He Took My Food, I Showed Him the Door

As the dinner party drew to a close, Miranda Scott had indulged in a bit too much wine. She wasn't stumbling drunk, but she needed the support of Kevin Johnson's arm, adding a touch of playfulness to her demeanor. "Kevin, my head's spinning. Would you mind giving me a ride home?" Kevin looked over at me, his expression a mix of exasperation and indifference. "Grab a cab, Yvonne. I'll sort Miranda out." I slung my bag over my shoulder and shrugged. "Sure, no problem." His eyebrows shot up slightly at my easygoing response, and a hint of confusion crossed his face. "Yvonne, quit with the passive-aggression." "Not at all," I assured him, slipping my coat over my arm with a smile. "I got a promotion today. I'm in a great mood, not really in the mood for any drama." Miranda chuckled softly, leaning into Kevin, her laughter lingering in the air like the aroma from the recently cleared plate of smoked salmon. Kevin didn't follow me as I walked away. I made my way home solo. At the complex entrance, I noticed the property manager posting a notice on the board. Spotting me, she called out, "Yvonne, your lease ends next week. Are you renewing? If I don't hear from you, I'll have to list it." This apartment was our first home after graduating, a place Kevin and I had chosen together. Back then, he was just dreaming up the plans for EternalTech, and I was diving into my internship with the Horizon Group. We used to huddle around a cramped table, slurping instant noodles, dreaming about our future. He used to say, "Once we strike gold, this place'll be ours. No landlord is to show us the door." Reality took another path. Kevin prospered, upgraded to a new car, kicked off his company, yet I was edged out each time his life evolved. Just last month, I asked him about the lease renewal. He was absorbed in revising Miranda's proposal for the southern district project. Fingers steadily drumming on the keyboard, he didn't even glance up, "Deal with it yourself. Don't bother me with such trivial stuff." The property manager kept waiting for my answer, her impatience barely concealed. I glanced at the registration form she held and quietly replied, "No, I'll move out when the lease is up." She seemed surprised. "But aren't you guys about to tie the knot? Mr. Johnson mentioned he wanted a long-term lease to turn this place into your marital home." "I'm leaving," I reiterated. "As for him, you'll have to ask him what he plans." Once inside, I opened the closet and was overwhelmed by the collection of memories from over seven years. Matching cups, framed photographs, Kevin's worn-out laptop from his startup's early days, the inexpensive necklace he gifted with his first bonus. Piece by piece, I extracted each item. I discarded what I didn't need, returned what was his, and packed my belongings into the suitcase. Midway through this process, the real estate agent called, "Ms. Jones, do you still need a two-bedroom, one-living room apartment?" I tossed one of Kevin's shirts into a box and replied, "A studio will be fine, as long as it's close to the Horizon Group and livable." The agent hesitated for a beat. "You and Mr. Johnson…" "We've split up." Those words came out more effortlessly than expected, a weight lifting off me. No sooner had I hung up than Kevin's call came in. The background noise was loud, and I could faintly hear Miranda's voice. "Kevin, I'd love some of your hangover soup…" Kevin's voice dropped to a hush. "Yvonne, are there still groceries at home?" I didn't respond. He carried on, "Miranda drank a bit too much tonight. Her stomach's acting up. Would you mind making some soup? I can swing by and grab it." A bitter realization took hold of me. A meal hadn't touched my lips tonight, yet he fretted over Miranda's lack of appetite. "Kevin." "Hmm?" "Do you happen to know what today is?" There was a slight edge of impatience in his voice. "Miranda's project celebration, right? It just wrapped up, didn't it?" I shut my eyes for a moment. "And what else?" He hesitated, just for a second. "Your promotion, right? Didn't I come for that too?" My advancement meant nothing more than a mere afterthought to him. All my complaints vanished in an instant. I ended the call. At that moment, clarity hit me. I would never come back here ever again.