My Ex's New Girlfriend

“Did you see Tristan’s new girlfriend?”

I paused for a second before looking over at Leah Cernick, my coworker and friend.

“What are you talking about?” I asked her.

“Oh, fuck. You didn’t see, did you? Tristan has a new girlfriend. He posted her on his story.”

I felt my heart practically sink to the ground when I was told this information. I knew it would happen one day. But I didn’t think it would be so soon.

“Let me see,” I said to Leah, “Hand me your phone?”

Leah nodded and handed me her iPhone, a flicker of concern in her eyes.

I stared at the image on the phone that I held in my hands.

It was Tristan Erlington, my ex-boyfriend, sitting in his truck, with a girl next to him, both smiling.

My eyes glazed over Tristan and immediately landed on the girl. I stared at her for a few moments, taking in the sight of my ex’s new girlfriend.

I kept looking at her, taking in her light blonde, shoulder-length hair, round cheeks, and bright smile, bright blue eyes, and I could tell by the shirt that she was wearing that she had a large chest.

Something I never had, that I knew Tristan always wanted from a girl.

Well, now it looks like he’s got that.

I could see from the photo that she was wearing a tank top, and on her right shoulder, she had a large tattoo of a flower pattern. She also had a hoop in her nose, and even what looked to be an eyebrow piercing.

She looks to be everything I’m not.

My gaze lingered on her for a few seconds longer, until I clicked on the photo to see her username.

The username was, katiehoganxo.

Katie Hogan. So, that was the name of the girl who was now dating Tristan.

I handed Leah back her phone.

“You okay, Cam?” Leah asked me, “I’m sorry that I had to be the one to tell you.”

“I wouldn’t expect Tristan to. Don’t worry.” I said, feeling my hurt and anger building.

“You’re way prettier than she is,” Leah said to me.

“I know you’re just trying to make me feel better, but you don’t have to say that.”

I also don’t really know if it’s true.

“I mean it,” Leah said, giving me a reassuring smile.

“Of course, he’s the one that now gets to be happy. It always works out that way, doesn’t it?” I sighed, “You know what, whatever. I don’t even want to think about it. I want to get through my shift and think about it later. Or never.”

That’s exactly what I did. Or, what I tried to do. I tried to get through my shift without thinking of Tristan and Katie’s smiling faces.

However, they were already drilled into my brain.

He’s officially moved on from me.

I knew what I was going to do the second I got home from work.

Stalk Katie’s profile.

As I was leaving work, my co-worker, Deshawn White, asked me, “Cameron, when do you work next?”

“I’ll be here on Saturday,” I said to Deshawn, itching to go home.

“Cool. See you then,” he said, and gave me a smile.

I smiled back quickly and made my way out the door.

The whole time I was at work, I had this awful pit in my stomach. And I thought the second I got in my car, I was going to cry.

But I didn’t. I just sat there for a few moments, my hand on the steering wheel, feeling completely numb.

Things were officially over with Tristan. As they should be. I just didn’t want to accept it.

I couldn’t help myself. As I sat in my car, I decided to stalk Katie’s social media profiles.

I went to her Instagram- it was private. However, I could see her profile picture. It was a selfie of her in a black corset top, her light blonde hair laid gently on her shoulders.

She is cute. I’ll even admit it. She’s got a nice smile.

I couldn’t see much else when I looked her up and I had Tristan blocked. There was no way I was unblocking him just to see pictures of him and his new girlfriend.

I decided that was enough- and it was time to just go home and try to forget about this.

Even though I knew that was impossible.

It takes about 12 minutes to get from my job to my house, and the whole way back, I was in a complete daze.

All I could think about was Tristan and his new girlfriend.

I live with my Dad, Stepmom, Kim, my twin brother, Tyler, and my younger brother, Timmy. Tyler is the same age as me, of course, 23, and Timmy is 20.

I parked out front and could see by the cars that the only person home was Timmy. My dad and Kim were gone this whole week, on a Cruise with some of their friends, and Tyler was likely at his girlfriend, Erika’s, house.

When I walked into the house I could hear the TV and Timmy yelling expletives from the basement.

Video games.

I made a beeline up to my room and immediately laid down on my bed after I shut the door. I didn’t even bother changing out of my work uniform. I laid there on my bed, still in my black work pants and a t-shirt that had the name of the restaurant I worked at, The Smokehouse.

Tristan and I had broken up a little over 4 months ago, back in December. It was now the beginning of May, and I hadn’t even thought about touching someone else, let alone full-out dating someone else. I secretly had hoped that Tristan was doing the same.

I guess not.

While our relationship was only 14 months long, we had gone through a lot in those 14 months. To me, 4 months felt quick for him to just move on.

The thought also dawned on me- he could have started dating Katie a lot earlier on. Possibly right after we broke up, even. Today was the first picture he posted with her. In my mind, I expected that they had started dating at least a month before. And that hurt like a bitch.

I once again found myself looking up Katie on social media.

I wonder how they met? Where she lives? What does she do? What she’s like? How she’s better than me?

The thoughts were running rampant in my mind, I couldn’t get them out.

I have to get out of here.

I couldn’t lie down any longer with the thoughts about Tristan and his new girlfriend running through my mind. I decided to get back in my car and run to Wawa. I didn’t even know what I was going to get to eat or drink, I just had to get out.

I blasted music in my car as I drove down the dark roads, trying to block out the noise in my mind. Once again, it didn’t work.

I got to Wawa and walked up to the screens to place an order for food or a drink. I decided that I wasn’t really hungry, but I wanted a frozen vanilla chai, topped with extra whipped cream. I placed my order and paid, and when I walked back up to the drink counter to wait for my chai to be made, I couldn’t help but notice the girl working behind the counter.

She had short, tousled dark hair and olive-toned skin. I could see many tattoos on her arms, and even more peeking out from under the sleeves of her t-shirt. I also noticed that her nails were short, and painted black.

She must’ve felt my eyes on her because she glanced up at me and gave me a quick smile. A bit embarrassed, I looked back down at my phone. A moment later, I heard her say, ’Your frozen vanilla chai.”

I looked up to see her placing my drink on the counter, topped high with whipped cream.

“Extra whip on there for you as well,” she said, with a grin.

Her eyes were on me, and I felt a bit warm under her gaze.

“Thank you so much,” I said to her, picking up my drink.

“Enjoy,” she said, “And have a good night.”

“You too,” I said back, “See you around.”

See you around?

What was that, Cameron?

Per usual, anytime I saw a girl that I thought was even the slightest bit attractive, I got tongue-tied.

Whatever. Nothing I can do about it now.

I drove back home, sipping my drink through the straw, and blasting music, once again to drown out my thoughts.

When I got back home, I went back up to my room and finally changed out of my work clothes. I put on a T-shirt and a pair of plaid pajama shorts. I stood in front of my full-length mirror for a moment, looking at myself.

I wonder what Katie has that I don’t?

I hated thinking that, but I couldn’t help it.

I knew one thing- this was now going to be at the forefront of my mind.

And I had not a damn clue what I was going to do about it.