The Last Single
“Oh, finally, I made it.” Lily gasped for air, wiping sweat from her forehead as she stopped at the gate of the villa. “I thought I’d never get here.”
She stood there for a second, catching her breath. Excitement tingled under her skin. After so many years, she was finally going to see her college friends again. Everyone had struggled to find time, but somehow they had managed tonight.
She smoothed her hair and headed inside, stopping at the restroom first. Sprinting from the metro, after every cab refused a short trip, had left her looking anything but put together.
Inside, she dropped her handbag on the counter and leaned closer to the mirror. Her cheeks were flushed, skin glowing with sweat. She splashed cool water on her face, careful not to ruin her high-neck black top with its full sleeves. Patting dry with a towel, she let out a slow breath.
A little touch of makeup brought her face back to life. Nothing heavy. Lily had never claimed to be flawless, but she believed beauty didn’t need to be hidden behind masks. It was the same thing she often told her students..be proud of how you look, stay truthful, and never let insecurity define you.
Her long dark hair framed her face in soft waves. Hazel eyes, clear skin, and lips with a natural pout gave her a kind of quiet allure that didn’t need much effort. A sweep of gloss added just enough shine to bring them out.
She checked her reflection once more. The fitted black top hugged her figure modestly, showing curves without revealing anything. Straight beige pants and pointed heels finished the look. Fashion had never been her strength, but somehow Lily carried even the simplest outfit with a polished grace that made people turn their heads.
Voices and laughter carried from the hall as soon as she stepped out. The villa’s living room was buzzing, wine bottles scattered across the dining table, old friends talking over one another.
“Lily!” A woman in a sparkling party dress hurried over and hugged her tight.
“Eliza,” Lily breathed, hugging her back.
“I missed you so much! Where were you, darling?”
“I was on my way. Just a little delay,” Lily smiled.
“Nice to see you, girl,” Bryer said, leaning in for a quick hug.
The group pulled her in easily. They were catching up on everything—jobs, marriages, travels, homes. Lily listened, smiled, and tried to join in. For a moment, she felt like no time had passed at all.
Then she noticed someone staring.
Ryan.
He walked over with the same arrogant swagger he had in college, eyes running over her.
“Hey, beautiful.” His hand slid to her waist without asking. “Still got those curves, huh?”
Lily froze inside, but she wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction. She smirked. “Hey, Ryan. Yeah. Just like your wife still has.”
His grin faltered, but he recovered quickly, his eyes dropping lower than they should. “Looks like some things grew even better with age.”
Lily rolled her eyes, but before she could say anything, he added, “Your boyfriend must be lucky to have you in bed every night.”
“She’s still single,” Bryer cut in, almost too quickly, laughing as though it was the funniest thing.
Ryan’s brows shot up. “Really? How is that even possible? Someone as gorgeous as you? If I weren’t taken, you’d be under me right now.”
“Ryan!” Eliza snapped, her face hard. “Enough. Stop bothering her.”
“Sure, Mommy,” Ryan said, eyes flicking to her stomach with a smirk.
It was then Lily noticed the gentle swell beneath Eliza’s dress. Her eyes widened. “You’re pregnant?”
Eliza’s face softened instantly. “Four months.”
The group erupted with congratulations, clapping, laughing, hugging her. Talk shifted to nursery colors, baby names, and cravings. Lily clapped with them, but she felt that small twist in her chest again. Everyone was moving forward... married, expecting, settled. And she was still here. Alone.
Eliza caught her expression. She always did. She leaned closer. “Restroom break? Like old times?”
Grateful for the escape, Lily nodded. “Sure.”
Inside, Eliza fixed her dress in the mirror while Lily leaned against the counter.
“You deserve someone who sees you, Lily. Not just your brains. Not just your beauty. Both.”
“Huh?” Lily frowned.
“I know you’re still thinking about their comments. Don’t. You just haven’t found the right one yet.”
“That’s not it. You know about Grace.” Lily’s voice was quieter now.
Eliza sighed. “What happened with Grace is over. Not everyone is the same. You have to give people a chance.”
Lily nodded, though inside she wasn’t convinced. It wasn’t people in general she couldn’t trust. It was rich men.
“You know, apps are how people meet now,” Eliza said, lightening her tone. “My cousin just got engaged through one. And I met my husband on a dating app too.”
“I’m not ready,” Lily muttered.
“When will you be ready? On your deathbed?”
“But-”
“No buts,” Eliza cut her off, folding her arms. “Download the app. Right now. Humor me. If not for you, then as my last pregnancy wish.”
Lily sighed but smiled faintly. Eliza was always pushy, but always for her good. She had been Lily’s anchor through the years, checking in, supporting her, never letting her drift. For her sake, Lily opened her phone and downloaded the app.
“Great. Now set up your profile.”
“That’s something I’ll do myself.”
“Go on, then. My girl.”
Lily filled the blanks. Name: Liliana Rivers. Age: 29. Photo: one from a lecture, her at the podium, serious and professional. Bio: after ten minutes of staring at the screen, she typed: a professor.
“Done.” She showed Eliza.
Eliza groaned. “This is the most boring profile I’ve ever seen.”
“Perfect,” Lily said with a faint smile. “If anyone still messages me after this, I’ll know they’re not shallow.”
“With that picture and bio, only a fool would bother. But fine. Step one is done. We’ll work on it later. Now, let’s get back before they think we’re plotting against them.”
When Lily and Eliza stepped back into the living room, the group was still loud, laughter bouncing off the villa walls. Someone had put on music, and a few were swaying with drinks in hand. Couples leaned into each other, little touches and whispers slipping between conversations.
Lily sat back down, smiling when someone cracked an old inside joke, but the knot in her chest wouldn’t loosen. Every time her gaze swept the room, it landed on pairs... hands linked, heads leaning together, easy affection that felt almost foreign to her now.
Ryan caught her eye again, giving her a sly grin before whispering something to the man next to him. Both laughed. Bryer’s laughter chimed in a moment later, too loud, too pointed, and Lily knew the joke was on her. She looked away quickly, hiding behind her glass.
The rest of the evening passed in a blur of chatter and toasts. On the surface, she played along, but inside she was counting the minutes until she could leave.
When she finally stepped out of the villa into the night air, it was like taking a full breath for the first time. The street was quiet, empty, the cool breeze a welcome relief after hours of noise. She pulled her coat tighter around her shoulders and walked toward the metro, her heels clicking softly against the pavement.
The ride home felt longer than usual. She sat by the window, watching the blur of city lights while her mind replayed the evening on a loop. Ryan’s hand on her waist. His crude comment about her body. Bryer’s jab, as if her being single was some kind of joke. And Eliza... Lily smiled as she thought about her. Sweet, protective Eliza trying to patch her up, reminding her she deserved love too.
And Grace. Always Grace. The shadow that followed her everywhere.
Her apartment was silent when she walked in, the way it always was. She dropped her heels by the door, shrugged out of her coat, and stood there for a moment in the dark, listening to the quiet. Everyone else tonight had someone to go home to. She had four walls and memories.
She forced herself into the shower, letting the hot water beat against her skin until her muscles loosened. Steam filled the bathroom, but her mind stayed restless.
She closed her eyes, pressing her forehead to the tiles. Would she ever have what they had? Or was she destined to remain on the outside, watching, smiling politely, pretending she didn’t care?
By the time she slipped into bed, exhaustion weighed down her body, but her heart still ached. Loneliness crept in the way it always did when the lights went out. She wanted to believe Eliza that she’d find someone who saw her, not just her beauty or her brains, but both. She wanted to believe it wasn’t too late. But believing and trusting were two very different things.
Her phone buzzed against the nightstand, startling her.
She reached for it, half-expecting an email from work or some random notification.
But it wasn’t.
A message lit the screen in bold letters.
Alex Richardson swiped right on you. Say hi to him.
