Seven Years to Ash

Late at night, Nina called me. I glanced at the screen and hung up.

She immediately sent several messages in a row.

"Aren't you coming home tonight?"

"Where are you?"

"I bought you flowers and still could not find you! Didn't you say you wanted me to bring you flowers?"

So the roses really were not meant for me.

I turned off my phone and let out a mocking laugh. She was always like this: standing me up, then tossing me a piece of candy to placate me afterward.

Back when I loved her, even when she brushed me off this way, I would brainwash myself into believing she loved me.

Now, I did not want her anymore.

No one dies just because someone leaves. That was true for both Nina and me.

I stayed up gaming all night and slept straight through until three in the afternoon.

When I woke up, I saw Nina sitting in my chair. I was not surprised that she knew I was here. After all, aside from the dorm, I had nowhere else to go.

Hearing movement, she turned to look at me.

"What was wrong with you yesterday? You didn't answer your phone or reply to messages. You scared me. I thought something had happened to you!"

My throat felt dry. My expression was calm as I said, "I went to sleep early."

Nina choked on her words, her brows knitting tightly. She looked at me strangely. "What is wrong with you? Why are you so quiet today?"

True.

In the past, if she had come to see me on her own initiative, I would have been over the moon. I'd have dragged her along, eager to tell her everything that had happened over the past few days.

Now, all I had was silence.

She seemed to have forgotten what I said yesterday and conveniently forgotten the way she humiliated me in public.

Before I could speak, she continued, "Today is Rowan’s third anniversary since joining the team. He is treating everyone to dinner. Come on, let’s go together."

I had originally planned to make an excuse not to go, but we were teammates. If I did not show up, outsiders would start speculating. Besides, I wanted a chance to make it clear in front of everyone that Nina and I had broken up.

I nodded, got up to wash up, changed clothes, and went with her to the hotel.

When we arrived, I realized it was not just a small gathering of friends. There was a large group of Rowan’s fans as well. Instead of a third anniversary dinner he organized, it looked more like a fan meet-and-greet.

Before we even went in, I could hear the noisy clamor from inside.

Instinctively, I turned to look at Nina, but the person who had been standing beside me was already gone.

"Looking for Nina? Come with me."

Nina’s best friend, Rhea Nolan, appeared out of nowhere and led me straight up to a private dining room on the second floor.

Looking down, I immediately spotted the missing Nina.

She was on the stage, pushing out a large cake and holding a string of pink-and-white balloons as a surprise for Rowan.

Below, fans screamed nonstop, shouting for the two of them to get married on the spot, calling Nina "Rowan's girl". The noise was deafening.

Rhea raised an eyebrow and looked at me. "Don't you think they look perfect together?"

Bitterness rose in my throat.

They did.