Everyone Thought We’d Get Married—Until I Walked Away

Everyone in our hometown believed Mia and I would get married.

Our mothers had planned the wedding. Our neighbors were waiting for invitations. And for years, I stayed exactly where Mia expected me to—until she left our dinner to spend the night caring for another man.

She told me not to overthink it.

So I didn’t.

I canceled the wedding plans, moved out, and gave her the freedom she had always acted like she wanted.

That was when Mia finally panicked.

She thought I was punishing her. She never understood that I wasn’t trying to make her come back.

I was learning how to leave.

-- - -- - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - -- - - - - - - - - -- - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - -At nine At nine that night, the barbecue place at the end of the old street had just changed its charcoal. The coals glowed red under the grill, and the air smelled of cumin, smoke, and beer.

Caleb Gao and I sat at the table against the wall. Two bottles of beer stood between us, along with a plate of edamame and the peanuts the owner had thrown in for free.

Mia sat on my right. Her head was down, and her thumbs moved across her phone so fast it looked like she was fighting with the screen.

I didn't ask who she was texting. I only reached for the kettle and poured her half a glass of warm water.

She didn't even look at it. She flipped her phone facedown and stood up.

"I'm going out for a bit. Zach has a stomachache. He's crouching downstairs at his apartment. I'm bringing him medicine."

Before I could answer, her phone buzzed again. A notification flashed across the top of the screen.

Zach Zhou: Hurry. I feel like I'm dying.

Mia swiped it away fast and looked at me.

"Don't look at me like that. It's an emergency."

Caleb made a soft sound through his teeth. He didn't speak, but he looked at me.

My chopsticks stopped over the peanuts.

"He doesn't have hands?"

Mia frowned. "Don't be sarcastic. He really feels awful."

"Okay."

"What does that mean?"

"Nothing." I put the peanut in my mouth. "Drive safe."

She grabbed her bag and left. Halfway to the door, she turned back.

"Don't overthink it. I'll be back soon."

I nodded. "Go."

As soon as she was gone, Caleb set down his glass.

"Man, your reaction is scaring me."

"What reaction was I supposed to have?"

"You two are practically halfway to a marriage license in everybody's eyes. She runs to another man's apartment at night, and you tell her to drive safe?"

I smiled without looking up.

"She's my childhood friend. I never said I had to marry her."

Caleb stared at me.

I added, "And we never confessed to each other. She's not even my girlfriend."

He watched me for three seconds, then cursed under his breath. "That's cold."

I didn't answer. I lifted my bottle and tapped it against his glass.

"Drink."

After a few bottles, a voice message came through.

Zach had sent it with the speaker on. Mia's voice was in the background.

"The medicine is on the table. Drink the congee first."

Then came Zach's lazy, smug reply.

"Sure. I'll listen to you."

At ten-thirty, he sent me a photo.

Mia stood in his kitchen wearing an apron, holding a bowl of congee. Zach sat at the dining table and flashed a peace sign at the camera.

His caption read: Your childhood friend cooks pretty well. Borrowing her for the night.

I looked at it, took a screenshot, and felt nothing dramatic at all.

Caleb leaned over, saw the photo, and nearly spat out his beer.

"This guy has no fear."

"I don't know about fear." I locked my phone. "But he has no shame."

"You're not going over there?"

"For what? To drag back someone who chose to go?"

Caleb opened his mouth and shut it again.

The owner brought over another plate of skewers. The meat was hot enough to burn my tongue. I ate slowly and drank the rest of my beer.

My phone stayed quiet after that. Mia didn't come back.

Near midnight, Caleb paid the bill before I could stop him. Outside, the street lamps made the wet pavement look yellow. He walked with me to the parking lot and kept glancing at my face.

"Evan," he said, "are you actually fine?"

I looked toward the old street, where every shop owner knew both our families and every auntie thought she had the right to ask when the wedding would be.

"No," I said. "But I'm not going to keep pretending this is normal."

"For what? To drag back someone who chose to go?"

Caleb opened his mouth and shut it again.

The owner brought over another plate of skewers. The meat was hot enough to burn my tongue. I ate slowly and drank the rest of my beer.

My phone stayed quiet after that. Mia didn't come back.

Near midnight, Caleb paid the bill before I could stop him. Outside, the street lamps made the wet pavement look yellow. He walked with me to the parking lot and kept glancing at my face.

"Evan," he said, "are you actually fine?"

I looked toward the old street, where every shop owner knew both our families and every auntie thought she had the right to ask when the wedding would be.

"No," I said. "But I'm not going to keep pretending this is normal."