A Tent for One

Twenty days before our wedding, my fiancé's friends invited us on a camping trip in the mountains. When we arrived at the site, they announced we would draw lots for the tents. I drew a single sleeping pad. My fiancé, Arthur, and his childhood best friend, Mia, drew the only two-person tent. I looked at Arthur, but he just brushed it off. "Don't take it personally. It's just a random draw. I'll make it up to you next time." That night, my single tent started leaking. I went to Arthur's SUV to grab a dry towel. Through the slightly cracked car door, I heard Mia's voice from inside. "If I hadn't left for overseas that year... would you still have gotten together with her?" It took Arthur a long time to answer. "There's no point in asking 'what if's now." The next second, my phone buzzed. A message popped up in our camping group chat, then was instantly unsent. But I saw it clearly. [She's occupied Mia's spot for way too long. Let her soak in the rain for a bit. Builds character.] The person who sent it was Arthur's best friend. I gripped my phone, my nails digging deep into my palms. Since there was no place for me by their fire... I guess I would just stop trying to stay warm. ... "What are you doing standing out there?" The car door opened a bit wider, and Arthur's voice drifted out, mixing with the sound of the rain. I tightened my grip on the dry towel I had just pulled from the trunk. "My tent is leaking. I came to grab a towel." The car was silent for two seconds. "Now that you have it, hurry back. Don't stand out there in the wind." His tone was completely steady. "Mia just fell asleep. Don't wake her up." I lowered my head and gave a small, bitter smile. "Okay." Just as I turned around, I heard Mia shift inside the car, mumbling something in her sleep. Arthur's voice instantly softened into a gentle whisper. "It's okay. I'm right here." The rain was pouring down harder now. My single tent was pitched on the very edge of the campsite, and the zipper was broken halfway up. Water seeped through the gap, completely soaking my sleeping bag. I sat on the thin foam pad, drying my hair with the towel. My phone screen was still stuck on the group chat where that message had been unsent. I didn't cry. I didn't throw a fit. I just felt a little cold. I opened the camping app and went to my bookings page. I selected the rental for the campsite and all the equipment for the remaining four days of the trip, and hit "Cancel." A system prompt popped up: [If canceled, the campsite will be cleared by 2:00 PM tomorrow.] The rain didn't stop until the early hours of the morning. By the time the sky finally started to lighten, the downpour had faded into a drizzle. People started moving around the campsite. Mark and Jason were the first to crawl out of their tent. "Whoa, you're up early." Mark stretched, his eyes dropping to my soaking wet pants. "Rained pretty hard last night, huh? Did your tent hold up?" "It was fine." I stood up and started rolling up my drenched sleeping bag. Arthur and Mia stepped out of the SUV. Mia had Arthur's black windbreaker draped over her shoulders. Meeting the gossipy stares of the group, Mia cleared her throat. "The tent was too freezing last night, and Arthur said the car heater was warmer." "So we just decided to sleep in the car at the last minute." Only then did she finally notice me. Seeing my wet pants, she put on a look of exaggerated shock. "Oh my gosh, Maya! Why didn't you come squeeze into the car with us last night?!" Arthur walked over and handed me a freshly brewed cup of hot milk, frowning slightly. "Didn't you come grab a towel last night? How did you still end up looking like this?" I ignored him, turning my back to pack up the foam pad. Arthur set the milk down on the folding table, a hint of exasperation creeping into his voice. "We all agreed on the drawing lots rule. You drew the single tent. There was nothing I could do." Right. Nothing you could do. When Mia was cold, she got to sleep in the heated car. When I slept in a leaking tent, I had to "respect the rules of the game." It was almost laughable. Seeing my dark expression, Arthur took a step closer, softening his tone. "When we get back, I'll take you to buy that jewelry set you've been hesitating to get. Consider it an apology." He always did this. A slap across the face, followed by a piece of candy. But I didn't need it anymore. I zipped up my backpack and shook my head. "Don't bother." Arthur looked at me, a flicker of scrutiny in his eyes. He probably thought I was being far too calm. "Alright, let's just eat breakfast. We're hiking to Butterfly Valley after this." Mark yelled from the cooking station. "Maya, where's the coffee? Mia needs her morning coffee." I pointed expressionlessly at the storage bin next to me. "Get it yourself." "Why does this coffee taste so sour?" Jason took a sip and grimaced. I sat on a small camp stool by the fire, scrolling through the cancellation confirmation on my phone. I didn't react at all. Mark rolled his eyes and carelessly slammed his cup onto the table. "Maya, next time can you buy dark roast beans?" "Mia isn't used to this fruity, light-roast sourness." I locked my phone screen and looked up at him. "I bought these beans for myself." Mark froze. In the past, to fit in with them, I meticulously memorized everyone's preferences. I acted like a perfect personal assistant, trying to win over Arthur's friends with endless little details. But in the end, they just felt entitled to my servitude. Arthur walked out of the tent holding Mia's thermos. Sensing the tense atmosphere, he frowned. "What's going on?" Mark let out a sarcastic chuckle. "Maya says she bought the coffee for herself. I guess we're not worthy of drinking it." Arthur's frown deepened, his eyes locking onto me. "It's just a cup of coffee. Do you really need to give everyone an attitude over it?" I looked right back at him. "I'm just stating a fact." The air turned icy. Just then, Mia walked over, shaking her foot playfully. "Arthur, my shoelace came undone." Arthur instantly dropped his glare, crouching down in front of her. His movements were intimate and entirely natural. He had never once tied my shoes for me. I turned my head away, a self-deprecating smirk tugging at my lips. Whatever. It didn't matter anymore. He could treat whoever he wanted however he wanted. It was none of my business. After tying the knot, Arthur clapped his hands together. "Pack it up. We're heading to Butterfly Valley." Everyone started gathering their gear. Jason pushed a massive backpack toward me, demanding with absolute entitlement: "Maya, you carry the cooler bag with the sandwiches and fruit. We'll take the canopy and the stoves." I looked at the bag. It weighed at least ten pounds. I gave a dry laugh. "It's too heavy. I'm not carrying it." Jason stared at me in shock. "You always carry it." I met his gaze coldly. "Well, today I don't want to. Is that a problem?" Arthur walked over, lowering his voice. "Everyone is pitching in. Why do you have to pick a fight right now?" Me? Pick a fight? I almost laughed out loud. So me acting like their personal maid was just the expected baseline? And the second I refused, I was the one starting a fight? I looked the man I was supposed to marry dead in the eyes, enunciating every word. "Jason, I was soaked in the rain last night. I am running a fever." Yet my own fiancé hadn't offered a single word of concern. Arthur stared at me for a few seconds before finally letting out a long sigh. "Why are you so fragile?" "Fine. I'll carry it. You walk empty-handed. Happy now?" He swung the heavy cooler onto his own back, then reached over and took the small water bottle right out of Mia's hand. "Mia, stay close to me. The trail is rough." Mia smiled sweetly. "Thanks, Arthur." The group started making their way up the mountain. I walked at the very back, watching the six of them laughing and chatting ahead of me. They were an impenetrable, tight-knit clique. And I was just the pathetic clown who had repeatedly smashed my own head against a brick wall, desperate to be let in. I used to be so stupid. Thankfully, I was finally awake. My phone buzzed. It was a message from the campsite manager. [Ma'am, your refund has been processed to your original payment method.] [We will arrive at 2:00 PM sharp to clear the tents and collect the remaining equipment.] When we stopped to rest halfway up the mountain, Arthur and the guys gathered around to pass out the sandwiches. From start to finish, no one remembered me. "Whoa, Arthur, look at that tree." Jason suddenly pointed at an old, massive locust tree nearby. I followed his finger. It was a thick, ancient tree, its trunk covered in moss. "I can't believe it's been so many years, and the carving is still there." Mark walked over and pulled away a vine covering the bark. I stood up and slowly walked closer. On the shaded side of the trunk, a line was carved deeply into the wood. It was Arthur's and Mia's names. The carving was deep. Even though the edges had been smoothed by time, the letters were unmistakable. I stood in front of that tree, staring at the carving for a very long time. The area around us suddenly went dead silent. His friends seemed to realize someone had slipped up. They exchanged nervous glances. Arthur walked over and stepped deliberately between me and the tree. "Don't look at it. We were just kids messing around." Mia walked up from behind him, looking at me with a bright smile. "Maya, we carved that when we went camping here at eighteen." "Arthur even said he was going to marry me back then! But it was just a joke. You're not mad, right?" Eighteen. I met Arthur during the second semester of my freshman year of college. I chased him relentlessly for three years. He was always cold and distant. It wasn't until our senior year that he suddenly agreed to go out with me. I thought my persistence had finally won him over. It was only today that I finally understood. Our senior year of college was the exact same year Mia left the country to study abroad. He hadn't been moved by my love. He just needed a convenient, obedient placeholder. I offered a thin smile. "You said it was a joke yourself. Why would I be mad?" Arthur seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. He reached out, grabbed my wrist, and squeezed it gently. "There's no point bringing up the past." I looked down at his hand. His fingers were long and warm. This used to be the touch I craved more than anything in the world. But now, it just made my stomach churn. I slowly, deliberately pulled my hand out of his grip. "I'm going to go wash my hands." Arthur's hand grabbed empty air. He kicked a pebble on the ground, clearly annoyed. "I already explained it. What more do you want from me?" I didn't answer. I just crouched by the stream, washing my wrist over and over in the freezing water. Mark walked over and handed me a tissue. "Maya, Arthur's just got a temper, but he really does care about you." "Mia grew up with us. We're all just used to protecting her." "Just try to be understanding, okay?" Understanding? For the past three years, those were the two words I heard the most. Be understanding of Arthur's coldness. Be understanding of his friends' hostility. Be understanding of the fact that he broke every single rule he had, just for Mia. I expressionlessly crumpled the wet tissue into a ball and tossed it into the trash bag. "I'm very understanding. That's why I'm giving them all the time in the world." I was officially resigning from this crowded, humiliating relationship. Mark didn't catch my drift. He just laughed and patted my shoulder. I hadn't noticed when the sky had turned dark. The wind howling through the valley was picking up. A weather alert popped up on my phone. [Severe thunderstorms expected in the western mountainous region within the hour. All hikers are advised to evacuate immediately.] Black storm clouds rolled over the ridge, and the wind whipped the leaves into a frenzy. "It's gonna pour." Jason looked up at the sky, his face pale. Arthur made a split-second decision. "There's a limestone cave up ahead. We'll shelter there until the rain dies down, then head back to camp." Everyone quickly started moving toward the cave. Mia, walking right beside Arthur, suddenly shivered violently. "Arthur, the wind is so strong. I'm freezing." Arthur stopped in his tracks, glancing at her thin windbreaker. He turned and looked directly at me. "Go back to the campsite." "Grab Mia's red waterproof jacket. It's in her tent." He pointed back down the mountain. "She can't handle the cold. My jacket won't be enough for her." I looked at the black, churning clouds swallowing the horizon. My hands curled into tight fists inside my pockets. "The storm is going to hit any minute." Arthur frowned. "The campsite is a ten-minute walk from here. If you walk fast, you won't even get wet." Mark chimed in right on cue. "Yeah, Maya, just run down and grab it." I looked at the five men standing in front of me. Every single one of them was wearing a thick, windproof jacket. But they insisted on sending me—the woman who had slept in the freezing rain last night and was currently running a fever—down the mountain right as a severe storm warning was issued. In their eyes, Mia was fragile porcelain that needed to be fiercely protected. And I was a weed. It didn't matter if I got soaked. I swallowed the bitter, self-deprecating laugh rising in my throat and took a deep breath. "Fine. I'll go." Arthur's expression instantly relaxed. "Go quick and come right back to the cave." "When we get back to camp tonight, I'll grill you those lamb chops you love." I didn't answer. I turned around and started walking down the narrow mountain trail. After about fifty feet, I looked back over my shoulder. Arthur was taking off his own jacket and draping it over Mia's shoulders, shielding her as they hurried toward the cave. He didn't look back at me. Not even once. I withdrew my gaze. The very last spark of hope in my heart was permanently extinguished. I didn't go to the campsite. I walked straight to the paved mountain road where the shuttle buses ran. The private car I had booked earlier was waiting precisely by the curb. I opened the door and got in. "Back to the city, please." "You got it, miss. Buckle up." Not long after the car started moving, the sky opened up, and the torrential rain began. I leaned back against the seat and pulled out my phone. I opened the camping group chat and tapped Leave Group. I opened my contacts and dragged Arthur, Mia, and every single one of his four friends into the blocked list. After doing all that, I put my phone on silent and tossed it into my bag. Meanwhile, halfway up the mountain, inside the limestone cave. Gale-force winds whipped the rain directly into the mouth of the cave. "This storm is insane." Jason rubbed his arms to stay warm. Mia, wrapped in Arthur's jacket, was still shivering, her lips turning a faint shade of blue. "Why isn't Maya back yet?" Mark peered out into the torrential rain. "It's been almost an hour." Arthur's face looked grim. He pulled out his phone and dialed my number. The robotic operator's voice echoed through the speaker: [The number you have dialed is currently busy.] "Why isn't she answering?" Arthur frowned and dialed again. Still busy. Jason said, "The rain is probably messing with the cell towers. No signal." "Should we just make a run for the campsite? This rain isn't stopping anytime soon, and no one brought thick gear." Arthur looked at a shivering Mia and gritted his teeth. "Let's go." The group braved the blinding storm, stumbling and slipping their way down the muddy mountain trail. A ten-minute walk took them nearly half an hour. But when they finally pushed past the tree line and looked toward where the campsite should have been... Everyone froze. It was empty. The grassy clearing where five tents had stood this morning was now nothing but a patch of mud. The tables, the chairs, the grills, the food—everything was gone. Even the rented off-road ATV parked by the tents had vanished into thin air. "What... what the hell is going on here?"