Part 2The Eleventh Hour

I stared at the ceiling until my vision blurred.

How can a person change so fast?

All those times we nearly cried over French verb conjugations, we never thought about quitting. Whenever we got overwhelmed, we’d pull up pictures of the Eiffel Tower and joke about which cafe we’d hit first.

The day we got our acceptance letters, we both cried, then laughed. We thought the hard part was over.

Our perfect happy ending was right there. And he just... let go of my hand and ran toward someone else.

I wouldn't have even been this mad if he’d just told me.

But to not even say a word...

In his eyes, am I really that small?

And if I'm so "annoying," then what was that promise he made me under the stars last month? The one that sounded so much like a proposal?

Was it just... too dark for him to see who he was talking to?

I curled into a ball, pulling my knees to my chest, and finally, I let myself cry.

The truth is, I don't need him to survive.

I don't have separation anxiety.

He does.

Ever since we were kids, if we ended up in different classes or on different teams, he'd get quiet and moody, and he’d only cheer up when I was back.

I’ve always been the one with the plan. He was just... the one I was bringing with me.

Liam was right about one thing: I had always factored him into my future. I was willing to pay the price for a high-school sweetheart, as long as it didn’t compromise my goals.

But this... this was a compromise I wasn't willing to make.

I wiped my eyes, my hand hovering over the application I’d accidentally opened. I closed the tab.

I didn't open the portal again.

He made his choice. I’m making mine.

We're even.

I’d just washed my face when a video call request popped up from Liam.

[Liam]: Hey, Shadow! Pick up! I wanna see you!

I ignored it. It popped up again. And again. Finally, a text.

[Liam]: We're at the usual spot. Everyone's waiting. Get anU uber, hurry up.

I didn't want to go.

[Me]: Tired. Not coming out.

His reply was instant.

[Liam]: You sick? I’m coming over.

[Me]: No. Don’t.

I'd barely hit send when a new message popped up from a number I didn’t have saved. Chloe.

[Chloe]: Hey, Mia, I'm so sorry. I'm the one who dragged Liam out tonight. I had no idea you'd be upset. I'll leave right now, it's totally fine.

My phone suddenly felt like it was coated in that fake, sugary "green tea" air freshener.

Before I could even think of a reply, my phone blew up with notifications from a different group chat.

[Girl 1]: @Mia What’s your problem? Can’t stand seeing Liam with someone else?

[Girl 2]: Just 'cause you're jealous Chloe's prettier than you, you’re gonna throw a tantrum? Psycho.

I just stared. I was about to type, to defend myself, when a text from Liam came through.

[Liam]: Mia, I invited Chloe. Your problem is with me. Stop being a bitch to her.

[Liam]: You know what, forget it. Come or don't. We're having more fun without you anyway.

He followed that with a picture of their food.

Someone else in the chat added: “Wow, dinner is so much better without all the drama.”

A bunch of psychos.

I left that group chat, too. Then I went to his contact, blocked his number, and deleted it.

For years, he was my "pinned" contact.

Now, he belongs in the blocklist.