Chapter 2

I thought that hitting "block permanently" would erase Daniel from my world completely.

But in the high school social circle during graduation season, that idea was way too naive.

Just an hour later, not wanting to ruin my friends' senior dinner, I dragged myself to the diner we always hung out at.

I deliberately squeezed into the corner seat of the booth, thinking this was my absolute safe zone where I could avoid him.

Until halfway through the meal, a girl at the table suddenly gasped at her phone, nearly knocking over her Coke.

"Oh my god, Harper made it official?"

She turned her phone around and shoved it to the center of the table.

On the screen was a Snapchat story Harper had just posted.

Two movie tickets, with a caption of just one word: [Official.]

At the edge of the photo, a guy's wrist was casually visible.

On that wrist was a black scrunchie.

I stared at that scrunchie, my eyes suddenly burning.

Not because I was still holding out hope, but because I felt sorry for the version of myself who had once begged him so pathetically.

It was how guys made it official in high school, a way of claiming their girlfriend.

I used to pester Daniel to wear one, telling him it would make things feel real, but he'd scoffed at it, thinking it was some silly little-girl trick. He refused every single time.

But recently, he'd suddenly started wearing one.

I'd secretly been happy about it, thinking he'd finally caved.

Now it seemed so ironic.

The girls in the booth were already huddled around the screen, gossiping excitedly.

"This is definitely a hard launch, right? Who's the guy? Is he from our school?"

"Hasn't she been inseparable from Daniel? I always thought they were a thing!"

Listening to all this, I spoke calmly.

"It's Daniel."

They froze for a moment, then looked up at me in unison.

"Evelyn, why are your eyes so red?"

I looked down and picked up a Buffalo wing dripping with sauce, taking a bite.

"The hot sauce is too strong."

Just as I finished speaking, the diner's front door swung open.

Daniel and Harper walked in, one after the other.

Harper's Goyard tote hung from his shoulder, and he was casually carrying her varsity jacket in his hand.

There were plenty of empty seats near the entrance, but his eyes swept across the room and he walked straight toward my booth, wedging himself into the seat right beside me.

A server came up to ask what they wanted to order.

Harper glanced at the menu, her smile sweet. "The appetizer sampler seems like a better deal. Let's just get that."

Several people at the table immediately started teasing them.

"Daniel, come clean—we knew you two had something going on!"

Hearing the teasing, Daniel smiled without any hesitation.

"Perfect timing then. Let's all share it."

He acted so natural and open about it, so open that it felt like all that awkwardness and the cold war between us had been nothing but my own delusion.

Our classmates couldn't help but press him further.

"Are you seriously together with Harper now?"

Daniel glanced at the Snapchat story and let out a low laugh.

"That? She was joking. She just meant going to the movies together was 'official.'"

He leaned back in his seat, his gaze drifting past everyone else to land on me, with a hint of amusement. "You didn't actually buy that, did you?"

Harper's cheeks flushed pink as she looked down without contradicting him.

The booth grew even livelier, but I was frozen, staring at the faint shimmer of lip gloss on his mouth, lip gloss that wasn't his.

Daniel sat down beside me, his hand naturally reaching under the table to hold my fingers like he used to.

I jerked my hand back, avoiding him.

His movement froze in midair, and his expression instantly turned cold.

He pulled his hand back and shifted closer to Harper's side instead.

Their arms pressed tightly together, and Harper's smile grew even sweeter.

Throughout the entire meal, every conversation revolved around him and Harper.

Someone joked that these two geniuses were heading to Boston together, and being a power couple at the Ivies was basically already written for them.

I sat at the innermost part of the booth, like I was just there to fill a seat.

I wanted to leave, but Daniel was sitting in the aisle seat, blocking my way like a wall.

All I could do was stare down at the fries on my plate, my stomach cramping in waves.

When the food came, Harper complained that her long hair kept falling in her face.

Daniel didn't say anything. Instead, he smoothly slipped the black scrunchie off his wrist, gathered her hair, and tied it into a ponytail for her.

His movements were so practiced it was chilling, like he'd done it a hundred times before.

I watched his hands, remembering my own past pleading.

Back then he'd said, "Evelyn, don't bother me with this silly little-girl stuff."

Harper reached for the Coke on the table, full of ice, and was about to take a sip when Daniel was already frowning and snatching it away.

"You popped two Midols half an hour ago. Don't drink ice-cold soda right now, your stomach can't handle that."

The whole table froze for a second, then erupted into deafening teasing.

"Wow, he even remembers when you took your meds!"

"And you still say there's nothing going on?"

Harper turned bright red and lightly swatted his shoulder.

Daniel laughed along, then turned his head as if only just remembering I was still sitting there.

"Your face is really red. Did the hot sauce get to you?"

He casually pushed the ice-cold Coke in front of me, condensation already leaving a wet trail on the table.

"Have some, it'll help."

I looked down at that glass of ice water and gave a twisted smile.

For a moment, I honestly didn't know whether I should cry or laugh.

Today was also the first day of my period.

I'd had severe cramps since I was young. Once they started, my whole body would go cold, and anything icy was absolute torture.

The old Daniel used to remember.

He'd set recurring reminders in his phone calendar and even bought painkillers ahead of time to keep in his bag. He'd never missed a single time.

But this time, he'd completely forgotten.