Avoid Her Like the Plague

After being reborn, I tear up my school withdrawal form. I no longer wish to become a househusband just for Eliza Stewart's sake.

She messages me when she hears the news, but I blacklist her number right away. She camps outside my house to confront me, so my family and I move to a new place immediately.

Eventually, she compromises by asking me to join her in Northcrest for college. That way, I can still take care of her. I go behind her back and apply to be an education major at Southwell University instead.

In my previous life, she dedicated herself to everything and everyone else, except for me. This time around, I just want us to go on our separate paths and never meet again.

A few years later, I set off for the rural region of Westridge to volunteer as a teacher. Eliza, who is also volunteering there, sees me. Her eyes start turning red. She grabs my hand and refuses to let go.

"Don't run off this time, Matthew…"

Ms. Brown, my homeroom teacher, was just about to sign my school withdrawal form when I snatched it back and ripped it to pieces.

Her eyes flashed with anger as she berated, "Do you think I've got time to joke around with you? You've consistently received outstanding results. However, you spent a whole month insisting that I help you withdraw from school, so why have you just torn up the form?"

I lowered my head and apologized sincerely, "I'm so sorry, Ms. Brown. I won't be withdrawing from school, after all. I want to focus on my studies and become a teacher in the future."

Our exchange ended up being quite the commotion, and it drew the attention of all the teachers around us.

"Have you finally come to your senses? That's wonderful! I'll finally have a shot at getting the year-end performance bonus!" Ms. Thompson, my math teacher, exclaimed.

I was the top scorer for math among all the seniors at my high school, and that benefited Ms. Thompson, who might earn a bonus because of my results.

The other teachers chimed in approvingly.

"It's great news, alright. You're such a fine student, but everyone in school heard about you wanting to quit schooling so that you could be Eliza's househusband! We were all concerned for you."

All of the teachers present had always been very kind toward me. My ability to remain one of the top students of my year was largely credited to their guidance and mentoring.

I had caused quite a spectacle the past month. Everyone else had been watching the farce at my expense.

Eliza Stewart was smart, gorgeous, and easygoing. Many guys in school had a crush on her. She'd always been a little aloof with me. I wouldn't have been able to get close to her if not for the fact that we'd been betrothed to each other as children.

Thankfully, I had been reborn, and I came back to this very moment in time.

I stood in front of all the teachers and gave another apology.

"I was being silly before, but I've regained clarity now. I hope you won't hold my past foolishness against me."

With glad, approving smiles, the teachers nodded and told me I was more than welcome to seek them out if I ever needed some additional tutoring.

…

When I got back to the classroom, all eyes fell on me. Unexpectedly, even Eliza was waiting for me at my desk.

As she'd been in poor health over the years, her complexion was rather pale and sickly. Thanks to her small, frail-looking figure, she looked exceptionally adorable as she sat there quietly with her hair in a ponytail.

Even after everything I'd gone through in my previous life, I couldn't help but feel sympathy for her when I saw her this way.

When she saw me approaching, she started picking up my books and stuffing them into my bags. I grabbed her hand to stop her before saying with feigned disappointment, "I couldn't get it approved. You should head back to your seat."

Eliza's expression turned icy at once.

"That's impossible! Are you still upset because I had breakfast with Carl? I told you! I only bumped into him by coincidence. In any case, Carl and I are both part of the student council. It stands to reason that we need to sit together and have a discussion sometimes."

Tom Neely, who sat beside me, couldn't resist butting in, "Stop flaunting your relationship in front of the rest of us.

"And you, Matthew! Don't be so ungrateful. You should be happy that Eliza's willing to spend time placating you right now. Hurry up. Do what she wants and go away."

Remaining calm, I said, "I'm telling the truth."

I took my bag from Eliza and looked at her, saying, "Go back to your seat. I want to get started with my homework."

Eliza's eyes began reddening.

"Fine," she said.

The chair screeched loudly against the floor as she leaped to her feet and stomped back to her desk. Immediately after that, a book struck me in the head, and a female voice called out angrily in Eliza's defense, "Don't push it, Matthew!"

Rubbing my head, I acted as if nothing had happened. I fixed my eyes on my workbook and continued answering the questions.

The SATs were less than a month away. Once I was done with high school, Eliza and I would no longer have anything to do with each other.