Karma Always Comes Due Chapter 1

I fell in love with Beckett from the varsity swim team at first sight.

My roommate encouraged me to go after him, eagerly offering to act as my wingman. She coached me on how to be sweet, how to flirt, and insisted that I call him "handsome" every time we crossed paths. She even went so far as to buy me a form-fitting swimsuit, telling me to wear it to ask Beckett for private swimming lessons.

But despite chasing him relentlessly for two months, to the point where even his teammates were starting to root for me, he remained completely indifferent.

It wasn't until today that my roommate giggled, stuck her tongue out, and finally confessed.

"To be honest, that online boyfriend I told you about? It's actually Beckett. I only had you pursue him to test his loyalty. But I never expected him to be so strong. He managed to reject a total catch like you. I'm sorry, sweetie, but I guess I can't let you have him after all."

* * *

The dormitory fan buzzed overhead, cutting through the heavy afternoon heat.

I sat frozen in my desk chair, my mind completely blank as I tried to process Sienna’s words.

"What do you mean, your online boyfriend is Beckett?"

"Oh, Sweetie, you aren't actually mad, are you?"

Seeing my lack of response, Sienna set down her vanity mirror and stuck her tongue out playfully.

"Honestly, it's because you're just so gorgeous."

"Think of it as vetting him for your best friend. You were the one who kept saying you were worried I'd get scammed online, so now you know his character is absolutely solid."

I clenched my fists, my fingernails biting into my palms as the sharp sting of betrayal began to spread.

Sienna had started dating a guy online over the summer. She had told me he was a sports major at Kensington University, our own school. Halfway through the summer, she had been desperate to cut her vacation short and fly back to meet him in person.

Afraid she would get taken advantage of, I had spent days convincing her to wait until the semester started.

I had no idea the guy was Beckett.

"Why didn't you tell me from the beginning?"

When I finally spoke, my voice was incredibly hoarse.

Sienna offered a breezy, dismissive laugh.

"I was insecure, okay? Beckett is handsome, wealthy, and you are so dazzling. When you told me you fell for him at first sight, I genuinely wanted to help you. I just had no idea he was already so deeply in love with me."

I stared at her face, a wave of intense humiliation washing over me.

For the last two months, Sienna had eagerly acted as my wingman. She knew every text I sent him, every conversation we had, and every time we crossed paths. She had analyzed his favorite foods, his hobbies, and his ideal type for me. She had urged me to leave breakfast outside his dorm, to arrange "accidental" meetings at the gym.

She had even purchased a form-fitting swimsuit for me, insisting I wear it to ask him for swimming tips.

And all the while, she was dating him behind my back.

I was nothing but a puppet to her. A clown in her private show.

"Iris, seriously, don't be like this," Sienna said, crossing her arms and sighing as if my silence were completely unreasonable.

I had always valued our friendship. Whenever she adopted that wounded expression, I would back down to keep the peace.

But not today.

"So what do you want? Should I just hand him over to you?"

I looked up at her. "Fine. He's yours."

Sienna blinked, clearly caught off guard. "Are you joking?" Before I could answer, she quickly added, "Oh, come on. My best friend would never try to steal my boyfriend. Besides, they say best friends and partners never get along. Once you see him again, you'll probably realize you can't stand him."

I watched her in silence, refusing to offer her the comfort of an argument.

Suddenly, the dormitory door was kicked open with a loud bang.