1 I was born with a terrible sense of direction. Not only do I fail to memorize routes, but I also couldn’t tell north from south if my life depended on it. My best friend, Austin, refused to believe it. He claimed he was going to cure me of this “awful habit” once and for all. He even dragged my sister, Sienna, and my childhood sweetheart, Violet, into his grand plan to give me survival training. Once, on a trip, they got off the subway a station early, leaving me stranded on the platform. Another time, during a mall run, they slipped out of a different exit without saying a word, leaving me wandering like a headless chicken, frantically scanning the crowds. All under the guise of building my spatial awareness. Today, it happened again. I stepped away to use the restroom during lunch. When I came back, all three of them were gone. The table had already been cleared, wiped clean as if they had never been there. I reached into my pocket to call them, only to remember I had handed my phone to Austin earlier for safekeeping. I walked up to the front desk, where the hostess handed me a folded note Austin had left behind. It had only two sentences written on it. We’ve walked this route with you twice before, Nolan. I know you can do this. You’ve got this! The three of us will be waiting at home. Suddenly, the whole game felt incredibly exhausting. Honestly, there was nothing wrong with having a bad sense of direction. As long as I had Google Maps, I didn’t need anyone to guide me. … By the time I finally made it back, dusk was settling over the neighborhood. The three of them were lounging on the sofa, sharing a couple of chilled watermelon halves while a movie played on the TV. Austin looked up as the front door clicked. A smug grin spread across his face, and he shot a triumphant look at the girls. “Told you Nolan would make it back before seven. You two lost the bet. Next month’s itinerary is entirely up to me! Besides, since your papers are basically done, delaying school by a few days won’t kill you.” Sienna rolled her eyes. “Seriously, Nolan? Did you and Austin team up to play us? Last time at the mall, it took you four hours to find your way back. Now you’re home in less than two?” Sienna was the sister my family took in when we were kids. Her parents split up when she was in the second grade, and neither of them wanted her. Back then, my biggest wish was for my parents to give me an older sister. So, after making absolutely sure her mother had abandoned her, I practically dragged her home with me. My dad had hesitated, trying to reason with my younger self. “Nolan, she’s a human being, not a stray kitten. You can’t just bring her home and raise her.” But Sienna had looked my parents in the eye and promised she would be the best big sister to me. Seeing her hungry and desperate, my dad finally softened and took her in. Now, it seemed, she had become Austin’s protective older sister instead. “Yeah, come on, Nolan. Spit it out. Did Austin leave you breadcrumbs?” Violet chimed in. She was my upstairs neighbor and the girl I had grown up with. Our parents had joked about a childhood betrothal when we were toddlers, claiming she would grow up to be my wife. Violet had taken it to heart. Knowing how easily I got lost, she used to wait for me after school every single day. Before Austin came into our lives, from first grade all the way through high school, we had walked hand in hand for ten years. She had once promised me, with absolute certainty, “Don’t worry. As long as I’m around, you’ll always find your way home.” But recently, she was the one who had abandoned me the most. “I knew you two would try to make excuses,” Austin said, tossing my phone onto the coffee table with a clatter. “That’s why I took his phone beforehand. Now you have to admit defeat.” Sienna’s smile stiffened. “Wait, you actually took his phone? Why didn’t you tell us?” Violet’s expression darkened as well. “What if something actually happened to him? We wouldn’t even have been able to reach him.” Austin looked genuinely baffled. “What is wrong with you two? We literally agreed on this training program! Are you turning on me now?” Sienna hesitated before offering a weak out. “Well, Nolan is back safe and sound anyway, so let’s just drop it. But don’t you dare take his phone again, Austin.” Violet went quiet for a moment, then walked over to me. She checked me over, grabbing my wrists to make sure I wasn’t hurt, and let out a soft sigh. “Austin was just trying to help. Don’t be mad at him. Sienna saved some chilled watermelon for you in the fridge. Let me get it.” “No need,” I said, picking up my phone from the table and turning toward my bedroom. “I’m tired. I just want to rest.” Austin blinked, looking awkward as he turned to Sienna. “Did… did I actually upset him?” He stood up, rubbing the back of his neck. “Maybe I should head home. He probably doesn’t want to see me right now.” Violet immediately followed him. “It’s late. It’s not safe for you to walk back alone. Let me walk you.” “I can come too,” Sienna added, rushing to put on her shoes. Violet gently pushed her back. “Oh, come on. My place is right upstairs, so I’m practically on the way anyway. You live here, there’s no need for you to make the trip.” Sienna glared at her. “Cut the crap, Violet. Your apartment is upstairs. How is walking him home on your way?” It was almost laughable. My sister and my childhood sweetheart were bickering over who got to escort him home. Yet, not a single one of them asked me how a directionally challenged guy with no phone had managed to navigate his way back. Sienna was eventually pushed back into the apartment by the other two. Once I was safely in my room, I unlocked my phone, opened the university group chat, and submitted my application for the study abroad exchange program. Around eight, my dad came home and cooked dinner. Sienna knocked on my door to call me out. When I didn’t answer, she let out a weary sigh. “Are you seriously still giving Austin the silent treatment? You know how he is. He’s loud and a bit reckless, but he really cares about you.” I remembered how we met. Back in the first semester of sophomore year of high school, Austin had transferred to our school. On our very first weekly exam, he took the school by storm, dethroning me and taking his place right alongside Violet and Sienna in the top three spots. A classmate who disliked me had sneered in my ear, “Looks like someone’s little kingdom is falling apart. You used to ride on the coattails of your sister and your girl, but now you can’t even hold onto third place.” Austin, who happened to be walking past, overheard the comment and immediately threw a punch. They both ended up in the principal’s office with their parents called. But I was drawn to Austin’s fiercely protective nature, and we quickly became best friends. From then on, our trio became a quartet. We even went to the same university together. Until, slowly but surely, I realized I was being pushed out of their world. Sienna pulled the blanket off my face. “Come on. Get up and eat.” My stomach rumbled. Deciding that being angry shouldn’t mean starving myself, I got up, washed my hands, and sat down at the table. During dinner, Sienna casually brought up, “A new theme park just opened in the city. They have this massive Ferris wheel. Austin suggested we all go tomorrow.” I was about to decline when my dad spoke up. “Oh, I heard about that from my coworkers. You should go, Nolan. I remember how much you loved watching Ferris wheels on TV when you were little. It’s a shame we never had one here, and I was always too busy with work to take you out of town.” With my dad encouraging me, I swallowed my refusal. After dinner, our group chat of four was blowing up. Austin was stressing over what to wear to take the best photos, spamming the chat with pictures of different outfits. Sienna and Violet were clashing, generating over a hundred messages debating the choices. Austin finally sent a frustrated voice note: “Who asked you two anyway? I posted these so Nolan could help me choose!” Then, he added in a softer tone, “Nolan, you aren’t still mad at me, right? I swear I won’t do it again.” Violet quickly replied on my behalf. “Oh, don’t worry about him. Nolan isn’t that petty. You practically cured his terrible sense of direction. He should be thanking you.” “Right, Nolan?” Austin bought it completely, pressing me to pick the best outfit. Violet tagged me. “Nolan, don’t you think the blue one looks great on him? The store clerk was raving about it when he tried it on the other day.” Sienna, sitting next to me on the couch, scoffed as she read the messages. “That clerk was just trying to make a sale, and Violet fell for it hook, line, and sinker. That blue washed him out. The yellow one I picked is way better. Austin loved it when he tried it on.” She nudged my shoulder. “Nolan, we’re the ones living under the same roof. You have to back me up here.” I looked at her, my voice quiet. “You guys bought those in person? When? How come I didn’t know about this?” Sienna was busy typing a reply to Austin. Without looking up, she blurted out, “On the third floor of the mall. You were right there, weren’t you? How do you forget these things so fast?” I froze, a bitter smile tugging at my lips. That day at the mall… I had only stepped away to pick up our bubble tea. When I returned, they were gone. While I had been running around like a headless chicken trying to find them, they had been happily helping Austin try on clothes. No wonder none of my calls or texts had gone through. Sienna finally realized what she’d said. Her thumbs hovered over the screen, and a flash of embarrassment crossed her face. “Wait… I got it mixed up. You weren’t there. I wanted to invite you, but that store only sells streetwear, and you don’t really wear that style anyway.” I didn’t say anything. I just stared at her. When she reached out to pat my head, I stepped back, avoiding her touch. “Are you jealous?” she asked softly. “Tell you what, I’ll take you out and buy you a couple of outfits next week, okay?” Before I could answer, my phone buzzed. Austin was starting a group video call. I didn’t answer it, but Sienna picked up on her phone and shoved it in front of my face. “Nolan, why aren’t you picking?” Austin’s face popped up on the screen. “Is it really that hard of a choice?” Sienna whispered beside me, “Just pick one. Otherwise, he’s going to think you’re still holding a grudge, and he won’t sleep a wink tonight.” I let out a soft laugh, refusing to play along. “They both look great. Just pick whichever one you want.” Austin whined about how half-hearted I was, but when we met at the amusement park entrance the next morning, he was wearing the blue one. He had chosen Violet’s pick. A shadow of disappointment passed over Sienna’s face. Austin sent the girls off to buy water and queue up, walking beside me at a leisurely pace. “I knew you wouldn’t hold a grudge. We’re best friends, after all!” I just smiled and kept walking. Since it was opening weekend, the crowd for the giant Ferris wheel was massive. But when we finally made it to the front of the line, Sienna and Violet started bickering over who would sit next to Austin. Violet argued, “You’re Nolan’s sister. Of course you should ride with him.” Sienna shot back, “Austin wore the shirt you picked today. To keep things fair, he should ride with me.” The people behind us were growing impatient, murmuring and complaining. “Are you guys getting on or what? Go argue somewhere else!” “Seriously, can’t the three of them just share a cabin? Why make such a fuss?” Sienna and Violet turned on the crowd simultaneously. “Who would want to ride with her?!” Yet, in the end, the three of them ended up in the same cabin anyway. Their excuse was that a single rider would have more room, so they both generously decided to let me have the solo cabin to myself. Austin pressed his face against the glass window of his cabin, looking down at me. “Man, I’m so jealous you get a whole cabin to yourself while I’m stuck squeezing in with these two.” A girl standing in line behind me muttered to her boyfriend, “Is he seriously complaining? That’s the most transparent, disgusting humble-brag I’ve ever seen. Look at him. That’s a textbook player right there. If you ever act like that, I’ll throw you off this ride.” I glanced back at her. She cleared her throat awkwardly. “Sorry, I was just venting. Don’t mind me.” I didn’t mind. She was only speaking the truth. The ride operator, an older man, patted my shoulder sympathetically. “Don’t sweat it, kid. I’ll call my daughter right now to come down and ride with you. Heck, you can go around twice!” He actually started pulling out his phone. I waved my hand with a smile. “Thank you, sir, but it’s really fine. I actually prefer being by myself.” By the time my cabin touched down and I stepped off, the three of them were nowhere to be found. This time, I didn’t waste my energy looking for them. I calmly pulled out my phone and called an Uber. My dad was home on his day off and looked surprised when I walked through the door alone. “Back so early? Have you eaten? Where’s Sienna?” I didn’t answer. I just sat down next to him and rested my head on his shoulder. “Dad, I want to go on the study abroad exchange program next semester. What do you think?” “Of course!” he said warmly. “It’s good to see the world while you’re young. And with Sienna there to look after you, I won’t have to worry.” I shook my head. “Sienna isn’t going. We’re growing up, Dad. We have our own paths to walk. I can’t drag her along on a journey she doesn’t want to take.” My dad’s easy confidence wavered. “But you’ve never traveled far by yourself, let alone gone to another country. How are you going to manage?” “I won’t be alone,” I reassured him. “Other students from our school are going too. I’ve already found a travel partner.” Only then did he reluctantly give his consent. Sienna didn’t return until dusk. “Nolan! We just went to get some water. Why did you leave by yourself?” I was filling out my application forms and didn’t even bother to look up. “It was too hot. I didn’t feel like waiting.” Once the files were submitted, I checked my phone. The group chat was overflowing with over ninety-nine messages. They were excitedly discussing packing lists, sunscreens, car rentals, and local food spots for their upcoming trip. I stared at the screen for a long moment before typing, Where are we going? A loud curse echoed from the living room, and Sienna burst into my room a second later. “Nolan! We booked the tickets for our trip this afternoon. You weren’t there, and… we forgot to buy yours! I’m trying to get you on the standby list right now.” Austin’s voice note arrived at that exact moment. “Hey, those were the last three tickets available. It’s you two’s fault. You kept bickering in my ear, and I completely forgot the most important thing.” Seeing that another argument was brewing, I quickly typed back, Don’t worry about the standby ticket. It’s too hot anyway. I’d rather stay home. Sienna, sitting on the edge of my bed, let out a quiet sigh of relief and closed the ticketing app. “Yeah, this summer is brutal. It’s fine, I’ll take lots of pictures for you. And I’ll bring you back the coolest souvenirs!” On the day they set off for their beach vacation, I boarded my flight out of the country. Before leaving, Sienna was still fussing over me. “Don’t eat too much cold watermelon. Since Dad’s not around, don’t buy a whole one. Oh, and make sure to double-lock the door when you’re home alone.” Violet came down from upstairs and let out a dry laugh. “Alright, Mother Teresa. Let’s go. Austin is waiting for us.” Sienna grumbled but grabbed her bags and followed. I watched their car pull away from the curb and disappear down the street. Only then did I slowly roll my suitcase out of my room and head downstairs. For the first time in my life, I didn’t have to be the third wheel in their little world.
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