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Excluded and Uninvited
Excluded and Uninvited
Penulis: Closing Distance

Chapter 1

Penulis: Closing Distance
I quit the group chat, only for my phone to buzz with a notification.

It was a message from Clarice Bell. “What is it this time?"

I stared at her text for a long time.

This time?

So that was all this was to Clarice. Every time I felt hurt, it was just another moment of being dramatic.

I didn’t reply to her text message.

Out in the living room, Kyle Tenner’s laughter echoed from the door.

“Clarice, I got you your favorite iced Americano, easy on the ice, no sweetener.”

Clarice took the drink, her tone casual. “Thanks.”

Spotting me, Kyle paused and chuckled. “Oh, I wasn’t expecting to see you here, James. I thought you’d be working late tonight.”

I slapped my phone face down on the table. “This is my place.”

The smile on Kyle’s face froze before the tension along his facial lines eased. “I didn’t mean it like that. Don’t take this the wrong way.”

Clarice met my gaze. “It was just an offhand remark. What’s with the attitude?”

I chuckled softly. “Am I wrong, though?”

Furrowing her brows, Clarice set her cup of coffee down on the table. “What’s your deal today, James?”

Kyle murmured, “Is this about the text I sent by mistake? James, it was an honest mistake. I made those dinner plans with a colleague of mine.”

I looked at him. “Who is this colleague of yours?”

Kyle’s eyes welled up. “Is this supposed to be an interrogation?”

Clarice stepped out in front of him. “That’s enough.”

It was so typical of Clarice.

Before Kyle even finished speaking, Clarice was there to take all the pain on his behalf.

My mind drifted back to high school, when the three of us snuck out of study hall to watch the fireworks.

The crowd pushed me to the back.

Cutting through the mass, Clarice reached her hand out to me and uttered, “Stay close, James. Don’t fall behind.”

At that moment, I honestly thought that we’d be the inseparable trio forever.

It took me a long time to realize that I was always the one being ditched.

Kyle slid the coffee across the table. “Here you go, James. I’ll just get Clarice another drink.”

My gaze dropped.

One iced black coffee with light ice and no sweetener was Clarice’s usual.

It wasn’t mine.

My stomach couldn’t handle anything iced.

Yet, Kyle remembered her preferences but never bothered with mine.

Clarice made no mention either.

I pushed the cup of coffee back. “I’m good.”

Clarice’s voice turned grim. “Kyle said that he was sorry. What else do you expect from him?”

I looked her in the eye. “I left the group chat.”

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  • Excluded and Uninvited   Chapter 11

    I said, “You were just as cruel every time you left me behind.” Stella approached and asked softly, “Shall we go before we miss the sunset?” I nodded. “Come on.” Clarice no longer stood in my way. For once, it was quiet behind me. There was no explanation. Clarice didn’t ask me to stay. The wind rustled through the pages of the ruined journal. It felt as though the final page had finally been turned.…I stayed in Lake Tahoe for a month. As I was halfway through my new journal, Lucy asked, “So you’re not going back to Brynwood?” I replied, “Nope.” After quitting my job in the big city, I put out a few resumes for remote positions. One travel media company reached out shortly, saying they’d love for me to try a content planning role after reviewing my compiled itineraries and journal photos. On the day of the interview, Stella helped set up my laptop. She asked, “Are you nervous?” I remarked, “A little.” “You’re a pro at making travel guides. Why be ner

  • Excluded and Uninvited   Chapter 10

    Stella burst into giggles. Kyle grimaced hard. Clarice didn’t seem upset, though. She simply looked at me, the light in her eyes dimming. Reality probably hit her that I was moving onto new photos, new friends, and a new journey. None of these had any place for her. … Clarice didn’t leave Tahoe right away. She checked into the hotel next door and sent things to the cabin lodge every day. The items ranged from flowers, medicine, hot tea, and breakfast. I returned every single one of them. Lucy clicked her tongue. “A late attempt at being thoughtful is worse than a coupon.” I grinned. “At least a couple saves you money.” Stella sat right by us, editing photos. She chimed in. “Hers just cost you your sanity.” I nodded. “That’s true.’ That afternoon, Clarice stopped me right outside the cabin lodge. She held out the restored travel journal. “I paid to get a rush job.” Her voice was low. “Whatever could be saved has been restored.”I took the journal from

  • Excluded and Uninvited   Chapter 9

    I looked back at Clarice. “Don’t give me more reasons to hate you, Clarice.” Her fingers stiffened. I yanked my hand free As the door swung shut, I saw Clarice standing in the wind, looking as though it finally registered that I was never coming back. …The next morning, Kyle showed up too. Dressed in white, Kyle wheeled his suitcase and stood in front of the lodge, his eyes swollen as if he had been crying all night. “James, let’s have a talk.” Clarice approached from the side, her expression more dreadful than his. “What are you doing here?” Kyle met her gaze. “Why shouldn’t I be here if you are?” Standing on the steps, I just found the whole thing absurd. In the past, Clarice and Kyle wouldn’t take me along on their trips. Yet, here they were, coming to me one after another. Kyle took a few steps toward me. “James, I know you blame me, but you can’t take Clarice away from me.” I broke into a grin. “When was she ever yours?” His jaw locked. “That’s not wh

  • Excluded and Uninvited   Chapter 8

    The only difference was that I wouldn’t be part of their world anymore. … On my third day there, I met a travel vlogger by Lake Tahoe. She was the very travel influencer both Clarice and Kyle happened to follow. Quieter in person, Stella Bloom crouched by the curb to fix her camera tripod. Lucy introduced us. “Stella’s a regular here. She makes a living shooting landscapes.”Stella looked up and smiled. “James Brew?” I was taken by surprise. “You know me?” “You were out in the yard yesterday, writing in your journal. You ended up in one of my time-lapse videos,” she said. “Don’t worry. I never got your face.”I bobbed my head. “Thank you.” Her eyes caught the book in my hand. “You take writing very seriously.” “It’s just a habit of mine.” “A slower pace of life suits you,” Stella uttered. “I’m heading out to an empty pier today to shoot the sunset. Want to come along?” I hesitated. From the side, Lucy chuckled. “Relax. She’s not going to abduct you, but if sh

  • Excluded and Uninvited   Chapter 7

    “James’ scarf was hanging on the clothes rack. How did you even know he had the journal tucked away in the inner compartment of his suitcase?” Discoloration washed over Kyle’s face. Clarice closed the journal, her voice icy. “Kyle, you’d better not be lying to me.” …The next day, two girls joined us on the trail. One went by Anne, and the other was Rosie. They kept up a lively chatter without overstepping any boundaries. Anne asked, “Do you work freelance? You seem really good at planning travel itineraries.” I grinned. “I made them often in the past, though they rarely came in handy.” Rosie uttered, “That’s a shame.” I nodded. “It is.” My phone buzzed. It was a call from an unknown number. I took the call but kept my silence. Clarice’s voice came on. “It’s me, James.” I hung up. Seconds later, a text message arrived. “I know you’re in Tahoe. I wasn’t tracking you. Your shared trip details were still visible in the travel app. That’s all. I’ll find som

  • Excluded and Uninvited   Chapter 6

    “James!” The voice belonged to Clarice. However, the cabin door was already sealing shut. A light breeze drifted across Lake Tahoe.Once the plane landed, I switched my phone back on, but there were no notifications for missed calls. That was because I blocked both Clarice and Kyle. The owner of the cabin lodge came to pick me up. She was a woman with short hair named Lucy Hayes.She loaded my suitcase into the back of her car and asked with a smile, “Traveling solo to take a break from everything?” I said, “I guess you can say that.” Not pressing further, she handed me a bottle of water. “Here, have a sip. The mountain air can be pretty chilly for you since you’re from out of town.” I paused for a minute. It had been too long since anyone could remember I couldn’t handle cold drinks. The cabin rental was right by Lake Tahoe. On the windowsill of my room sat a blank travel journal with a light blue cover.Lucy said, “Our guests are welcome to write or keep them

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