But I already had no hope left.
I ran back home as fast as I could and shut myself in my room for the entire day.
After that, I no longer talked to her.
I drowned myself in schoolwork, wanting only to escape this place as soon as I could.
I still kept in mind how, when we first entered high school, I once told Calliope that I would for sure study at the same University as her.
But now, I only wanted to get as far away from her as life allowed.
During the whole second half of senior year, we didn’t exchange even a single sentence.
After the college entrance exam, Calliope came to see me.
She stood at my door carrying a bunch of jasmine blooms.
“Rayne, I spoke too harshly before. Can you let it go?”
“I still don’t want us apart. I’m giving you jasmine, don’t leave me, Rayne.’”
She swore that she would never let anyone hurt me again, that I would always come first in her heart. And in the end, I softened.
We planned to head to the same city.
While filling out the application, we sat shoulder to shoulder.
We both chose schools in the capital.
She picked Hanford University, and I picked an art institute.
I thought maybe we could keep living happily like before. But I was wrong.