Page 129 of From Me to You

I reluctantly nodded. I knew she wasn’t telling me the whole truth. But at least she told me something.

“Are you doing okay? Are you excited for college?”

I hadn’t even thought about college. Yale. I was going to Yale in a few weeks. My dream college, but I felt zero ounce of excitement.

“I am doing fine, Aunty M.” I smiled at her.

“Why don’t we go to the mall today? We can buy some clothes for college.” She clapped excitedly.

Today was her day off, and I just couldn’t say no to her when she asked me like that. God, I loved her too much. I wouldn’t know what I would do without her.

I nodded with a small smile on my face.

“I love it. You look so pretty.” Aunty M beamed at me. I had tried on a pink summer dress. My favorite color before I even met him, but somehow it reminded me of him. We had been at the mall for well over an hour now. I had tried on so many clothes that I was exhausted. My body didn’t feel like it once used to. It was weary and weak. I didn’t know if I would ever be strong again.

“Yeah,” I mumbled.

We had about six bags full of clothes before we finally left the mall and somehow ended up on the beach, starting at the ocean. It reminded me of when I used to endlessly stare at the ocean in Santa Monica like it was my day job.

I hugged Aunty M from the side and placed my head on her shoulder. I sank into her soft warmth. She smelled like roses. It reminded me of Grandma’s little flower garden.

She stroked my hand while we gazed at the gentle, rhythmic lull of the ocean.

“Evy, honey. I know you are struggling. I know you still love him, and I know you will always love him.” She sighed. “But sometimes things don’t work out. I trust that you would have only made the right choice. I won’t say things will get easier because sometimes they never do. But maybe it will all get better one day.”

She locked her warm brown eyes with mine— it was exactly the shade of mine but only a lot lighter. “I love you, honey. No matter what. And I will always be there for you, so you don’t ever have to worry.”

I smiled. I kissed her cheek and said, “I love you, Aunty M.”

CHAPTER 26

I woke up with a start. My heart thudded in my chest. Something was wrong. So very wrong. I could feel it in my bones.

My mind immediately went to Jay. It had been three weeks since I left him. During which, it looked like he was having the time of his life while I was barely living.

I opened my phone to check the latest news on him. I sighed in relief. He was fine. Jay was photographed having brunch with a bunch of people from the label, and White was sitting next to him. He looked toward her with a small smile. It was the first smile I had seen on his face since that night, and it was for her. That smile didn’t reach his eyes, though. I knew how he actually smiled.

That made me feel a bit better, but the jealousy still coursed through my body. I hated it. I was supposed to be with him. That was my man. Not anymore, though. My lips wobbled as I thought of his last words to me. I never want to see your face again, he said. It constantly echoed in the back of my mind, drilling the pain even further.

I sighed as I got out of bed. And something pulled my chain and snapped it. Ouch. The ‘J’ pendant went tumbling down on the floor.

My heart sank as I watched—my chain broke. The same fear that I woke up with came back tenfold. Something definitely felt wrong.

I examined the clasp on my necklace. It was completely broken. I picked up the ‘J’ and looped it through another longer chain of mine. I also removed my ring and looped it. There, now, they both rested on my heart, where they belonged.

I went into the kitchen to make some coffee. Liam had a similar coffee machine to the one in L.A. So at least it was something to look forward to. I sighed I was leaving for Yale in two days. I hoped college would bring me some peace of mind.

A shrill sound startled me, and I almost sloshed the steaming coffee in my hand. My heart pounded all over again. That was my phone. I hadn’t heard it ring in a long time, and I had almost forgotten what it sounded like. I frowned. No one should be calling me. Aunty M had already left for her shift, so it seemed weird.

I saw the caller ID say, Liam. My face scrunched up in confusion. Why was Liam calling me? He never really called me.

“Hello, Liam.”

“Evy—” He choked.

Dread filled my blood. “What’s wrong?” I whispered.

“It’s Ma-arie. You need-d to come to the hos-spital.”