Chapter 9

I'd deliberately stopped paying attention to Evan for some time, so hearing about him again felt somewhat surreal. "Is that so? That's pretty great," I said. "There's no chance of him and I being together, but I still wish him well." "Honestly, there's no hope for you," my friend said. "Come on—I'm doing pretty well. I'm happy, too." I added, "If you're serious about switching jobs, why don't you join me and become a content creator? I have a fanbase now; I can help increase your viewership…" "I'll come to you when I'm really out of options. I'm just calling you to tell you not to worry about him anymore. In fact, stop thinking about him from now on," she said. The call was unnecessary, really. I doubted I would ever stop thinking about Evan. Still, I was prepared for the prospect of never seeing him or hearing about him for the rest of my life. I didn't seem smart, but I really was. I would never hold out hope for people or things that would sadden or disappoint me—just like how