Chapter 2: The Girlfriend on the Outside

The next morning, I woke up to two missed calls and three messages from the night before.

The first read: “Why didn’t you wait for me?”

The second came a few minutes later: “Eleni was cooking. I couldn’t get away.”

The third said: “Let me know when you’re home safe.”

I stared at the messages for a long time before typing a reply.

“I got tired of waiting.”

His response came almost immediately.

“I’m sorry, Romy. I’ll make it up to you.”

A few seconds later, he called.

“About last night…” Kostas began.

I waited.

“That business with the lock was Eleni. I already talked to her about it.”

His tone made it sound as though that should have solved everything.

“She said she was only trying to fix the settings.”

“And the deadbolt?” I asked.

There was a pause.

“I don’t know. Maybe she locked it without realizing you were outside.”

I almost laughed.

She knew I was there. Nico had seen her messages.

But I didn't argue.

Kostas cleared his throat.

“Look, Nico and the guys are getting dinner tonight. You should come.”

“They’re all good people. You just need to get to know them.”

I didn't want to go.

I wanted to ask him why I always had to fight for a place in his life while Eleni seemed to have one reserved for her.

Instead, I said, “Okay.”

Maybe I was still hoping that if I spent enough time around them, I would finally understand what I was missing.

That evening, Kostas picked me up and drove us to a restaurant downtown.

When we arrived, everyone was already there.

Eleni sat at the far end of the long table. The moment she saw Kostas, she smiled and patted the empty chair beside her.

“Kostas, over here.”

I moved toward the chair on his right, but one of his friends dropped into it first.

“I’ll sit here,” he declared. “Perfect spot for drinking with the man of the hour.”

Eleni leaned forward with a smug little smile.

“You can sit across from us, Romy. You’ll have a much better view.”

So I ended up in the seat farthest from Kostas, staring at him across a massive platter of grilled meat.

I watched Eleni lean toward him and whisper something in his ear, her hair brushing against his shoulder.

Kostas smiled.

I couldn't hear what she said.

But apparently, whatever it was mattered more than the conversation happening around him.

When the seafood tower arrived, Eleni tapped a lobster with her fork.

“Kostas, can you get this for me?” she whined. “I can never crack these things.”

Without a word, Kostas picked up the cracker and went to work.

Juice dripped onto his hands, but he didn't seem to notice.

Eleni speared a piece of the freshly cracked lobster.

After taking a delicate bite herself, she held the fork up to Kostas's lips.

“You have to try this. It's so fresh.”

Kostas leaned forward and ate it directly from her fork, his lips brushing the tines where hers had just been.

Someone down the table chuckled.

“You two have been attached at the hip forever. Aren’t you worried you’ll make Romy jealous?”

Eleni laughed, a light, dismissive sound.

“Oh, please. Kostas has been taking care of me since we were kids.”

She looked directly at me.

“Romy’s not that petty, are you?”

The whole table turned to look.

I felt my shoulders tense, but I forced a smile.

“It’s fine.”

Kostas glanced at me but said nothing.

A little later, Eleni pushed her plate toward him.

“I can’t even chew this lamb chop.”

Kostas glanced down, picked up the lamb chop, and placed it on his own plate.

He methodically cut it into small, bite-sized pieces before sliding the plate back to her.

He did it without a word, his movements fluid and practiced, as if he had performed the exact task a thousand times.

Someone sighed dramatically.

“God, you two are so in sync. It’s like you spent your whole childhood practicing.”

Eleni beamed at Kostas.

“Remember in college when you came to visit me?”

“My roommate was convinced you were my boyfriend.”

Kostas smiled faintly.

“Your roommate was enthusiastic.”

“Yeah,” Eleni said. “She kept asking when we were getting married.”

Her eyes flickered toward me.

Then she reached out and smoothed Kostas's collar.

“Your collar's crooked.”

Her fingers brushed his collarbone and lingered for a beat before she pulled her hand away.

No one at the table reacted.

They were used to this.

Kostas didn't flinch either.

I lowered my eyes to my untouched glass of water.

Halfway through dinner, Eleni stood to get a drink.

As she rose, her hand slipped, sending a full glass of red wine spilling across my white dress.

The wine soaked through the fabric immediately.

Before I could even react, Kostas grabbed Eleni's hand and turned it over to inspect her fingers.

“Did you cut yourself? Is the glass broken?”

Eleni shook her head and murmured that she was fine.

Then she turned to me with a pained expression.

“Oh my God, Romy, I’m so sorry.”

“Was that dress expensive?”

“I’ll buy you a new one, I promise.”

Red wine continued dripping down my skirt and onto my shoes.

Kostas never even glanced at me.

I pushed my chair back.

“I'm going to the restroom.”

As I reached the door, I heard Eleni lower her voice.

“Kostas, is your girlfriend upset?”

“Did I make her mad?”

Kostas answered without hesitation.

“She’s not like that.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

Eleni let out a soft, relieved laugh.

“Good.”

“I was so afraid you’d ignore me because of her.”

A low chuckle came from their corner of the table.

I stood outside the restroom door, feeling just as I had felt outside Kostas's apartment the night before.

The whole thing was suddenly, painfully ridiculous.

They were a team.

And I was on the outside, looking in.