Happy to Be the Side Piece Chapter 1

The chart-topping pop star got dared on a live broadcast to call his first love.

When the call came through, I was in the shower. My little brother picked it up by mistake.

"Hello? You looking for my sister? She's in the shower right now."

The pop star hung up instantly.

When I finally called back, he answered on the first ring. A muffled, breathless sob came through the receiver.

"Marguerite. Did I really have to wait until he left for it to be my turn?"

"It's fine. I don't even mind."

I stared at my phone in absolute confusion.

That night, Twitter absolutely exploded.

#MuteTheWorldRowanIsHeartbroken

#WhoCriesLikeABustedFireHydrantOnLiveTV

#PopStarRowanBegsToBeTheSidePiece

* * *

A heavy knock hammered against the bathroom door.

My brother Jim's voice echoed over the sound of running water. "Hey Marguerite! Your phone is ringing. It's an unknown number."

I didn't think much of it and yelled back over the spray. "Just answer it for me!"

"Got it."

By the time I wrapped myself in a towel and stepped out, Jim's thumbs were flying across his own phone screen. He didn't even look up.

"That call was weird. I answered, no one said a word, and then they just hung up on me."

"Probably a wrong number." I walked over, towel-drying my hair, and peeked over his shoulder at his screen. "Jim, are you using my gaming account to hit on girls again?"

I reached out to snatch his phone away. "I gave you my password so you could grind levels. Use your own account to flirt. Get lost."

Jim dodged like a ninja. "Wait, wait! Come on, Marguerite, please! Just let me finish this match, and I'll log off."

I grabbed my own phone off the nightstand. Scrolling to the call log, my thumb hovered over the screen and froze.

That string of digits for the latest incoming call looked painfully familiar.

The longer I looked at it, the more it looked exactly like the number belonging to my ex, Rowan. The same ex who had been dead to me for years.

Was this a ghost calling?

I hit redial. It rang for what felt like an eternity before someone finally picked up.

"Rowan?"

A wet, pathetic sniffle came through the speaker.

"Marguerite. Did I really have to wait until he left for it to be my turn?"

"Whatever. I don't even mind being second."

"I miss you so much. Can I see you tomorrow?"

I rubbed my temples. "Are you drunk, or did you just get amnesia?"

What kind of nonsense was this? See him? We broke up ages ago. Calling me now, what, he wanted to dig up ancient history?

On the other end, Rowan started whining loudly.

"I... I just..." A loud, unmistakable sob. "Marguerite, I work out all the time now! I'm way better than those younger guys you like."

"Why won't you just give me another chance?"

Right. He was definitely wasted.

Without changing my expression, I ended the call.