That summer, when I was eighteen, Chloe and I finally crossed that line. Afterward, I was too excited to sleep a wink, believing my six-year-long secret crush had finally come true. Until the next day, I overheard her friends teasing her: “Wow, Chloe, you totally snagged the hottest guy in class.” I felt a flush of embarrassment, about to slip away unnoticed. Then Chloe’s nonchalant reply drifted over. “I want to go after Jaxon, the ice hockey star from school. I’m just worried he’ll think I’m too inexperienced.” “So, I just used Liam to practice my moves.” I didn’t say a word. In the last possible moment, I quietly switched my university application from Washington D.C. to Chicago. Chloe’s words hit me like a sudden, brutal lightning strike from a clear sky. My mind instantly went blank. In that sweltering summer afternoon, I felt an icy coldness spread through my body. The conversation in the classroom continued, though they seemed to pause for a beat before someone spoke again. “Only Chloe would say that. The hottest guy in class is just practice for her.” Chloe chuckled, unconcerned. “Don’t be silly. He’s not exactly losing out, is he?” Someone immediately chimed in. “True, true. Liam is pretty lean, compared to Jaxon… well, his build just isn’t the same.” Chloe, annoyed, playfully tossed a book at him, cutting off his comment. “It was just a heat-of-the-moment thing, the vibe was there, and honestly, he looked like he was about to burst.” They all exchanged knowing glances, teasing her. “So Liam’s the quiet type on the outside, a total wild card underneath!” “Oh, wow, Chloe, your charm is just too much. Of course, you’d take the opportunity when it’s handed to you.” “Liam’s been after you for years, he finally got what he wanted. He’s probably completely obsessed with you now.” The laughter in the room clearly intensified. My hands clenched into tight fists. It took every ounce of my strength to stay upright, to keep from collapsing at the classroom door. Footsteps approached from the end of the corridor. I snapped back to reality, bolting from the scene. In a panic, I rushed into a bathroom stall.
Chloe’s words echoed in my mind, syllable by syllable. They utterly shredded every last piece of my self-respect. If I hadn’t heard it with my own ears, I would never have believed that the person who’d been so intimately entwined with me, who’d seemed to lose herself completely in my arms just last night, was the same person. So, you could do something that intimate, even without love. You could lie and deceive, even in the most passionate, irrational moments. What I’d foolishly believed was our destiny, was nothing more than a punchline in their conversations. The more I thought about it, the more miserable I became. A long while later. My phone buzzed with a new message. It was Chloe. [Just cab it home. My friends are having a party tonight, and it’s not really convenient for you to come.] I didn’t reply. I stared at the message, silent for a long time. From dusk till dawn yesterday, Chloe and I had been all over each other, again and again. Finally, we were both exhausted. Before I fell asleep in her arms, she was still whispering softly to me. “It was our first time, and we weren’t fully prepared. You really went all out tonight.” Back then, I thought she genuinely cared about me, that I had finally found my happiness. And now… In an instant, I sobered up considerably. I dug my nails into my palms, took a deep breath, and walked out of the bathroom. When I got home, I felt like all my strength had drained away. Ever since Chloe’s family moved in next door, I’d trailed after her like a puppy, for ten whole years. I’d never imagined what a world without her would be like. And I certainly didn’t dare to. But from now on, I was on my own. Outside my floor-to-ceiling window, lights came on one by one, then faded out. I don’t know how much time passed before my buddy, Ryan, video-called me. “Liam, how come you didn’t come to our party with Chloe tonight? Jaxon from the next class is here, and with you gone, he’s practically glued to her side. They’re making everyone sick.” Ryan flipped his camera.
In a dimly lit corner of the lounge, Chloe and Jaxon, the ice hockey star, sat close together. Jaxon wore a simple black t-shirt, accentuating his broad shoulders, making him look effortlessly cool and totally eye-catching. They’d clearly carved out their own space, separate from the others. Even when they talked, it was like they were whispering conspiratorially, sharing private secrets. Even through the phone, I could feel a thick, undeniable tension between them. My chest tightened, a suffocating gasp caught in my throat. Chloe just said she wanted to go after him this afternoon, and it looks like she already sealed the deal tonight. During a round of ‘Truth or Dare,’ Jaxon got a prompt to do push-ups over a female guest. As expected, Chloe immediately stepped forward. The crowd immediately went wild. Chloe’s cheeks flushed crimson as she demurely lay back on the couch. Jaxon hovered above her, doing dozens of push-ups in one go. He was incredibly careful, his body barely hovering over hers, trying his best not to touch her. Until the very last one. Whether he genuinely lost his strength or it was a calculated move, I couldn’t tell. He failed to hold himself up and collapsed directly onto Chloe. The room erupted in deafening cheers, loud enough to blow the roof off. Chloe and Jaxon’s faces flushed an even deeper red. Amidst the crazy uproar, Chloe, with a mischievous glint in her eyes, simply tilted her head back and locked lips with Jaxon. They completely lost themselves in the moment, sharing a deep, passionate kiss as if no one else existed. It lasted a full three minutes before they reluctantly pulled apart. For those agonizing three minutes, I stared, unblinking, at the screen, so numb I almost forgot to breathe. My heart felt like it was being ripped apart, a searing pain. I wanted to cry so badly, but I’d cried too much that afternoon and had no tears left. “They were totally making out, Liam, did you see that? She’s completely into him.” Ryan sighed, then turned the camera away and stepped out of the lounge. He found a quiet corner and seriously tried to reason with me. “Liam, don’t be mad at me. If I hadn’t let you see it with your own eyes, you’d never give up on her.” My throat was dry and hoarse, the words that came out were rough and indistinct. “No, I don’t blame you.” It’s all on me for being such a fool for all these years. I always thought that because I was allowed to be by Chloe’s side, that spot was automatically mine. “I just couldn’t stand Chloe. How could she, knowing you’d liked her for years, still play this innocent game, stringing you along, watching you fall deeper and deeper?” “You saw it for yourself just now. I really hope you think hard about this. Don’t let her waste another four years of your life in college…” “I won’t, Ryan.” I cut him off, stating calmly. “I won’t give myself another chance.” “Ryan, I’ve decided. I’m going to university in Chicago with you.” “But you have to promise to keep it a secret for now.”
After saying that, to stop myself from wavering, I opened my laptop right in front of him. Without a second thought, I pulled up my application portal and, just before the early decision deadline, changed my top choice to that renowned university in Chicago. Ryan was, naturally, over the moon. He’d been begging me to apply to the same university for ages. But when we first entered high school, Chloe and I had made a pact: we’d work hard together after our SATs and head hand-in-hand to her dream school in Washington D.C., where she’d always wanted to study her favorite major. So, even though I didn’t particularly love Washington D.C. or feel any connection to that specific STEM-focused university, for three years of high school, I kept it as my goal. After years of being neighbors, both our parents were happy for us to apply to the same university. Everyone, myself included, thought Chloe and I would naturally become a couple once we were adults. But now, I couldn’t find a single reason to go to Washington D.C. Or rather, after today, if I continued to cling to Chloe like before, I’d never be able to look myself in the mirror again. I just wanted to get as far away as possible. Anywhere was fine, as long as Chloe wasn’t there. If she was in Washington D.C., then I’d go to Chicago.
Before bed, I turned on the shower, desperate to wash away the lingering stickiness of it all. But as I peeled off my clothes, the marks on my skin were still painfully obvious. Memories from last night surged back, uncontrollable. The burning heat of her skin as we clung together, the scorching breaths against my ear in the throes of passion—the warmth seemed to still linger in the air. I shook my head hard, trying to dislodge those absurd images. Then I found the roughest loofah I could find and scrubbed my skin repeatedly, until my whole body was raw and red, before finally stopping. I was clumsily trying to erase what felt like the most humiliating memory of my life. The result was so much pain that I couldn’t sleep well all night. Chloe, as expected, didn’t send any more messages. Breaking the six-year unbroken streak of goodnight texts we’d shared since we first got phones. This was probably for the best. It was bound to happen eventually. It’s time to go cold turkey, starting tonight. I drifted in and out of sleep, finally drifting off just before dawn. I was still in a deep sleep the next morning when I suddenly felt someone press a soft kiss to my forehead in my dream.
I jolted awake. Opening my eyes, I saw her familiar chin. The scent that enveloped me was her favorite cedarwood, along with a faint, unfamiliar hint of lemon. I’d almost forgotten, Chloe always knew my front door code. Seeing me awake, Chloe simply lowered her head, a playful smile on her face, trying to steal a kiss. I turned my head, dodging her. I pushed her away and scrambled to the other side of the bed. Chloe paused, then chuckled. “What, still playing hard to get?” I didn’t say anything, just pulled the duvet up, burying my head. Chloe started teasing me as she pulled back the covers. “Liam, you’re getting bold, aren’t you? Didn’t even say goodnight last night, and even turned off your phone before bed.” “Now you’re hiding from me?” She swiftly slipped under the covers with me. I didn’t have time to react before she wrapped her arms around me. “How many times have I told you not to skip breakfast?” “I even went for a half-hour run just to get you these. Your favorite gourmet muffins. I stood in line for ages.” “Do you want to get up and eat now, or do you want to… be eaten first…” Her breath was so close, and her hand started to trace patterns on my skin. Shaking off my grogginess, I started to struggle. I honestly couldn’t understand what she was thinking. She already had Jaxon, why was she still messing with me? “What’s with the mood?” “Still sulking? Is it really just because I didn’t bring you to the party last night?” I stayed silent. She buried her face in my neck and laughed. “Let me guess, did your ‘good’ friend Ryan rat me out?” “It was just a party game. Are you seriously getting jealous over that?” “It’s always the same with you; the moment I even look at another guy, you turn into a moody silent type.” I was seething, utterly speechless. I blindly jabbed my elbow backward, catching her sharply just below the ribs. While she winced in pain and curled up, I scrambled out of bed. “Liam!” She clutched her side, her face flushed, beads of sweat on her forehead. I quickly pulled on the first t-shirt I found over my sweats and hurried to the living room. I didn’t want to be in the same room as her, especially not my bedroom. A short while later, Chloe walked out, looking both annoyed and exasperated. Chloe walked to the dining table, picked up a coffee, and offered it to me. “Here, have something to eat first, then be angry. Your stomach’s always been sensitive.” I didn’t say anything, didn’t reach for it. Chloe’s hand, holding the coffee, hung in the air for a long time before she finally lost patience. “What is it, Liam?” “Sulking needs a reason, and a limit, you know?” I replied coldly, “I’m not good enough.” Chloe’s anger flared. She slammed the coffee cup down on the end table. She used too much force. The cheap paper cup tore, and coffee instantly seeped into the plush carpet. “What do you mean?” “Who do you think you are, Liam?” “We hooked up once consensually, and now you think you own me? You want to control me? Do you have any idea how much pressure that puts on me?” Her tone was harsher than I’d ever heard it. In an instant, I abruptly turned my head, my jaw clenched so hard I thought it would crack. Yesterday’s humiliation and today’s awkwardness surged over me, choking my throat, leaving me speechless. Chloe clearly hadn’t anticipated my reaction. She froze for a moment, then softened her tone. “I’m sorry, I drank too much last night. I was a little impulsive just now.” She knelt down, trying to get closer, but I dodged her again. She froze, her hand suspended in mid-air. Just as she was about to continue coaxing me, her phone suddenly pinged. She glanced at her phone, her face suddenly paling, and abruptly stood up to leave. “I have something urgent to do. You just cool down. And stop being so dramatic all the time, can you just grow up?”
Less than half an hour after she left, Ryan sent me a screenshot. Jaxon’s SnapChat story. [A simple ‘I’m hungry,’ and boom, breakfast. Feeling like there’s definitely a mutual crush brewing here.] The picture showed the exact same gourmet muffins, in identical packaging, as the ones on my kitchen counter. I didn’t reply. I just quietly knelt down, carefully cleaning the coffee Chloe had spilled. I tried for a long time, but with a heavy heart, I realized the stain on the plush wool rug had seeped deep, impossible to scrub out. In a sudden burst of anger, I decided to just throw the entire rug away. Anyway, Chloe and her parents had spent an entire afternoon picking this out for me during their trip to Morocco, even lugging it back by hand. While I was at it, I gathered up all of Chloe’s things left at my place, and all the gifts she’d ever given me, big and small. Even all the photos of us together. I spent the whole day sorting and packing them all up. Then I threw everything away. I figured she wouldn’t want these old scraps anyway. After Chloe left that day, there was no news from her for several days. I guess things with the ice hockey star were progressing smoothly. Or maybe she was waiting for me to give in. In every past cold war, I was always the first to back down, without exception. But this time, I didn’t look for her. There was no need to anymore. I blocked her on SnapChat and her phone number, changed my front door code, and deleted all my social media accounts. After doing all that, I called my parents, who were away on a business trip, to discuss my plans. I told them I wanted to spend the summer in Mexico with Aunt Sarah. My plan was that after summer, I would go straight to university registration in Chicago with Ryan. Aside from Ryan, no one else knew I had applied to a school in Chicago. This plan should perfectly avoid any chance encounters with Chloe. My mom teased me on the phone, “Oh, so you and Chloe are going on vacation together?” I made up an excuse, not wanting to explain too much. I just told her I wanted to spend time with Aunt Sarah and Grandma Rose. I begged my dad to book me the earliest flight, planning to fly out that very night. As I was leaving the house, I unluckily ran into Mrs. Thompson at the gate of my villa. She warmly greeted me, pulling me into a quick chat. “Liam, why are you alone? Chloe isn’t here to pick you up? Didn’t she say she was taking you skiing in New Zealand? Have a great time, sweetie. I’m all for it.” I found it a bit strange. During senior year, when we were studying for our college entrance exams, I had indeed mentioned to Chloe that I wanted to go skiing in New Zealand, to experience winter in the Southern Hemisphere. But given how things were between us now, I couldn’t imagine us traveling together. However, time was running short, so I just mumbled a few vague replies and left. But what I didn’t expect was to run into Chloe at the airport.
She was with a group of friends. Jaxon was there too. Jaxon, ever the gentleman, carried a designer handbag in one hand, his other arm casually draped around Chloe. They walked at the back of the group. Every now and then, Jaxon would turn his head to say something to her, and Chloe would patiently tilt her head up to listen. Unlike us. I’d always towered over Chloe, even as a kid, and grew even taller. With her, I always had to bend down to talk. But with Jaxon, she looked up, her gaze fixed on him. That’s how she acts with someone she truly cares about. I took a deep breath. I told myself to have some self-respect. Whatever she did was none of my business. One more stupid thought like that, and I’d slap myself. But there seemed to be only one path to the boarding gate. I could only follow distantly behind them. Finally, mercifully, we reached the gate, where the path split. Chloe seemed to get distracted. She tried calling several times, but nothing seemed to connect. She kept fiddling with her phone, her brow furrowed. Finally, she borrowed a friend’s phone, her face darkening, and headed toward the restrooms. A moment later, my phone suddenly rang. It was an unfamiliar number. “Liam, you’re really digging in your heels this time, aren’t you? So I have to be the one to reach out?” “And you blocked me?” “If you’re so tough, then just keep ignoring me. But when you get to university in Washington D.C., all alone in a new city, let’s see who’s there to take care of you then.” Chloe’s voice was sharp, a rapid-fire torrent of accusations. I didn’t say anything; there was no way to respond to that. But Chloe seemed to get even angrier. “I don’t have time for this. Just add me back on SnapChat, now.” “I’m going out of the country with some friends for a few days, so my phone might be off. Don’t go getting all dramatic and worried, okay?” I couldn’t be bothered to offer a single word. I hung up immediately and turned off my phone. I watched, from a distance, as Chloe, her face still stormy, returned to her spot. She huffily grabbed Jaxon’s hand, didn’t hesitate, and walked directly towards the left boarding gate. I sighed and turned to walk towards the right.
🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “307340”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #魔幻Magic #重生Reborn
Leave a Reply