MY SIMPLE LIFE

sweet rejection

"When... What... How?" I stammered, barely able to comprehend what my lifelong crush had just told me. He was freaking in love with someone else! My heart dropped as I tried to hold myself together, desperate not to break down right in front of him.

"I'm sorry... I should have told you... it happened so fast," he said, rubbing his hands through his blonde hair, clearly uneasy.

"But you should have told me sooner, not now..." My voice trailed off, filled with hurt.

"I'm sorry, Sarah. So, when will you get to meet her?" he asked with a sweet smile on his face, completely unaware that he was breaking every little part of me.

"I don't know... maybe tomorrow."

"I'm not sure about tomorrow. She's very busy, but you'll get to meet her soon," Kelvin said, his face still showing signs of a blush.

I couldn't stand there any longer, pretending to be happy for him. I forced a faint smile and drove off on my scooter.

Was he joking? That could be the answer, as Kelvin was definitely known as a joker, our clown. He loved joking a lot, and I hated all his pranks, but this time around, I really hoped it was one of his jokes.

I got off my scooter and pounced on my laptop. I needed to distract myself, so I started updating my book. As I wrote, tears began to blur my vision. Unintentionally, my male lead started giving off Kelvin's vibe, his charming smile and the way he cared. Frustrated, I closed my laptop as soon as I was done and jumped onto my bed, staring up at the ceiling.

The day's events replayed in my mind like a cruel, relentless loop. Kelvin, my childhood crush, in love with someone else. My heart ached with every thought, each memory of him now tinged with a bittersweet pain. As I lay there, exhaustion from the emotional turmoil finally took over, and I dozed off.

In my dream, Kelvin was there, smiling at me as we rode his bike through the quiet streets. The wind tousled his blonde hair, and his hazel eyes sparkled with the same warmth I had always loved. But suddenly, he faded away, replaced by a shadowy figure holding hands with another girl. I reached out, but they drifted further and further away until they disappeared into the darkness.

I woke up to the sound of my brother blaring loud music. Since it was Saturday and I didn't have work, I hadn't set an alarm. But now, thanks to my brother, I was wide awake. I groaned, rubbed my puffy eyes, put on my glasses, and dashed downstairs.

As I entered the living room, my heart skipped a beat when I saw Kelvin sitting there with Stephen. I took a deep breath, vowing to keep things casual. If he decides to have a girlfriend, fine. I’m just his best friend.

“Did we wake you?” Kelvin asked with a concerned look on his face.

“No, you didn’t. In fact, I was woken up by the beautiful birds chirping,” I said sarcastically. “Of course, you woke me.”

“I’m sorry.” He scratched his head, looking genuinely apologetic.

“It’s fine. Stephen, your apology?” I prompted, turning to my brother.

“So you mean to tell me your alarm couldn’t wake you up, but my music did? You should thank me instead,” Stephen laughed.

I rolled my eyes, unable to suppress a small smile. “Yeah, thanks for the wake-up call, genius.”

Kelvin chuckled, and for a moment, it felt like everything was normal. But deep down, the ache in my heart reminded me of the new reality I had to accept.

I tried to push aside the awkwardness and asked, “So, what are you guys doing this evening since it’s Saturday?”

Kelvin's expression turned apologetic. “Actually, I’m attending my girlfriend’s birthday party tonight. You guys are welcome to join us if you want.”

Stephen’s face darkened slightly. “No thanks, I’ve got other plans,” he said, clearly trying to hide his jealousy.

I glanced at Stephen and then back at Kelvin. “Sure, I’ll come,” I said, trying to sound enthusiastic.

Kelvin's face lit up with relief. “Great! She’ll be happy to meet you.”

Stephen muttered something under his breath and retreated to his room, leaving me standing there.

After a moment, I followed Stephen upstairs, not because he was angry, but because I knew he had forgotten his inhaler. There was one time he went swimming, and his inhaler fell out of his pocket and drowned in the water. Later that day, he had an attack, and we couldn’t find his inhaler. If it hadn’t been for Mrs. Pierce, the bookstore lady who was also an asthmatic patient, we might have lost him. Since that day, I vowed to always make sure he had his inhaler with him.

After giving it to him, I returned downstairs, only to find that Kelvin was already gone. I immediately texted him, eager to catch up.

“You see, he is a green flag,” I thought to myself, trying to stay positive.

“I’ll come pick you up at the park by seven. Be in your best dress... ,” his message read.

I stood there, letting it all sink in. I would be watching the love of my life act lovey-dovey with his girlfriend. The thought was almost too much to bear, but I resolved to be strong. If Kelvin was happy, that was what mattered, even if it meant putting on a brave face and pretending everything was okay.