My VIP Ticket Turned Into Their Date

During the summer vacation, I go overseas with my boyfriend, Cornell Glover, to attend his favorite music festival that is called the Tuchella Music Festival.

When we are lining up to go into the venue under the sweltering heat of 86F, I go to the vendors nearby to buy him some iced bottled water.

But by the time I get back, Cornell is gone. To make things worse, my digital ticket shows that it has already been checked in.

Anxious, I call him and ask, "Have you gone in? Why does my ticket show that I've checked in?"

Cornell replies, "Oh. I ran into Ellie Valdez, the intern from our department, just now. She was crying at the entrance because she couldn't get a ticket, so I gave yours to her."

"Are you crazy? I was the one who got us those VIP front-row seats!" I exclaim.

"Come on. It's not like you're interested in rock music. You'd just be scrolling on your phone after you get in. Ellie is a diehard fan. Don't you think you should let someone who appreciates the music have this instead?" Cornell says nonchalantly.

I am so shocked that I don't know what to say.

After a few seconds, I say in disbelief, "So you left me out here, all alone, for an intern's sake?"

Cornell sounds dismissive as he says, "You can hear the music from outside anyway. Just find somewhere to sit and wait until the music festival ends. Don't be so selfish."

I listen to the long, monotonous beep after he hangs up on me for a moment before calling my lead singer brother right away.

"Hello, Max? My ticket got—"

"Marie? I'm just about to go onstage, and the line backstage is terrible. I'll bring you out for supper after the show, alright?"

I could hear the sounds of guitars being tuned and staff shouting in the background of the call. However, the call was cut off abruptly before I'd even managed to finish my sentence.

I just stood there frozen in place, a little stunned as I clutched my phone. I was still holding two bottles of chilled mineral water I'd just bought. The water droplets slid down the plastic bottle and dripped onto my shoes.

The weather was a scorching 86 degrees today, and the blazing sun was melting the asphalt.

"Miss? Don't block the queue for the gate if you don't have a valid ticket. Go over there to the plaza and wait there instead," a security guard said, approaching me and waving impatiently.

I had no choice but to bring the water with me as I moved to the open space they called a plaza with no shade whatsoever. Sweat dripped down my forehead right into my eyes, and the sudden sharp pain made me narrow my eyes instinctually.

I tapped into the messaging app on my phone, wanting to ask my boyfriend, Cornell Glover, how long he was planning to make me wait.

However, a