At a party with my fiance Samantha and her friends, she said she had to step out.
Two hours later, she still wasn't back.
As I went to look for her, I heard her best friends speaking in Spanisha language they thought I didn't understand.
This idiot has no idea he's being cheated on, one laughed.
Another added, "I bet Samantha and Ethan are really going at it.
She said Ryan isn't as big as Ethan anyway.
Poor foolwe're tearing him apart and he doesn't even know."
I stood frozen, my mind blank.
Just then, Samantha walked in, flushed and satisfied.
"How was it?" her friend asked in Spanish.
"A thrill?"
"Completely," Samantha replied huskily.
"I couldn't get enough."
Ethan followed her in, casually draping an arm over her shoulder like he always didthe quintessential guy-best-friend.
But now, I saw it.
A cluster of angry purple hickeys blooming on the pale skin of her neck.
I collapsed back onto the sofa, the air punched from my lungs.
A cold wave of despair washed over me.
Her friends, like a pack of hyenas, kept prodding her in Spanish, demanding details of her tryst.
Samantha, perhaps pricked by a sliver of guilt, instinctively pushed Ethan's hand away and glanced at me.
She crossed the room and sat down beside me.
"Hey, what are you so nervous about?" one of her friends teased.
"He can't understand a word we're saying.
If we were speaking French or something, then you'd have to worry!"
"Yeah, with Spanish, he's totally lost.
Right, guys?
Hahaha!"
"You all are so mean, ganging up on the poor gringo."
Hearing that, Samantha seemed to relax.
She leaned in and pressed a light, meaningless kiss to my lips.
"Ryan, honey, don't mind them," she said in English.
"We all grew up together, so we always slip back into Spanish when we're hanging out.
It's just a habit."
My hand, hidden by my side, clenched into a fist so tight my knuckles ached.
What they didn't know was that my mother is from Puerto Rico.
I grew up speaking Spanish.
I understood every damn word.
Seeing my silence, they took it as indifference and dove back into their game.
"Come on, Samantha, tell the truth.
Is Ethan bigger than him?
I've got money riding on this."
Samantha's lips curved into a smug smile.
"Of course, he is."
Friend #1: "Look at that satisfied glow.
You're practically purring."
Friend #2: "God, this is so much fun!
Who knew our secret language would be this useful?
Look at that idiot, just sitting there like a lost puppy, not understanding a thing."
Ethan shot me a look of pure contempt and then mouthed to Samantha.
"Samantha, just marry me.
Why are you with him?"
Samantha just laughed, her hand moving to my shoulder, kneading the tense muscle as she spoke in a mocking tone.
"Marry you?
Don't be ridiculous."
"I know the difference between reality and a good time.
You're for fun, Ethan.
A thrill.
You're my stress relief in bed.
But Ryan Ryan is the one I love."
"Could you put me first in everything?
Could you treat me like a princess?
No.
You have a temper.
Only Ryan can do that.
I had a fever once when he was on a business trip overseas, and one phone call had him on the next flight back."
The memory, which once warmed me, now felt like acid in my veins.
All my devotion, all my love and this is how she repaid me.
With betrayal.
"Shit," Ethan suddenly said.
"I forgot to wear a condom.
You might be in trouble."
"Damn it, Ethan!
How could you be so stupid?
Go buy me a Plan B, now!"
"Hey," he said with a wicked grin.
"Why don't we make Ryan go?
If we're going to play, let's go all the way."
"You"
Ethan picked up his wine glass and downed it in one go, a silent declaration that he was in no condition to drive.
In the end, Samantha turned to me.
"Ryan, honey, could you run to the pharmacy for me?
I need you to pick up a box of the morning-after pill.
We might need it tonight."

The knuckles of my clenched fist cracked.
There wasn't a decent person in the entire room.
I had so badly misjudged Samantha.
In the three years we'd known each other, she'd cultivated this image of a sweet, innocent girl.
She'd always said that cheating was the one thing she could never forgive.
It was all a lie.
She was the cheater.
I lifted my head, my eyes locking with hers.
The cold fury in my gaze must have startled her, because her smile faltered.
"Ryan?
What's wrong?
Are you not feeling well?"
She reached out to touch my forehead, but the lingering scent of another man on her skin made me recoil in disgust.
"Samantha," I said, my voice flat.
"I think we need to postpone the wedding."
Real panic flashed in her eyes.
She grabbed my arm.
"Ryan, what are you talking about?"
I pulled my arm free.
A bitter smile touched my lips.
"Don't worry.
It's not a big deal."
"I just think we're rushing things.
We're still young.
Maybe you should have some more fun before we talk about settling down."
Her panic melted into a relieved, radiant smile.
She threw her arms around me, burying her head in my chest.
"I knew you were the best," she murmured.
"Thank you for always thinking of me."
She had no idea that I was already done with her.
She shot a triumphant look over my shoulder at Ethan and her friends.
"Wow, what a keeper!
A real simp."
"His ancestors must be so proud."
They were laughing at me, calling me a fool, a pushover.
I didn't care.
Let them laugh.
Anyone who makes a fool out of me will end up becoming the joke themselves.
I turned and walked out the door to buy her damn pill.
The moment I was gone, I heard them fall into each other's arms, the sound of their passionate kissing echoing in the hall.
"Damn, girl.
Two guys at once.