Chapter 3My Childhood Sweetheart Killed My Cat for His "Girl Best Friend"

I stared blankly for a good while before clicking in to message Liam.

"You didn't go home?"

He didn't reply immediately.

I sat on the couch, Mochi curled up next to me fast asleep.

I absently rubbed his head until my phone vibrated. The boundless emotions in my heart seemed to suddenly solidify into a tangible shape.

"Emily called me on the way back, said she wanted to take photos of the snowy night. So I dropped the camera off to her. I'm home now."

He replied to me, "Why aren't you asleep yet?"

"Waiting for your message."

Then Liam voice-called me directly.

"May, it's getting late, you should sleep. Your heart condition isn't great, don't stay up late."

Unsure if it was the connection, but his voice sounded slightly raspy.

I fell silent for a moment. "...Have you been drinking?"

"Drank a little. I was out shooting the snow with Emily earlier. She was hyped, ran and bought some beer, but couldn't finish hers, so I had to—"

He stopped abruptly, as if realizing he'd slipped up.

The atmosphere went dead silent, quiet enough to hear each other breathing. After a moment, I whispered:

"Liam, I feel like I don't know you anymore."

The phone hung up. I returned to the bedroom, lay on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.

My brain kept replaying the scene in the car earlier today.

Emily was so natural when she picked up the drink Liam had sipped from, as if she had done it countless times before.

This semester, Liam and I only saw each other that one time at Thanksgiving.

And in the countless conversations before that, he had never mentioned this person to me.

There was movement outside the door. Footsteps approaching, then a knock: "May, are you asleep?"

"..."

After coming in, Liam said, "I deleted the Story."

"That beer... I didn't drink from the same can as her. I asked the clerk for a paper cup."

"I already told Emily. She came just to see the snow, now she's seen it, and it's almost Christmas. Told her to head home early."

He said so much in one breath, but I still had no reaction, just silently kneading the plush toy in my hands.

That was also one of the gifts Liam gave me for my birthday many years ago.

After a long while, I finally spoke: "Can you delete her?"

"Yes."

Liam agreed without hesitation.

He took out his phone, deleted Emily as a friend right in front of me, then sat on the edge of the bed and gently held me.

"Babe, don't be mad." He said, "I looked forward for so long to seeing you today. Just hang in there for another year—one more year and I'll be back for good."

He very rarely called me that; his voice was incredibly gentle.

My heart softened instantly.

For the rest of the winter break, I was almost glued to Liam's side.

The distance caused by being apart disappeared bit by bit.

After school started again, because I had to begin studying for grad school entrance exams, I had to reduce the frequency of chatting with Liam.

Several times, I’d leave FaceTime on while I studied or did practice problems on my end. Whenever I looked up, I’d see him staring intently at me.

In April, for Liam’s birthday, I specifically requested time off from classes and flew out East to surprise him.

I didn't tell Liam before going.

So, when I stood at the south entrance of his campus, phone out to message him, I ran straight into Liam, camera around his neck, laughing and talking.

With Emily.

We both froze on the spot.