead. That slow wicked smile spread across his face. "Care to try me out tonight?" She put her hand in his and said yes. That one impulsive yes ignited a chain reaction. Daniel blew up Claire's phone that night, convinced he could pull her back, but Marcus had already drawn a line. What started as a reckless payback move turned into a standoff between best friends, with Claire caught between a past she had already walked away from and a future she never planned on.