Chapter 5
Hazel's POV
The day after graduation, I received an unexpected phone call.
"Hazel? This is Peter from Thompson Engineering. I heard you're going to Northwestern for engineering? We'd like to invite you to be our summer intern."
I could hardly believe my ears. Thompson Engineering was the largest engineering consulting firm in our state. Getting an internship there was a dream opportunity for any engineering student.
"Really?" I tried to control the excitement in my voice.
"Absolutely. We got a strong recommendation from your high school teacher. He said you're one of the most talented students he's ever seen."
After hanging up, I was so excited I nearly jumped for joy.
This is AMAZING!
The following week, I started my internship at Thompson Engineering.
The modern office building, professional engineering software, complex architectural blueprints—everything thrilled me.
"Hazel, you're a fast learner," my mentor Michael said. "You have an engineer's instincts. Your structural analysis on this project is excellent."
Hearing such praise filled me with unprecedented satisfaction.
I really do have talent. I really can shine in my field.
While I buried myself in work, Brent's summer was completely different.
He and Sienna formed a group with several other friends, organizing activities almost every weekend. Music festivals, beach parties, amusement parks, picnics—their lives were as perfect as scenes from a teen movie.
Though Brent repeatedly invited me to these events, I declined, citing my busy internship. Truth was, I just didn't want to watch them being all lovey-dovey anymore.
I learned about their colorful social life through social media.
During lunch break, I habitually opened Instagram and saw Brent's latest post.
A group photo from a music festival. Jake, Sienna, and several other classmates. Everyone looked happy, Brent standing beside Sienna. Though there were no overly intimate gestures, their chemistry was obvious.
The caption read: "Best friends, best summer! Music festival was EPIC!"
The post had over a dozen comments:
"You guys look so happy!"
"So jealous, I want to go to a music festival too!"
"Brent and Sienna are such a cute couple~"
"When's the official announcement?"
Reading the last two comments, my heart skipped slightly.
Official announcement? I laughed coldly. Seems everyone can see their not-so-subtle romance.
I scrolled down to see more photos from their group. Beach barbecues, amusement park adventures, picnic gatherings... every photo radiated youthful joy.
But I noticed that in all these photos, no one had asked where I was.
Maybe in their minds, I was never an essential part of this group.
That evening, while organizing my internship notes in my room, my phone lit up.
An Instagram DM notification.
Sender: Brent
I paused. We hadn't contacted each other directly since graduation.
Opening the message, it was a simple greeting: "Hey, how's it going?"
I stared at the message for a long time.
Guilty conscience? Or just habitual concern?
After thinking, I replied: "Pretty good."
A few minutes later, he sent another message: "Heard you're interning at an engineering company? That's awesome! I'd love to chat about work stuff."
Work. I almost laughed out loud. Now you want to talk about work with me?
"Yeah, learning a lot. Your summer vacation looks pretty exciting."
My reply carried a hint of sarcasm, but he seemed oblivious.
"Yeah, it's fun hanging with friends. But I feel like something's missing... Hazel, why don't you join our gatherings? Everyone misses you."
Misses me? Looking at this message, complex emotions surged through me.
"I'm busy. The internship is fulfilling."
Then I put down my phone and didn't respond to any more of his messages.
July passed quickly. In August, colleges began freshman orientation.
And I was still continuing my internship at Thompson, since Northwestern's orientation was a week later than Michigan State's.
This one-week difference gave me the chance to witness quite a show.
August 15th, Michigan State University orientation day.
Brent excitedly packed his bags, ready to start college life. After arriving at Michigan State, his first priority was finding me everywhere.
In his imagination, I should already be settled in my dorm, waiting to reunite with an old friend.
But when he asked every classmate who might know me, the answer was always the same:
"Hazel Martinez? Never heard of her."
"She's not at our school."
Finally, our high school classmate Jane delivered the fatal blow:
"Brent, don't you know? Hazel went to Northwestern. She never planned to come to Michigan State."
