From Heartbreak to True Love

On my birthday, the boy I had secretly loved for ten years kissed my best friend right in front of me and wished me eternal happiness.

1

"I'm sorry, Lynda. The three of us promised to be friends for life, but I ended up becoming a couple with Jackson." Allison Kirk held my hand, and her eyes sneaked a glance at Jackson Buckley who was standing outside the door.

"You understand how that feels, right?"

Today was my birthday, and both the boy I had secretly loved for ten years and my best friend came to celebrate with me.

After a few rounds of drinks, the two of them kissed right in front of me.

I suddenly felt nauseous and rushed to the bathroom, leaning over the toilet, retching. Allison followed me in, patting my back as she spoke.

I looked at her with tear-filled eyes, stunned and unable to respond.

I wanted to grab her shoulders and scream for her to repeat what she said, but Jackson was outside. I had to keep up my composed and ladylike demeanor because he once said he liked girls like that.

So, I nodded.

"That's great! I thought you'd mind! Lynda, happy birthday!" Allison's cheerful voice made me insanely jealous.

I pushed her out the door, saying I needed to wash my face, then turned on the faucet and cried under the cover of the running water.

If I had been brave enough to confess to Jackson, if I hadn't just called him a friend, would I be his girlfriend now?

If I told Allison about it that I really liked Jackson, that I had liked him for ten years, would she give him up for me?

But I didn't dare.

I didn't dare to confess, afraid of failure. I even had to cover my mouth while crying, afraid the two outside would hear.

When I first learned that Allison had a crush on the most popular guy in school, we became inseparable sisters out of shared feelings, and I brought her into my circle.

But who would have thought she and Jackson would become a couple?

For ten years, I injured myself making the seafood noodles he liked.

Knowing he liked fish, I pretended to love it too, getting fish bones stuck countless times.

To celebrate his birthday, I spent a month at a bakery just to make him a cake by hand.

But he found the cream too greasy and didn't even touch it.

He was always cold, rejecting girls who confessed to him without mercy.

Yet, he was somewhat gentle with me, but I didn't dare to gamble. If I lost, I wouldn't even have a friend left.

I thought that if I stayed around him for a long enough time, he would eventually be moved by me.

But then I realized his coldness was just because he hadn't met someone he liked.

I submerged my face in cold water until I almost suffocated before lifting my head. The person in the mirror looked completely miserable.

"Lynda, Allison went out to buy you some hangover remedy. Are you okay?"

A tall shadow appeared outside the door. I instinctively wiped my face and responded with a half-smile, "I'm fine, I'll be out soon."

I opened the door and met Jackson's eyes. "Congratulations! How come you didn't tell me about such a big thing?"

Jackson laughed, his eyes filled with happiness and excitement. "Didn't you say she liked Vance? I confessed to her yesterday, and she agreed. I was planning to tell you today. Lynda, you should be happy for me!"

I felt like the ground had been pulled out from under me.

Jackson didn't mind that Allison had liked someone else. How much must he have liked her?

I felt my heart being squeezed, making it hard to breathe.

As the wind battered the windows, the sky wept, and I cried along with it.

What good was my reluctance then? Jackson and I were truly over.

2

I slept until noon the next day, rubbing my dry eyes as I turned on my phone.

The tears I had managed to stop started falling again when I saw the familiar face on my wallpaper.

I didn't feel like eating or caring about my appearance anymore. With my hair a mess, I decided to go to the convenience store to buy some alcohol.

Drowning my sorrows in alcohol seemed like the only way out.

In a moment of carelessness, I was knocked over by a guy rushing in.

"Sorry!" He quickly grabbed me as I fell backward.

I looked down at the hand holding mine.

Realizing something, he exclaimed in surprise, "Lynda?"

I looked up and unexpectedly saw a familiar face-Vance Miller.

I had seen his photos countless times in Allison's hands, his secretly taken photos at events, his striking presence on social platforms.

But we shouldn't know each other.

"You know me?"

"Of course. When I play basketball, host events, or attend our major classes, don't you often show up?" He smiled warmly.

Oh, that was because I had been accompanying Allison!

"Don't get the wrong idea, I was just..."

Just been a bit silly.

I was too exhausted to explain.

"No misunderstanding. Why are your eyes red?" He asked with concern.

I shook my head, ready to leave. "It's nothing."

I didn't want to admit that my eyes were red from crying for too long. It was too embarrassing.

"Let me take you to the infirmary."

Hearing this made me uneasy. Was he doing this on purpose?

"No need." I awkwardly shook my head and turned to leave, wanting to run away.

Unexpectedly, he followed me. "If you're sick, you should get treated. Don't be afraid."

I was left speechless for a moment.

"I cried until my eyes were red! Do you understand?" I turned around and glared at him fiercely.

But as soon as I said it, I regretted it, wishing I could find a hole to crawl into out of embarrassment.

He chuckled, "I know, I just wanted to help you relax a bit."

Thanks, but I was really irritated then.

I rolled my eyes at him and turned to head back to the dorm.

He tugged at my sleeve. "Being alone will only make you sadder. Besides, drinking alone is no fun. Hey, want to go out and have some fun?"

He flashed his bright eyes, his lips curving into a smile. Before I could even react, he tossed a helmet over to me.

I instinctively caught it, still wanting to refuse, but he grabbed my arm and started walking forward, raising his other hand as if swearing, "I promise I won't take advantage of you."

If I had been resisting all along, I completely gave up when I saw the blue and gold Yamaha R1 parked under the tree.

I ran over, squatting down, my hands trembling with excitement, almost drooling. "Oh my gosh! It's so cool! I've dreamed of buying one. Are you rich? How long have you had it? Have you crashed it? Is it modified? The color is amazing. I didn't expect you to not only be handsome but also have great taste!"

Amidst my unrestrained squeals, Vance pressed the key of the motorcycle, and the headlights flashed a blood-red glow, like a demon thirsting for blood in the night.

I was over the moon!

"Please, take me for a ride!"

I clung to the back of the motorcycle.

"Aren't you supposed to hold onto me?"

He straddled the motorcycle, gesturing for me to put on the helmet.

I sat behind him, and suddenly he grabbed my hands, pressing them firmly against his waist. "Hold tight, or I won't be responsible if you fall."

He wasn't a meek person.

He was just like a wolf!

I was thrilled, yelling with excitement as we zoomed through the streets. I had no idea how far he took me. We crossed the sea bridge, overtook the city's light rail, and raced with others in the suburbs.

His riding skills were top-notch, smooth and steady, thrilling yet reassuring.

It wasn't until dusk that he brought me back to the dormitory.

In the sunset, he took off his helmet, raised his phone, his forehead damp with sweat, making his smile even more youthful and carefree. "Feeling better? Mind if I add you on WhatsApp?"

I thanked him with a smile, immediately pulling out my phone to add him as a friend.

Back in the dorm, Allison wasn't there. Apparently, she went on a date with Jackson.

It was perfect. Good riddance.

After washing up, I lay on my bed, opened my social media, and saw Vance had posted a photo of the sea bridge at sunset with the caption: "Meeting you, I'm grateful for today's good weather."

Did he meet someone else after we parted?

I liked the post casually and continued scrolling when suddenly a new message popped up. It was from Vance, "Hey, how old are you?"

What?

That was a bit too sudden, wasn't it?

Images of me holding onto his waist tightly all day flashed through my mind, and I blushed.

I replied, "March 2001."

After a while, Vance sent another message, "I was born on June 21st. Can we be sister and brother?"

Vance wanted to be my brother?

The campus heartthrob wanted to be my brother?

I was instantly wide awake, sitting up straight, and sent an emoji of a laughing face.

After a while, he sent another message, "Lynda, want to hang out again tomorrow?"

After that message was a pleading emoji with a pitiful look.

Oh, my heart was melting.