But that night, Ethan was… gentle. Afterwards, he held me close and whispered, “I’m sorry I
lied about UCLA.”
I didn’t reply. He played with my hair, sighing. “Don’t cry, Liv. I’ll apply to UCLA for grad
school, okay?”
Like I cared. I was done. That night was closure.
After years of pining, I needed it. Now I could
finally move on.
The next morning, before he woke up, I was
gone. Oh, and the hotel room? He’d paid. I
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didn’t want to owe him anything, so I’d left two
hundred bucks on the nightstand. That,
apparently, had been a mistake.
I deleted Ethan’s number, blocked him on everything. My best friend from high school told me Ethan felt played and was furious, vowing to track me down. He’d even come to my college a few times, but I was a ghost.
The most memorable incident was during sophomore year. My roommate later told me Ethan looked like a volcano about to erupt, ready to tear me to shreds. He’d cornered her, demanding, “Where’s Liv?!”
My roommate, bless her soul, said, “Oh, didn’t you know? It’s May 20th.” (May 20th sounds
like “I love you” in Chinese, making it a
romantic holiday) “She’s out with her
boyfriend.”
The volcano went dormant. Ethan just stood
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05
11:28
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For the record, the boyfriend thing wasn’t a lie. I was over Ethan; I was allowed to date. I dated several guys, actually. My best friend made sure Ethan knew. It didn’t diminish his hatred. The golden boy, used to being on top, had been “humiliated” by the girl he’d always dismissed. I’d hate me too.
I heard he’d even gone to my hometown, looking for me. But that year, my dad was in L.A. for treatment, so I hadn’t gone back. He
couldn’t find me. He was like a scorned lover,
stewing in his own resentment.
This cat–and–mouse game had gone on for
three years. Today, it was ending. Because
from now on, I was spending holidays at
Ethan’s house. My dad had passed away the
previous winter. I had no other family.
Ethan was standing behind me, close. I could
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feel his gaze. He tapped the melon I’d chosen. “Buying so much fruit. Where are you headed?”
He hadn’t left. He’d been waiting. I ignored him, quickening my pace. He caught up easily, his long legs giving him an unfair advantage. He stepped in front of me, blocking my path. And then, he pulled off my beanie.
“Having fun messing with me, Liv?” he asked,
his voice low and dangerous.
06
Yeah, it was fun. I wanted to say it, but
obviously couldn’t.
Ethan scoffed. “Three years gone, and you’ve lost your tongue?”
I looked up sweetly. “Hey Ethan, long time no
see.” No point hiding anymore. Might as well
face the music.
D-
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46
But the smirk vanished from Ethan’s face. He
stared at me, like he was trying to burn a hole
through me. His expression was too still,
unsettlingly so. Only the slight redness in his
eyes and the tremor in his hands betrayed him.
The silence stretched, long enough for
passersby to start staring. Finally, Ethan
grabbed my suitcase.
