He Used Me as Practice for Her Chapter 02
Chloe posted a new story on Instagram.
A long, slender hand covered hers as two people held the same cup of milk tea together.
The caption read:
[Thanks to a certain someone for the Van Cleef bracelet. I got your message loud and clear.]
My eyes burned the second I recognized the familiar green clover bracelet.
I’d spent two years saving up from part-time jobs to buy that for Ethan.
What was strange was that there weren’t any likes or reactions on the story.
Not a single one.
For someone as insanely popular as Chloe Harrington, that was impossible.
Unless…
I was the only person who could see it.
She’d made a private Close Friends list just for me.
Just to show me this.
I stared at the mocking little green circle around her profile picture for a long moment.
Then I laughed quietly to myself.
I didn’t even care enough to expose her pathetic little mind game.
Instead, I calmly tapped the heart reaction in the corner of the screen.
There.
I saw it.
Happy now?
I stood up and started getting ready for graduation prom.
After digging through my closet, I picked out a tight black bodycon dress.
Exactly the kind Ethan never let me wear outside.
He always said I looked best in soft white dresses. Pure. Artistic. Like some delicate little flower that made people want to protect me.
But every time I wore those white cotton dresses, I felt trapped.
Restricted.
Like I wasn’t allowed to breathe.
Yeah. Screw that.
I swiped on bold red lipstick, slipped into heels, and headed straight for the party.
The second I pushed open the private room door, Ethan looked over lazily.
Then his eyes locked onto my outfit.
His pupils contracted instantly.
Without warning, he yanked off his shirt jacket and draped it over my bare shoulders.
“Who told you to wear this?” he snapped. “Go change.”
Chloe walked over with a laugh and lightly punched his chest. The clover bracelet on her wrist flashed under the lights.
“Wow, controlling much? Girls can wear whatever they want.”
Then she deliberately puffed out her chest and sighed dramatically.
“Besides, Charlotte totally beats me in that department. Even if I wanted to wear something like that, I don’t have the body for it.”
She grinned before poking me right in the chest.
“Seriously, though. If you dress like this, how are the rest of us supposed to survive? Every guy on the street’s probably staring at you wishing they could devour you alive.”
Her eyes dripped with mockery.
But the words coming out of her mouth sounded sweet as honey.
“Honestly, Charlotte? I’m kinda jealous.”
The second she finished speaking, the whole room burst into laughter.
Ethan’s face darkened immediately.
He pulled the jacket tighter around me and started pushing me toward the door.
“Go change. Now. I don’t like you dressing like this.”
“What do you like, then?”
He stopped walking.
Like he hadn’t expected me to question him at all.
After all, I’d always done everything he said.
His fingers slid against my waist possessively, carrying a quiet warning.
“You look too easy dressed like this in public.”
Then he leaned closer, lowering his voice deliberately.
“But if you wanna wear it at home for me… that’s different. I’m a pretty jealous guy, Charlotte.”
Normally, hearing him say something that intimate would’ve made my heart race.
But when I looked up and saw Chloe standing across from us, my heartbeat suddenly slowed.
“You like girls who are bold and rebellious. Girls like Chloe, right?” My voice trembled. “If you like her that much… then why were you with me…?”
I couldn’t force the rest of the words out.
My voice wasn’t quiet.
Chloe heard every word.
The smile vanished from her face instantly, her eyes reddening with tears.
“Charlotte Avery, I know you don’t like me, but do we seriously have to ruin prom over this?”
She sniffed dramatically.
“Fine. I’ll leave if I’m that unwanted.”
She turned as if she were about to run off crying.
Ethan immediately let go of me and chased after her.
He stopped her, then dragged me in front of Chloe.
“Apologize to Chloe,” he ordered coldly.
“Don’t do this,” Chloe said softly, forcing a bitter smile. “This is my fault. Charlotte, I’m sorry, okay? I shouldn’t have upset you.”
Her shoulders trembled as if she were desperately holding back tears.
Ethan frowned impatiently and shoved me lightly.
“I said apologize. Did you not hear me?”
I looked at him standing protectively beside Chloe, panic written all over his face for her sake.
Suddenly, everything felt unbelievably stupid.
“Sorry.”
I dropped the word flatly and walked out.
