Part 1Fate Let You Go

It was a few days after I gave Chad Pei my first time.

My brother, Joshua, suddenly called and asked me to dinner.

My eyes stung as I looked at the man who, not long ago, had whispered in my ear that he would cherish me for a lifetime.

Now, Chad was blushing as he carefully peeled a shrimp for another girl.

My brother, oblivious, just grinned at me.

“Jealous? Feeling like you want to start dating, too?”

I fought back the tears and managed a smile.

“Yeah, Joshua. Weren't Mom and Dad saying they wanted to set me up with someone really great?”

“I’m in.”

The bowl in Chad’s hand suddenly slipped and crashed to the floor.

* * *

A waiter quickly came over to clean up the shattered porcelain.

My brother shot Chad a confused look. “Dude, what’s wrong with you? Get a girlfriend and you can’t even hold a bowl steady?”

The panic on Chad’s face vanished in an instant, so fast I thought I’d imagined it.

He leaned back, cool and composed, a slight smirk on his lips. “You got it.”

Chloe Fuchs gazed at him, her eyes shy and shimmering like a spring pond.

“Oh, stop it.”

Chad leaned back in his chair, draping an arm casually over the back of hers, effectively pulling her into his space. He looked down at her, his expression radiating pure adoration.

“What, you don’t like hearing that? Hmm?”

Chloe gave him a playful shove.

My brother covered his face, groaning about their public display of affection. I just kept my head down and focused on my food, pretending not to notice the way Chad’s eyes kept darting in my direction.

Joshua returned to our previous conversation. “Lils, were you serious just now? If you’re not joking, I’m totally going to call up Connor Kang and set something up.”

My hand tightened around my spoon. I took a sip of soup before forcing another smile.

“Of course, I’m serious. Seeing how in love Chad and Chloe are, it just makes me want to find someone, too.”

I put extra emphasis on the words in love. Chad’s hand, midway to his mouth with a spoonful of soup, paused for a fraction of a second.

Then he turned to Chloe, his voice soft. “Careful, it’s hot.”

My brother laughed. “Alright, alright! It’s about time my little sister started dating. I’ll call Connor as soon as we get home.”

Clang.

The sound of a spoon hitting the table was jarringly loud.

Chad’s voice was low. “Sorry. Slipped.”

Chloe took his hand, her voice laced with concern. “Did you burn yourself?”

Joshua groaned again about being the third wheel, complaining that he shouldn’t have invited me out last minute, forcing me to suffer through their lovey-dovey display with him. Chloe’s cheeks were flushed the color of a sunset.

Toward the end of the meal, Chloe excused herself to go to the restroom. Just then, my brother got a call and had to go move his car.

Suddenly, it was just Chad and me at the table.

He idly flicked a lighter on the table, one eyebrow raised.

“Well, look at you, Lily Shen. All grown up.” His tone was laced with sarcasm. “Learned how to play hard to get, have you?”

Even a fool could feel the sharp edge in his words. The bitterness I’d been suppressing rose in my chest again, a giant hand squeezing my heart until it ached.

I struggled to speak, to force a smile. “What? Is there a rule that says you’re allowed to start fires, but I can’t even light a candle?”

Chad’s lips parted, as if to say more, but then Chloe reappeared.

He tossed out a hurried sentence. “Don’t overthink it. I’ll explain when we get back.”

Then he left me, rising to meet Chloe with a welcoming smile. She said her professor needed her for something, so she had to head back to campus. Chad nodded in understanding, wrapping an arm around her waist to walk her out.

Chloe looked back at me apologetically. “We have to go, Lily. See you later.”

I just shook my head, mumbling that it was fine.

As they left, Chad kept glancing back, but I just stared down at my plate, refusing to meet his eyes.

When Joshua returned to an empty table, he was bewildered. “Where’d Chad go? He was supposed to pay today. Did he seriously dine and dash?”

I didn’t answer.

My brother, still not sensing my distress, just grabbed his coat and went to settle the bill.