The Wedding of the Dreamy Beloved

I'll never forget the first time I met Summer; it was right in Matt's office.

Though I was on the mend, I still needed some downtime, so after half a year at the wellness center, my first stop back in Northside was a surprise visit to Matt.

I swung open the door to Matt's office to find a girl crying her eyes out while Matt looked like he was at his wit's end.

The creaking door caught their attention. Matt's face broke into a smile when he saw me, then quickly turned to panic as he snapped at the girl, "Aren't you gone yet?"

She kept her head down, avoiding my gaze, as she walked past me, her scent of rose perfume trailing behind her. It didn't take me a second to realize it was Summer.

Once Summer was gone, Matt seemed to breathe easier. "Ava, you're back! Weren't you due back tomorrow?"

As Matt approached, the wrinkles in his suit and the faint smell of roses became noticeable.

I recoiled slightly, "I missed you, so I came back early. That was Summer just now, wasn't it?"

Matt paused, then decided not to hide it. "Yes, but you won't be seeing her again. I've just had her resign."

I hugged Matt, trying to overlay his scent with mine, murmuring a soft "Okay."

I had once hoped Summer could look after Matt in my absence, but now I wanted to erase all traces of her. The way Matt had looked at her in that photo chilled me to the bone.

Just like that, Summer was erased from Matt's company. Our friends all sent their well-wishes for my recovery and our rekindled romance, never mentioning Summer again—as if she'd never existed.

But if she had really left before I got back, why then would Matt have called off our wedding for her?

When I arrived home, Dad and Jack immediately checked on me. Hearing I had fainted, Jack raged, "That jerk Matt hasn't come back to his house yet, no clue where he's run off to. Don't worry, Ava, I'll set him straight as soon as I find him."

Mom and I exchanged looks; it seemed Matt had kept his hospital visit from his family. Worrying Jack might do something rash, we kept silent, and Mom suggested I rest.

My room was spotless, all signs of the morning's wedding prep gone, yet Matt's presence was everywhere.

The mug I used was made by Matt, crafted from a series of failed attempts, with our initials engraved on it. I can still recall how proud he was when he handed it to me: "Ava, as long as you have this mug, we're together for life."

Funny, isn't it? Porcelain just shatters when dropped. How could it last a lifetime?

Most of the stuffed animals in my room were prizes from our arcade claw machine adventures.

Matt was a claw machine wizard. We'd snagged ninety-nine toys, swearing to make it last forever. Sadly, those promises fizzled out like soap bubbles.

I found my phone dead. After charging it, I saw numerous missed calls—from friends, family, and Matt.

Matt's message was just a terse text: [Ava, I'm sorry.]

Matt's cruelty was clear; he betrayed me without even a reason.

The pain swept over me again and worn out, I closed my eyes and drifted off into a restless sleep, filled with nightmares.

My dream swirled with sweet memories of times with Matt, interspersed with Summer's timid face and Matt pushing me aside to go to her. It ended on my birthday a year ago, with Matt getting a call and rushing out saying it was urgent. That same heart-shaped icon next to today's call—it was the same number.

I woke up with a start, my heart pounding.