I Gave Up on Us. Why Are You the One Regretting It?

That fight between Ryan and me had been so bad that it felt like my whole world had cracked open. Afterward, we went three months without speaking.

I told him, “If you like Sophie, I’ll step aside.”

But Ryan cried.

He said, “You’re the person I care about most.”

“Sophie has depression, and she was raised by a single parent. I just feel bad for her, so I’m trying to help.”

I believed him.

But Ryan had been treating me like an idiot.

Their interactions only became more frequent, and “just friends” became the perfect excuse.

Now, he had even changed his application because of Sophie.

It made me look like a complete fool.

By the time I came back to myself, it was already dark. I had no idea when my mom had come home. She looked at me and smiled.

“Did you and Ryan fight again? You even blocked him.

“He wants you to add him back.”

I gave her a vague answer, then left the house.

Our counselor had just asked us to return to school and confirm our applications one last time.

When I arrived, there was an empty seat beside Ryan.

Usually, that seat was mine.

But Sophie sat down in it without the slightest hesitation.

Ryan did not say anything. Instead, he naturally took the bag Sophie handed him.

Only his gaze flicked toward me, casual and almost expectant.

He was waiting for me to cave first.

Too bad he had miscalculated this time.

I turned and sat beside Caleb Foster, the most popular guy in school, far away from them.

“Make sure you check everything carefully one last time,” the counselor said from the front of the room, speaking with such urgency that he almost sounded breathless. “The application portal closes tonight. Once it does, regret won’t help you.”

Caleb suddenly glanced at my application form.

“What a coincidence,” he said. “I’m going to France too.”

Before I could answer, someone tapped me on the shoulder.

“Emma. Don’t you have anything to say?”

I ignored him and was just about to speak to Caleb when Ryan grabbed my arm and dragged me out.

“Emma, are you done?

“You got carried away throwing a tantrum, and now you’ve learned how to block me?

“I’m warning you. Unblock me right now, or don’t even think about adding me back later.”

I was forced to look at him for a few seconds.

“Oh,” I said. “I wasn’t planning to add you back later anyway.”

Ryan’s face darkened instantly.

“Fine. Don’t come begging me to talk to you later.”

I turned to leave, but he suddenly grabbed me again, his eyes unexpectedly serious.

“It’s almost time. Check your application carefully one more time. Don’t enter the wrong thing...”

He seemed about to say more, but Sophie came over just then and cut him off.

“Ryan, I don’t really understand this part. Can you help me look at it?”

“Sure. I’ll check it for you now.”

Ryan immediately lowered his head to look over Sophie’s documents.

I let out a small, mocking laugh, then turned and walked away.

By the time he tried to say something else, I was already almost back inside the classroom.

“Emma, remember to check it again. Check it carefully!”

Right.

He really did think his words were law.

He probably assumed that once he reminded me to check, I would obediently open the portal, discover that he had changed his application, and then follow him by changing mine.

What a fantasy.

Since he refused to say it outright, I would simply pretend I knew nothing.

After all, he thought “coaxing me” was such a huge inconvenience.

And I thought explaining anything to him was an inconvenience too.

Luckily, for once, I had finally opened my eyes.

When I returned to the classroom, Caleb noticed that I looked upset and insisted on taking me out to watch a performance.

When the show ended, we ran into Ryan, whose face was cold and tense.

He looked at Caleb, his expression dark.

I knew he had misunderstood.