And Calliope answered without a pause, “I know.”
Then came the sound of Arden confessing. And Calliope did not reject him.
She once clearly told me she would trust me fully, never hurt me for someone else again.
But why, when I reached the turning point of my life, did she toss me aside once more?
That recording became the last load that broke me.
I threw my phone away at once and let out a broken scream.
Many days later, I finally made up my mind to move on.
Even if others harmed me, I still had to keep living.
I wanted to repeat the year and begin again.
I never thought of quitting on myself.
But I never saw it coming. Something happened to my mom.
After I failed my application, my parents never smiled again.
My mom, nervous day after day, ran around trying to win fairness for me.
But after getting another refusal, in a haze, she was struck by a speeding car.
When I got to the hospital, she was already unconscious.
The doctor said the chance of her waking up again was extremely low.
My world sank into darkness one more time.
What hurt me most was that during all this, Calliope never came to visit my mom.
Even though she was the daughter, my parents cared for her like their own.
In the deepest pain, I cut my wrist.
I thought maybe this way, I could end my painful and lost life.
But fate didn’t give me that escape.
I didn’t die as I expected. I slept for a long stretch, and when I opened my eyes, I saw my dad’s worried face.
Though I was only unconscious for one day, he looked like he had grown ten years older in one night.
I understood then that I needed to grow up.
After that day, I erased all contacts with Calliope and Arden.
Calliope got into Hanford University, and even though Arden’s grades were lower, he still went to a college in Palmer.
She really reached the place she wished for, only with another person beside her.
Because my mom’s treatment costs too much, I didn’t want my home to carry more weight.
So I chose not to repeat senior year. Instead, I picked up the paintbrush I was skilled with.
Life was rough in the beginning, but later, it slowly got better.
While clearing my drawings today, I noticed that five years had gone by.
Just then, I got a call.
It was the buyer who bought my artwork last week.
When I picked up, a voice I knew too well came through.
On the line, Calliope said, “Hi, I came to take the painting. I’m already at the door.”
