Chapter 3

Selene had a faint smile on her face, as if she were waiting to watch the drama unfold. She was waiting for me to lose my cool like I had done in the past. Indeed, I had countless meltdowns because of their relationship before this. On our anniversary, Selene had gotten David to leave me with just a phone call, all because she didn't want to pull an all-nighter preparing for a presentation, and she wanted him to do it for her. When I got a high fever and was hospitalized with pneumonia, she said she was afraid of the dark because of the blackouts. He chose to stay with her then too. During a thunderstorm one night, he got so worried just because she texted him back late that he went out to look for her. In the end, they shared a bottle of wine and chatted through the night under the same covers. I had questioned him hysterically and tried to make him stay, swallowing every last bit of my pride. But he always replied to me indifferently, saying, "Knock it off." David had come up with all kinds of reasons not to come to this restaurant with me, when in reality, it was because the woman he wanted to take a photo with wasn't me. A truth like that would've been enough to break me in the past. But at that moment, it was already clear to me that someone who didn't care about me would never see my pain. He would only think that I was making a scene. I looked at them calmly and asked, "What are you looking at me for? Do you need me to help you take the photo?" David was stunned. Yet the hint of embarrassment in his eyes soon turned into anger. "Darina, did you follow us here? What's with that sarcastic tone? You were the one who willfully asked for a breakup. I offered you an olive branch, but you refused. I was feeling frustrated, so I came out to have dinner with an old friend and take some photos. What's wrong with that? "Do you know that keeping such a close eye on me makes me feel suffocated, and it'll only push me further and further away from you?" It was rare for him to say so much to me in one breath. It couldn't be because he cared or was concerned about me. He must have just been feeling guilty. But it didn't matter anymore. "I'm just here for dinner. Besides, we've already broken up. What you guys do is none of my business," I said calmly. Selene raised an eyebrow slightly. Clearly, she hadn't expected me to react like this. "Dari, don't say things out of spite," she said with an unhurried tone. "I said I didn't have an appetite today. That's why David spent the whole day with me. But don't overthink it. We're just friends." She had always been a two-faced snake. I never understood it in the past. She didn't want to accept David, but she spent so much time stringing him along. What was the point in that? But since this was no longer my business, I had no interest in getting to the bottom of it anymore. Ignoring them, I sat down at an empty spot with my back to them instead and looked at the menu. In the past, I probably would've burst into tears and run out the door in a complete mess after bumping into them. But I wasn't the one who had done something wrong. All I wanted to do was have dinner at a place that I had wanted to go to for a long time. Now that I didn't need to accommodate someone else, I ordered all the dishes I loved. As the dishes were served one after another, I thanked my lucky stars that I hadn't missed out on such tasty food because of people who had nothing to do with me. I couldn't see them, but I could hear them loud and clear. "Since when have you become so bad at consoling someone? I remember you were the best at it." I heard a familiar smack, and I could tell Selene had playfully hit David's arm. She continued, "After I failed my math test in eighth grade, a stalk of lilies, my favorite, appeared on my desk every day. I only found out later that you were the one who left them there to comfort me. "When I was nervous about my finals in ninth grade, you copied all kinds of famous quotes for me. You said not only could that motivate me, but that could also help me improve my essay grades. "When I was a high school senior, you brought me breakfast and walked me home every single day, rain or shine. And you set your alarm at midnight just to snag limited-edition merch for me. Why can't you just have a bit of patience toward your girlfriend?" Selene clearly knew the answer, yet she still asked. She couldn't hide the sense of superiority dripping from every word she uttered. David fell silent for a moment before he said sulkily, "How could she possibly compare to you?" I ate my food as if nothing had happened, though the spice nearly brought tears to my eyes. We had spent seven years together, and that was all I got in return. I had doubted myself countless times, reflecting on myself to figure out if he didn't love me because I wasn't good enough. It turned out it was truly not my fault. He had long given his true, passionate feelings to someone else, and he was still hung up on her. As for me, it was time I finally got over him.