Chapter 4: The Passenger Seat War

He was determined. He was going to follow us no matter what—like a dog with a bone.

He waited at the door after the movie ended, arms folded, fake smile plastered on his face.

In the parking lot, Derek opened the passenger door and got in first, claiming the front seat like he owned the car. He buckled his seatbelt, then turned around, feigning surprise.

"Why aren’t you getting in?"

"Oh, forgot you were here too, man."

He pursed his lips, looking a bit embarrassed. "Before, the passenger seat was always just for me and Natalie. I’m used to it. Alex, don’t get mad…"

Every word was an apology—except it felt like a dig, an invisible wedge shoved between me and Natalie.

Natalie looked troubled, glancing between him and me, the keys dangling in her hand.

"Alex… how about we drop Derek off first? His place is close. Then you can switch back."

Derek had already started the car, turned on the music—some pop song from the early 2010s—and was bobbing his head to the beat, pretending everything was cool.

[Girl, dump him already.]

[Passenger seat drama—classic.]

In the comments, the only voice supporting me was drowned out by the rest, like a lone protest sign in a parade.

To them, the normal boundaries of friendship were something Derek, as the main guy, could cross at will. Like the rules didn’t apply to him, but I—Natalie’s boyfriend—was just supposed to step aside for their ideal romance. Just a prop in their love story.

I couldn’t accept that at all. Not in this life, not in this city.

The night air pressed in, heavy with the smell of gasoline and fried food. I shoved my hands in my pockets, wishing I could disappear. I looked at Derek and sighed quietly, my breath fogging up the window. "If you want to take him home, go ahead. I’ll… just walk back myself."

I tried to sound chill, but my voice came out brittle. The kind of tone you use when you’re one second from losing it.

Boom.

The comments exploded, the insults getting nastier and nastier. My mind felt like a glitchy app that wouldn’t quit.

Unable to tune them out, I just closed my eyes, counting the seconds until I could disappear.

"I didn’t know Derek only sits in the passenger seat. If I’d known… I wouldn’t have gotten carsick…"

Natalie immediately panicked, voice tight, scrambling for a way to fix everything at once.