- 9.
I didn’t visit Matt. I was too busy. Josh’s return had reignited my passion for veterinary medicine. I quit my job and started studying for the licensing exam. Then, one day, Matt texted me, begging me to see him. I hesitated, then relented, bringing him a container of store- bought chicken soup. I barely recognized him. He was gaunt and pale, his usually neat hair a mess. He looked like death warmed over. “Lily,” he whispered weakly. His eyes lit up when he saw the soup. “Lily, you do still love me! You remember I like soup when I’m sick.” “It’s from a restaurant,” I said flatly. The light in his eyes dimmed. “Lily, maybe it is karma… Now that I’m like this… can you forgive me?” he pleaded. I was silent for a long time. “Did you ever love me, Matt?” I asked finally. He seemed to see a glimmer of hope. “Yes! I’ve always loved you!” I looked at him, a faint smile playing on my lips. “Really? Did you?” He hesitated, his gaze dropping to the floor. I sat for a little while longer, then got up to leave. “You owe Nina an apology, too,” I said before walking out the door. I was done with Matt. I didn’t love him, and I didn’t hate him. He was just a passing stranger in my life. There was no point dwelling on the past.
61.99%
12:16
EP
Three years later, our lives had diverged completely. Nina moved abroad to pursue her dream of becoming a fashion designer. Matt, I heard, suffered lasting complications from his accident and walked with a limp. His business went bankrupt, leaving him in crippling debt. He eventually moved back to his rural hometown to escape his creditors and disappeared from the radar. I passed my veterinary licensing exam and became a practicing veterinarian. And… I was about to marry Josh. As I tried on wedding dresses, a pale gold gown caught my eye. A memory flashed through my mind. Three years ago, I‘ d chosen a similar dress. Matt had frowned and handed me a white strapless gown instead. “Trust me,” he’d murmured in my ear. “You’ll look stunning in this one.” I’d been annoyed, but I’d let it go. He’d stared at me, speechless, when I’d stepped out of the dressing room, tears in his eyes. I’d asked him if it looked good. He’d smiled, his eyes shining, and replied, but a balloon had popped at that exact moment, and I’d only seen his lips move. When I asked him again, he’d just smiled and nodded. It had bothered me, that unanswered question. Now I knew. He’d been saying, “You look beautiful, Nina.”
(The End)
