Chapter 13
After Jonah knocked on the door, Phillip came to answer the door.
The moment he saw Jonah standing there, Phillip didn’t look surprised.
“Hey, Jonah.”
“Hi, Phillip. It’s been a while. I’m here to take Kayla home.”
“Come in.”
Phillip had always liked Jonah. He was smart, had a solid career, good character, and looked like someone who’d take care of his daughter. They were a great match, at least on paper.
He was willing to give them space if there was still a chance for reconciliation. But whether Kayla would change her mind was entirely up to Jonah.
Upon hearing the noise at the door, Kayla stepped out from her bedroom.
Seeing Jonah again didn’t bring much of a reaction. Honestly, she’d expected him to show up. She knew him too well.
On the other hand, Jonah was visibly relieved when he saw her. Her complexion was healthier, and her energy seemed brighter. The heaviness he’d been carrying for days finally eased a little
He gave her a smile, eyes filled with the tenderness he used to show her so often.
“Kayla, I’m here.”
“Okay.”
“Can we talk? Just the two of us?”
“Sure,” she said. “Give me a second. Let’s talk outside.”
That simple lack of resistance lit a flicker of hope in Jonah’s chest. On the flight over, he’d rehearsed everything he wanted to say–how sorry he was, how much she meant to him, and how he believed their love could survive this.
After saying goodbye to Phillip, Kayla and Jonah left the house together.
Her hometown was in the north, and the late fall breeze carried a chill. Fallen yellow leaves littered the streets, rustling softly beneath their feet as they silently walked side by side.
It wasn’t until they reached a small plaza near the neighborhood that they finally sat on a bench, quietly watching the lively crowd in the distance.
“Do you remember this place?” Kayla broke the silence.
“Of course,” Jonah said immediately.
Their freshman year of college, Jonah missed her so badly over New Year’s that he flew out on New Year’s Eve. Delayed flights meant he didn’t arrive until after midnight.
They ended up right here, in this very plaza, setting off fireworks in the snow. They’d promised under that burst of light that every New Year, they’d spend it together from then on.
Kayla still remembered how much that moment had moved her.
“Kayla, I’m sorry,” Jonah began, his voice trembling. “What I said before, I didn’t mean it. I was angry. I didn’t think about how you felt. That was my fault.
“We’ve been through so much together. I don’t want to lose all of that because of someone else. We can rebuild the apartment or move to a new place if you want. You always said you liked houses with gardens, right? I actually found one. I was going to surprise you with it on our anniversary.”
The more he spoke, the more his voice cracked. He was trying–really trying–to hold on.
Kayla would be lying if she said she didn’t waver when she heard those words.
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After all, Jonah was the person she fell in love with at 17, when love was new and all–consuming.
But once something was broken, no matter how carefully it was pieced back together, it was never quite the same again.
She looked at him and smiled gently, her expression calm and resolute.
Jonah, I don’t regret loving you. Honestly, the time we spent together was the most beautiful part of my life. But I don’t want to be someone you choose between. I don’t want to be an option anymore. We-”
As if he already knew what Kayla was about to say, Jonah abruptly stood up.
“There’s a cotton candy stand over there. Wait here for me, okay? I’ll get you one.”
Before she could say anything, he turned on his heel and walked off in long strides.
Kayla watched as his back disappeared into the crowd, a hollow ache blooming in her chest.
Saying goodbye to someone she loved should never be this hard. If she hadn’t reached her limit–if disappointment hadn’t piled up over time they
Chapter 13
would’ve never ended up here.
2/2
At this point, there was no turning back for her. Still, that bond they’d shared since their youth–that first love kind of connection–left behind a trace of regret.
Time passed. The crowd around them slowly thinned out until no one left, but Jonah still hadn’t returned.
Kayla stared at the empty plaza and let out a laugh. What was there to regret? In the end, she was still the one who never got chosen.
After wiping away her tears, Kayla stood up and walked home.
