As the flames roared to life, her long-suppressed anger and sorrow seemed to dissolve into the heat of the fire.
By the time everything had nearly burned away, Cedric’s call had interrupted the moment.
Dione hesitated for a few seconds before answering.
“Dione, you’re not mad, right? Ophelia twisted her foot; it was badly swollen. I just took her to the hospital.”
“You know, she was in a car accident a few days ago…”
Dione had heard enough. She didn’t want to listen to another word about Ophelia, so she cut him off.
“Cedric, I just want to eat instant noodles.”
On the other end of the phone, Cedric paused, his confusion evident. “What? Instant noodles?”
“Yes, do you remember when we first arrived in Cedar Ridge? We shared a packet, savoring every bite. There were times when we didn’t have much, so we’d share, pretending we weren’t hungry just to let the other have more.”
Dione’s voice trembled as she recalled those simpler days, and tears began to fall unbidden.
“Dione, what’s wrong?”
The noise on his end of the call was growing louder, and Dione wiped away her tears, trying to steady her breath.
“There’s so much noise on your end. Where are you?”
She took several deep breaths, forcing the sobs to stay hidden. “I just really want instant noodles. Can you bring a packet back with you?”
Before Cedric could respond, Ophelia’s voice burst through, urgent and frantic.
“Cedric, I’m bleeding! Please call a doctor!”
Cedric’s tone shifted as he spoke, trying to reassure Dione while attending to Ophelia.
“Stay at home, Dione. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
The line went silent as Dione heard the faint sound of the call disconnect.
Dione’s face was etched with helplessness, her tears clouding her vision. She inhaled deeply, her gaze lifting to the sky, as if seeking solace in its vastness.
“Cedric, you missed our last chance to meet.”
