Chapter 1I Stopped Loving You Years Ago

At the graduation ceremony, the girl I grew up with confessed her love to me in front of everyone.

The crowd erupted in cheers and whistles.

I was the only one who looked completely lost. “But… I already have a girlfriend.”

The entire auditorium fell silent.

Sophie’s eyes instantly welled with tears.

“Ethan,” she choked out, her voice trembling. “Haven’t you been in love with me for years?”

* * *

The giant screen behind the stage was playing a slideshow of photos of me and Sophie.

A timeline of our lives, from diapers to dorm rooms, some of just her, some of just me, but mostly of us together.

The backing track was “Wonderwall” by Oasis.

You could tell she had planned this meticulously.

She was on stage as the valedictorian, the star of the show. Halfway through what was supposed to be a perfectly normal speech, it turned into this. A public declaration of love.

Under the watch of thousands, the silence was deafening.

My roommate, Mark, nudged me hard in the ribs.

“Dude, haven’t you been obsessed with Sophie for, like, ever?” he hissed.

“This is your shot. Don’t blow this because you’re trying to be difficult.”

His words just made me more confused.

It was true, I’d had a massive crush on Sophie.

But hadn’t she always been disgusted by me?

She told me to stop following her around like some “pathetic, spineless puppy.”

She told me that even if every other man on the planet dropped dead, she would never, ever choose me.

So, I’d given up on her a long, long time ago.