Born To Die

I find out my fatal flaw

I noticed it before Thalia ever said a word. The way her eyes lingered a little too long on Luke when she thought no one was looking, the way she'd toss her hair and throw in a snide remark just to get his attention. At first, it was subtle. A quick smile here, a joke that sounded more like a challenge. But as time went on, it became more obvious—Thalia liked Luke.

And the thing was, I didn't care. Not really. I wasn't into Luke like that. Sure, he was my friend, maybe even my best friend at this point, but I'd never looked at him the way Thalia did. So why did it bother me so much every time she laughed at one of his jokes or when they stood a little too close to each other, caught up in their own little world?

It didn't make sense. I wasn't into Luke. I wasn't. So why did my stomach twist every time they flirted? Why did I feel that burning sensation in my chest when Thalia shot him one of her cocky grins, and he grinned right back? Why did I feel... jealous?

I tried to shake it off, to tell myself it didn't matter. Thalia and Luke were just having fun, nothing serious. And even if it was serious, why should I care? I had no claim on Luke. He could flirt with whoever he wanted. Thalia was my friend too. They were both my friends. I should be happy for them.

But the more I tried to convince myself of that, the more it bothered me. It wasn't just the flirting—it was something deeper, something I couldn't quite name. I wasn't jealous of their connection because I wanted Luke. I was jealous because I was scared.

Scared that I was being left out.

For the past year, it had been me and Luke against the world. We'd fought together, survived together. He was the one person I could count on when everything else fell apart. But now... now there was Thalia. And she was fearless and confident and just as strong as Luke, maybe stronger. They clicked in a way that made me feel like the third wheel. Like I didn't belong in their world.

I hated feeling that way—like I was just the tag-along who didn't quite fit in. Maybe that's what scared me the most, the idea that they didn't need me. That I'd end up alone again, like I had been before I met Luke. I didn't want to lose them—either of them. But every time they flirted or exchanged those looks, I couldn't help but feel like I was being pushed aside.

It wasn't about Luke. It was about feeling like I was slowly losing my place in this makeshift family we'd built.

I kept telling myself to get over it. I had no reason to be jealous, no reason to feel like I was being replaced. But the truth was, I'd grown used to having Luke's attention. His friendship. And now that he was giving more of it to Thalia, I didn't know where I stood anymore.

I tried to brush it off as we sat around the campfire that night, Thalia and Luke throwing insults back and forth, both of them laughing like they didn't have a care in the world. I forced a smile, joining in when I could, but my heart wasn't in it.

They didn't seem to notice.

And maybe that was the worst part.
——-
Luke's pov

Thalia's flirting was starting to get on my nerves. At first, I thought she was just messing around, throwing out those snarky remarks because that's how she was—tough, confident, always in control. But lately, it felt different. She was leaning into it more, laughing a little too much at my jokes, standing a little too close.

And the worst part? Isla was right there, every single time. I could see her smile falter, her laughter more forced with every jab Thalia threw my way. Isla wasn't the type to come right out and say something was bothering her, but I wasn't blind. I saw the way she watched us, trying to pretend she didn't care.

And that killed me.

Isla wasn't just some girl I'd met on the run—she was my best friend. We'd been through so much together, more than anyone else could understand. She'd saved me in ways I didn't think anyone could, kept me grounded when the world around us was chaos. And now, I could feel her slipping away, distancing herself every time Thalia pulled me into another playful argument.