Back then, I truly saw Arden as a buddy. I even asked if I really wasn’t worthy of Calliope.
But Arden only curved his lips and said, “How could that be? Though you really aren’t bright like others, Calliope doesn’t mind.”
“Oh, and she wants you to go to the amusement park this weekend. She’s too timid to say it, so she asked me instead. Don’t skip it.”
Even though what we shared was an unspoken love, that would have been our first day out like that.
That day after class, I left ahead of time. Even under heavy rain, I still went far to a mall to pick a present for her.
I chose a bottle of perfume.
The salesgirl asked whether it was for my girlfriend. I couldn’t stop the small smile and nodded.
Girlfriend
It was the first time someone called her that.
When amusement-park day came, I dressed up a bit. While standing at the gate, I wondered if I was doing too much.
But I waited until dark, and she still didn’t come.
My texts sank like pebbles into deep water.
My heart collapsed. I only feared she had met trouble.
It was too dim, and on the road back, I slipped and fell into dirty mud.
My neat white shirt became smeared with dirt. The scent I bought for her flew from my hand, too.