The couple’s mugs on the table? They were something he promised to buy for Alanna. The cushions on the couch? They were Alanna’s favorite pattern. The gardenias in the corner? It was Alanna’s favorite flower. Even my toiletries were the same brand Alanna had always used.
I used to think Derick loved me so much that he cared for me in every possible way. But now I realized that all this time, he had only been loving me as if I were Alanna.
I shook my head silently.
If everything belongs to someone else, I might as well leave it all behind.
As I was gathering my documents for leaving the country, Derick came home. He looked exhausted with dark circles under his eyes, his whole body weighed down by fatigue.
Instinctively, he pulled me into his arms, resting his head on my shoulder.
“Skye, what are you looking for?” he asked softly.
“My passport,” I replied without much thought.
Before I could figure out how to explain, he straightened up, went to a drawer, and handed it to me.
“Silly girl, I always keep your things organized. Here.”
In Derick’s mind, I was supposed to stay by his side forever, so it had never occurred to him that I might leave.
I placed the passport into a folder, gently patting his hand.
“You’re already so busy. I feel bad making you help me even more.”
He closed his eyes and buried his face in the crook of my neck, murmuring, “It’s okay. I like doing things for you.”
I smiled faintly, looking at the reflection of this devoted man in the mirror.
Seven years of feelings deserved a proper goodbye. The beginning should always had an end.
“Derick, can you come to my graduation ceremony tomorrow?”
His hands loosened from around my waist, and then, in a sudden move, he pinned me against the dresser.
“Of course. I’ll take you there tomorrow morning,” he replied, his voice filled with affection.
Before I could respond, he leaned in to kiss me.
But I skillfully slipped out of his arms, laughing playfully. “Wait, let me take a shower first.”
Knowing Derick didn’t love me, there was no point in indulging his tenderness any longer.
By the time I came out of the bathroom, he was already fast asleep, snoring loudly. It seemed planning for Alanna’s return had completely drained him.
The next morning, Derick was up early.
When I was ready, I found the breakfast table covered with all my favorite dishes.