He Used Me as Practice for Her Chapter 01
Right after the SATs, my childhood best friend coaxed me into sleeping with him for the first time.
He went through almost half a box of condoms in one night.
I really thought he wanted me that badly. Thought he loved me enough to lose control.
Until I accidentally saw the group chat between him and his friends.
[Congrats to Ethan for finally getting Charlotte’s first time.]
[Charlotte could barely walk afterward. Dude, Ethan, were you trying to kill her?]
[Kill her? Please. She’s tougher than she looks. I was just getting some practice in so I can take better care of Chloe in bed later. If I hurt Chloe, I’d actually feel bad.]
So that was all our years together meant.
A joke.
I quietly changed my college applications after that.
He went south.
I went north.
And our lives never crossed again.
…
I bit down hard on my lower lip, staring at the messages on the screen in disbelief.
Every ache in my body reminded me how insane Ethan Caldwell had been last night.
Turns out none of it was for me.
The messages in the chat kept flooding in.
[Classic Ethan. Man’s living the dream. Dating the theater club lead while keeping the cheer captain around too.]
[Charlotte’s definitely gonna cry if she finds out. She chased after Ethan for years just to end up being entertainment.]
[Better hope she doesn’t drown Ethan in her tears.]
[If she cries, she cries. I’ll just sweet-talk her for a bit. Give it two days max before she comes running back.]
[I’ve known her forever.]
[And for the record, Chloe’s the girl I actually see a future with. Don’t get it twisted.]
[Shit. I think I left my MacBook open on the desk.]
The bedroom door slammed open.
Ethan rushed in so violently he nearly knocked the wall. He snatched the MacBook off the desk so fast the aluminum edge slammed into my wrist, instantly leaving a red mark behind.
I lowered my head and silently pressed a hand against the pain.
He frantically checked the laptop.
When he realized the screen had locked itself, reflecting only his own pale, panicked face back at him, he finally let out a breath of relief.
He tossed the laptop carelessly onto the bed before finally noticing my red eyes.
“Why’re you crying?” he asked.
“I lost thirteen matches in a row on Call of Duty,” I said numbly. “I was literally about to win the last one too…”
The tears started falling anyway.
Hot. Salty. Embarrassing.
So this whole crush of mine had just been me making a fool out of myself.
The mattress dipped beside me as Ethan wrapped an arm around my shoulders.
He grinned and flicked my nose lightly. “That’s it? C’mon, don’t cry over a game. I’ll carry you next round.”
He grabbed his phone excitedly, ready to queue up with me.
Then suddenly stopped.
He turned slightly, using his body to block the screen from my view.
Too late.
I’d already seen the notification pop up.
Chloe Harrington:
[So you’re really going to Silverport University for me?]
Ethan shoved his phone back into his pocket.
“Charlotte, my family needs me at home. Next time, okay? I’ll help you destroy those losers.”
Like always, he reached out to ruffle my hair.
I tilted my head away before he could touch me.
His hand froze awkwardly in midair.
“Hey, don’t be mad,” he said quickly. “I’ll make it up to you next time.”
Then he hurried toward the door.
I grabbed his wrist.
“Do you really have to go?”
He paused.
His gaze swept briefly over the faint marks still left on my neck before he leaned down and kissed the top of my head gently.
But his voice stayed firm.
“Be good, Charlotte. My family really needs me.”
His fingers slipped out of my hand without hesitation.
As he walked away, he was already looking down at his phone, typing replies to someone else.
