Chapter 2
612 Words
The girls in the company usually liked to read novels. I'd picked up a few things from listening to their chats. Almost instantly, the word "substitute" popped into my mind. I couldn't help but fantasize whether Gloria had never forgotten that relationship just like me.
Maybe she didn't understand my feelings, so she never dared to reach out to me. In the end, she married a man who resembled me. This increasingly clear thought occupied all my mind. Even though I knew it was absurd, I couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope.
A few days ago, when I received Gloria's message, I felt utterly hopeless, clutched the box that held all my youthful memories, and drank alone through the night. I kept trying to convince myself to let go; the past could never return.
But now, that tiny spark that hadn't been extinguished reignited my hope once more. I pushed open the heavy doors of the hall and spotted Gloria chatting among the crowd.
She turned slightly away from me, and her high-bridged nose and crimson lips caught my eye. Compared to the year we broke up, Gloria had gained a few more traces of mature allure, looking even sexier.
Her white wedding dress made her seem like a fairy, and just one glance at her made me want to cry. We hadn't seen each other for years.
I struggled to lift my legs and walked toward Gloria slowly. Originally laughing and joking, the crowd fell silent upon seeing me.
Gloria seemed to notice something and turned to look at me. The moment our eyes met, I felt as if I had seen all our beautiful times together.
During our four years apart in college, I would always visit Gloria's city during vacations. She loved to tease me. Her favorite thing was poking my dimples, and her smile was irresistibly cute.
In our sophomore year, I heard there was a guy at Gloria's college pursuing her. Out of fear and worry, I couldn't sleep all night and decided to catch the earliest train to her school. I thought she would be angry at my unannounced visit. To my surprise, her eyes lit up with joy when she saw me, and she threw herself into my arms.
At that moment, I felt much more at ease.
We traveled to many places, but Gloria's favorite was the sea. She would shed tears silently as she gazed at the ocean, and I would tease her for being sentimental and tender-hearted. I dared not forget those memories, but I could only recall them in dreams. Now, the person I've longed for day and night stood before me; there was no way I could remain calm.
"Gloria..." I called her name softly, reaching out to embrace her.
Gloria gazed at me, her lips moving slightly. The next second, I heard her voice. "So, you really came."
My dream shattered at that moment. I stood there, feeling a bit lost. "What... What do you mean?"
"Arthur, did you think I sent you an invitation because I couldn't forget you? Well, actually, I should thank you. If it weren't for you provoking Owen, we might not have been together." Gloria's voice was as sweet as I remembered, but it sounded so unfamiliar now.
She looked behind me, lifted her dress, and walked forward. I turned around and saw the man in the photo holding her hand, walking toward me. "Nice to meet you. I'm Owen. Thanks for taking care of Gloria for four years, Mr. Substitute."
So, there really is such a thing as "finding a substitute", and it turned out that the pathetic "substitute" was me.
- Writer
