My Boyfriend and Best Friend Played Me for Thrills, So I Made It Thrilling

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1: 1

While I was waiting for someone by the road, a post came up on my feed.

Told my best friend I'd hang out with her for our anniversary. What I actually booked was her boyfriend. Right now the two of us are in a hotel losing ourselves in it while she stands there like an idiot down in the lobby. So thrilling.

A chill ran down my back.

The one who'd asked me out today was also my best friend.

She'd whined at me not to ditch a friend for a guy, said I absolutely had to keep her, the single one, company.

I showed up right on time, and she kept saying she had things to do, telling me to wait a little longer.

And the place where she'd told me to wait was outside a hotel.

I stared at Dora Dickerson's last reply on my phone:

I really am just around the corner this time, hang on for me a bit longer, okay? Traffic's bad.

I pulled up the map.

The stretch of green on it seemed to be laughing at me.

I'd trusted her so completely that when she said traffic, I stood there like a fool for two hours and never even checked.

I screenshotted it and sent it to her.

This is your idea of bad traffic?

Dora sent back a voice message.

"I'm sorry, okay, the truth is I'm out of town. I lied because I was scared you wouldn't wait for me."

"This one's on me, just go home first."

Her voice carried a little panic, with a faint breathlessness under it.

A moment later, that account posted again.

My best friend, the dumb dog, actually figured out I lied to her. Shame we're already done, so we don't need her standing down in the lobby as part of our play anymore.

I even leaned by the window and watched her the whole time can you guys imagine how thrilling that is?

Now we're off to eat. That restaurant she's always wanted to try, her boyfriend told her he couldn't get a reservation. Really he was saving it to go with me~

The hand holding my phone wouldn't stop shaking.

I forced my feet to move and ducked behind the wall at the side of the hotel.

Ten minutes later, sure enough, I saw Dora come out arm in arm with Max Gilbert.

She pointed smugly at the spot where I'd been standing, and she and Max both burst out laughing.

I fought down the trembling as hard as I could, cleared my throat, and called Max.

"Babe, Dora's got something come up and can't hang out with me anymore. Let's go get dinner together, yeah?"

Max's voice came back impatient. "I'm working late. I don't have time!"

"What's the big deal about some stupid anniversary, it's just a capitalist trap. Rosalie Fox, you're not turning into one of those gold-digger types, inventing an excuse to shake me down for a gift, are you?"

Before I could get a word out, he hung up.

A wave of dizziness hit me. I dragged my leaden feet back home, splashed water on my face, and little by little my head cleared.

I opened the account that had posted all of it.

Starting a year ago, the account had been posting steadily, keeping a record.

A day in the life with my best friend's boyfriend.

Seducing your best friend's boyfriend is so much fun.

What it feels like to be your best friend's boyfriend's favorite.

Max and I had only been together a little over a year.

I opened the comments. On the earliest posts, some people had still called her a homewrecker.

She just fired back: I never made them break up, so how does that make me a homewrecker?

Her own fault for having no appeal, for not being able to hold on to a man.

I'm basically doing her a favor. Otherwise some other woman would've stolen her boyfriend ages ago.

Someone mocked her, said she thought too highly of herself, that the guy just treated her as a free ride, and that if he really loved her he'd have made it official long ago.

Dora snapped right back.

You don't know shit. Her boyfriend keeps begging me to make it official, and I flat-out refuse. Stolen tastes sweeter, you get it?

After that, the doubting voices in the posts vanished.

The comments turned into nothing but brainless cheering.

Just hearing it is a thrill, now I want to try seducing my best friend's boyfriend too!

I get it! My best friend flaunted her relationship in my face every single day, so I slept with her boyfriend later and watched the clown from the sidelines.

Wow, you girls really know how to play, I'm going to learn from you all!

2: 2

I thought I'd be furious.

But reading those twisted comments, I found myself laughing instead.

They liked a thrill, did they?

Then I'd give them a thrill worth having.

Dora had posted again, this time a Cartier bracelet.

He won't even come to dinner with my best friend, but he bought me Cartier, so how is he not a good man?

She'd put the photo on her own feed too, captioned with nothing but a single heart.

I messaged her on purpose.

Ooh, something going on? Ditched me for a man?

Dora sent back a bashful emoji.

Max didn't get home until eleven that night.

He carried a faint scent of gardenia, Dora's favorite perfume.

I forced down the churning in my stomach and showed him Dora's feed.

Look, Dora got Cartier for their anniversary.

That was all I said.

I didn't say I was jealous. I didn't say I wanted one too. I didn't ask why he hadn't gotten me anything for the anniversary.

But Max went off like someone had lit a fuse.

Go find whoever can afford it, then. Quit dropping hints at me!

Pathetic. Someone else gets a gift and your mouth waters? Have you looked at your best friend's figure and then looked at yours? You really have no idea, do you?

I locked the phone screen and looked at him, my face blank.

I only wanted to ask if there was anything you wanted. Your birthday's coming up.

What are you blowing up for? You look guilty as hell. What, did you buy that bracelet for her behind my back?

Max caught himself, realizing he'd lost control, and softened his tone.

I'm just exhausted. Worked overtime this late, I'm in a bad mood.

Stop it. Let's go to bed.

I opened my mouth, then said nothing more.

The next day, I registered a burner account and followed Dora's blog.

That account already had over thirty thousand followers, all of them her "supporters."

I played the part of an eager fan, leaving comments one by one under her old posts.

Before long my fan level hit six, and Dora pulled me into her blog's fan group chat.

In the chat, Dora went by the handle "CravingMax," chatting up a storm with her fans.

When she wasn't bragging about how thrilling it was to steal her best friend's boyfriend, she was doling out tips to the others.

I let out a cold laugh and started baiting her.

I get you, sis, I'm one of you. Dating's boring compared to sleeping with your best friend's man.

But I feel like there's one thing you haven't tried yetthis guy of yours, seems like he doesn't really love you.

Dora, mid-flattery from her fans, took the bait exactly as I'd hoped.

What do you know? We even called my best friend while we were doing it. What thrill haven't we tried?

Her fans jumped in to defend her too.

Pathetic. Do you even hear yourself? You think you know more than Craving?

Go back and study her old posts. Craving is an absolute legend, no explanation needed!

I sent a sighing emoji.

I've read them all, sis. But I noticed every date of yours is at a hotel. He's never once taken you home to spend the night.

Didn't you say your best friend lives with her boyfriend? Go stay a night at their place. Now that's a thrill.

My best friend's boyfriend jumps at any chance to bring me to their place. If you ask me, this man's just playing with you. He's scared of getting caught, so he doesn't even dare take you home for the night.

3: 3

The line worked exactly as I'd hoped. It fired up Dora's fighting spirit.

She posted a smug little emoji.

"That's nothing. I just can't be bothered to go, that's all. Give it a few days and I'll show you all."

The group lit up.

"Ooh, yes, going to his place is the real thrill. Like that whole 'her nightgown' fantasy."

"Getting cozy right next to their couple photo. Just picturing it gets me going."

"Dora, hurry up and give us what we want!"

That night, for the first time ever, Max came home early.

I was watching TV. He came over and started rubbing my shoulders.

"Rosie, work's about to get really busy for me. I figured you'd be bored here on your own. Why don't you go stay at your parents' place for a few days?"

I forced out a caring little smile.

"If you're pulling overtime, that's all the more reason for me to stay. I have to look after you."

"No, it's just, I'm worried your parents miss you..."

"My parents are away traveling. Nobody's home."

That shut him down cold. His face went sour.

Over the next few days, I led the charge in the fan group, nagging Dora every single day.

Her followers got more and more worked up too.

"Dora, when's it actually happening?"

Dora explained, "I just haven't found the right chance to sleep over yet. Be patient."

I took a sip of my iced latte, tapped the keyboard lightly, and typed out a line.

"You need a chance? All I have to do is say I want to stay the night at my boyfriend's, and he'll pick some random fight with his girlfriend and kick her out the door."

"And you say this guy dotes on you? That's doting? Sounds to me like he still cares more about your best friend."

This time, even some of Dora's fans started to have doubts.

"Maybe this guy doesn't love you that much after all. Dora, you sure you're not getting played?"

Dora had lost all face. She didn't say another word.

That night Max came home stone-faced, and the second he was through the door he blew up at me over nothing.

"I tell you to go stay at your parents' for a couple days, and you just flat-out refuse, huh?"

"I work myself half to death, and all I want when I get home is to rest by myself for a bit."

"Even if we're a couple, you could at least give me a little personal space, right?"

I looked at him, half amused.

"Max, this is my apartment."

"If you want personal space, why don't you go rent a place?"

His head dropped instantly, and his eyes slid away, guilty.

A place in a good part of the city ran over four thousand a month in rent.

Before I agreed to move in together, he'd been holed up in some run-down little dump out in the suburbs to save money.

Max turned and ducked into the bathroom, whispering into his phone.

I pretended not to notice and played a round of mobile game on my phone.

After a while he came out, wearing an ingratiating smile.

"Baby, Thursday's my birthday. Didn't you ask me before what present I wanted?"

"You've decided?"

Max nodded quickly. "I just want two days to myself. Is that okay?"

I mashed the enemy crystal on my screen like a madwoman.

The word Victory floated up.

I set the phone down and tilted my head toward him.

"Max, I think there's something off about you."

Max flew off the handle again.

"Can you not be so paranoid every single day? Work is killing me, where would I find the energy for anything else?"

I put on my most innocent face. "I just meant, you seem really stressed out at work lately."

"Where's your mind gone?"

4: 4

Max's eyes darted around. He dropped onto the couch, held his head in his hands, and sighed.

"The promotion's kind of stalled, so yeah, I've been in a rough mood. I wanted some space. I was afraid I'd take it out on you and hurt your feelings"

Promotion?

I laughed at him inside and nodded, all understanding.

"Perfect timing. A coworker asked me to go camping for a couple of days."

"I'll leave Thursday, then. You stay home and get your head straight."

Max kissed me on the cheek, thrilled, then turned away with his phone and fired off a message before he could stop himself.

Dora's fan group chat pinged.

Dora announced it, giddy: This Thursday I'm going to my best friend's place to sleep with her man. Stay tuned for the details, everyone, I promise it'll be juicy!

I curled my lip, cold, and picked up my own phone to make a group.

Max's coworkers, my and Dora's high school and college classmates, all our mutual friends. I pulled every one of them in.

This Thursday is Max's birthday. I want to throw him a surprise party, so please, everybody come.

We'll plan it quietly in here, so nobody slip and tell him. He thinks I'm out of town that day.

No problem!

A thirtieth birthday deserves a big one. Our department's been trying to figure out how to celebrate him. How about I tell the boss and the whole department comes to your place for the party?

I replied "Of course" and smiled softly.

You all like a thrill, don't you?

Then this time, enjoy a real one.

Thursday. The boss held Max back after work and stuck him with a last-minute task.

His friends, coworkers, and boss, along with my and Dora's mutual friends, arrived at my place early.

Half an hour later, building management texted to tell me Max's car had come back.

I rushed everyone into the bedroom, shut the door, and hid them.

Five minutes later, Max's voice drifted in through the bedroom door.

"Little minx, happy now? Today your man's gonna give you a good time right here on Rosalie's bed!"

Dora's voice carried a trace of nerves. "Why's the place decorated like there's a party? Did Rosalie really leave?"

Max's breathing had gone heavy.

"She did it to butter me up, obviously. Bet she's fantasizing that I'd look at it and miss her while she's gone."

"She loves that self-pitying, make-herself-cry crap. Nauseating. She doesn't get men the way you do."

The people in the bedroom were about to charge out, and that line froze them.

Every one of them stood rooted in place, not daring to breathe.

They looked at me, their eyes full of pity.

My shoulders trembled a little, and my eyes went red.

I stood there looking lost, murmuring under my breath:

"How could this happen what do I do"

Kissing sounds, ragged breathing, the thud of bodies against furniture, one after another.

The people in the bedroom traded glances, unsure whether to go out.

Then the bedroom door took a hard bang.

Along with Dora's coy little whimper, the handle slowly turned.

The door pushed open.