It was our three-year anniversary, and I accidentally found out my boyfriend was confessing his feelings to another girl. When I confronted him, he shielded her behind him. "Chloe, we're just not right for each other. I can't lie to myself anymore." 1 Three-year anniversary. I had the gift I’d picked out so carefully tucked in my bag, wondering what kind of surprise Kevin had planned for me. I’d called him three times, no answer. Thinking about how secretive he’d been lately, I figured he must be busy setting something up for our anniversary. I was buzzing with excitement, even mentally preparing myself not to look too overwhelmed when I saw whatever surprise he had planned. Until a splash of cold water hit my face. I froze, confused. "Chloe Miller, I thought you were a decent girl. Couldn't you pick anything better than being a homewrecker?" The water blurred my vision, but I was pretty sure I didn't know these girls, and I had no clue what they were talking about. "You… you guys…" Damn it, I always stumble over my words when I get nervous. Before I could even ask what was going on, they cut me off. "Kevin's been chasing Jessica for two months now. If you know what's good for you, you'll stay away from him." I just stood there, stunned. Kevin and I had been together for three years, and this was the first I'd ever heard his name linked with anyone else's. Just yesterday, Kevin was talking about our future together. I couldn't believe it. "Shameless homewrecker!" They sneered, not giving me a chance to speak. A crowd started to gather, drawn by the commotion. Most of them were pointing fingers at me. My face burned with anger and embarrassment, but my tongue felt tied. "I… I'm not!" My words were drowned out by their insults and the crowd's murmurs. Nobody listened. They started using even nastier words. I was desperate. Wiping the dirty water from my face, I looked up and saw a familiar figure. Forgetting my humiliation for a second, I rushed forward, seeking the comfort of a hug I thought would be warm and safe. "Kevin, help me…" Two seconds later, before I even finished my sentence, I froze again. My fingers instinctively squeezed the waist of the guy I was hugging. Surprisingly, there wasn't the soft layer Kevin had been complaining about gaining lately. Instead, it was solid muscle. My eyes traveled upwards, and then I really felt like an idiot. I wasn't hugging Kevin. It was some other guy wearing similar clothes. And the worst part? This guy was the last person you wanted to mess with. Asher. He was the notorious tough guy on campus, the one everyone steered clear of. I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing myself for whatever he was going to do. "A whole group of you ganging up on one girl?" His voice was cool, almost cold, and the faces of the girls instantly paled. I thought he'd push me away, but he was talking to them. "Aren't you gonna scram?" He didn't waste words. Just like that, the girls backed off. Seeing me apparently under his protection, they gritted their teeth. "Chloe Miller, you better hope we don't catch you alone!" A shiver went down my spine. Before I could even see their expressions clearly, a tall figure blocked my view. Asher just glanced up, barely a flicker in his eyes, and within seconds, the onlookers scattered. I stood there, soaked and freezing, afraid to even look at Asher. Even though he'd just saved me, I was still terrified of him. "Chloe Miller, how could you stoop to this?" Asher's voice was chilling, laced with an accusatory tone. I was too stunned to process it. One thing was certain: I didn't really know him, and I had no idea what he meant by "stooping to this." I didn't know how to answer. Right now, all I wanted was to find Kevin. The thought barely formed in my head before I bolted, running away under Asher's intense stare. My earlier excitement was completely gone. My hands trembled as I pulled out my phone. Finding a quiet corner, it took me a few tries to dial Kevin's number. Still no answer. That was it. I couldn't hold it together anymore. Tears welled up, and I bit my lip hard to keep from crying out loud. I felt pathetic enough already; I didn't need to make it worse. But fate seemed determined to mess with me. I didn't get a call back from Kevin, but I did see him… 2: How Dare You Show Your Face? Kevin stood in the middle of a crowd, a sweet-looking girl beside him. And the girls who had just harassed me were clustered around them. "Jessica, say yes!" "Say yes!" "You guys are so perfect!" From my corner spot, I watched the guy I'd loved for three years holding a bouquet of flowers, but the girl he was facing wasn't me. Even from a distance, I could hear Kevin's deliberate words as he confessed his feelings. The irony was sickening – they were the exact same words he'd used on me three years ago. Dazed, I found myself drifting closer without realizing it. Someone else spoke before I could. "How dare you show your face?" "Chloe, don't you dare try to ruin this." I didn't fight back, didn't say anything to their taunts. My eyes were fixed on the ring box in Kevin's hand. I'd seen it a month ago. I'd even daydreamed about how it would look on my finger. Now, the thought was just laughable. "Kevin, do you remember what today is?" My voice was suddenly calm. Seeing the panic flash across Kevin's face, I almost wanted to laugh. But his first instinct wasn't to explain. It was to pull the other girl protectively behind him. "Chloe, we're just not right for each other." Just yesterday, he'd whispered sweet nothings to me, and now we weren't right for each other. "I've found someone who's right for me now, so I can't lie to myself anymore." Listening to Kevin's words, I actually laughed out loud, but tears started streaming down my face anyway. "Did you hear that? Get lost!" "Chloe, aren't you embarrassed?" Seeing Kevin reject me, the girls gloated, pushing Kevin and Jessica closer together. The sight was like a punch to the gut. I wanted to leave, but my feet felt glued to the ground. Watching them look so happy, I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood. Suddenly, my view was blocked. Someone stepped in front of me. "This is the guy you picked?" A vaguely familiar voice made me stiffen. "Chloe, your taste really sucks." Asher's voice was cool, but surprisingly, it didn't sound mocking. "Three years together, and you still can't tell a decent guy from a total loser?" Kevin's face fell instantly. The crowd around him quieted down. But nobody dared argue, because the person talking was Asher. Seeing me fighting back tears, Asher deliberately spoke up, "Looks like your taste in men needs rescuing. Maybe I should help with that." It sounded like a joke, but he said it with dead seriousness. I pulled his arm down from blocking my eyes. I don't know where I found the courage, but seeing Kevin busy trying to explain things to Jessica—even though my heart felt like it was shattering—I bit my lip hard. "Kevin, we dated for three years. You know damn well who the 'other woman' is here." I gripped Asher's arm, my voice steady now. "Since you think we're not right for each other, fine, we're breaking up. But remember this: I'm the one dumping you today." With that, I turned and walked away, refusing to look back at Kevin. I walked away looking strong, but inside I was crying my heart out. Over a thousand days. I'd poured everything into that relationship. Only when I was sure they couldn't see me anymore did I collapse onto the ground, sobbing uncontrollably. The anniversary I'd dreamed about countless times had turned into this nightmare. I clutched at my clothes, tears blurring everything. I thought no one would care, but just as I was crying too hard to stop, a handkerchief appeared in front of me. 3: Is This Guy Even Worth Crying Over? "Is this guy even worth crying over?" The tall guy was crouching beside me now. "Running into a jerk isn't your fault." His movements seemed a bit stiff, but Asher patiently dabbed at my tears. Faced with his question, I didn't know what to say. Even I couldn't tell if my tears were for Kevin or for the three years of my life I'd wasted. I cried until I felt completely broken. People walking by stared, but Asher didn't seem to care. He just kept persistently wiping away my tears until I forgot to keep crying. The face-to-face gesture felt a little awkward. I quickly stood up. As I moved, I caught a glimpse of something on his handkerchief, maybe some letters? But I was too busy trying to put some distance between us to see clearly. "Do I know you?" So much had happened today, I couldn't recall any specific interaction I'd ever had with Asher. Seeing that I'd stopped crying, he stood up quickly too, a mysterious smile playing on his lips. "Want to find out? Meet me here tomorrow, six p.m." He left a small piece of paper with an address and walked away coolly. I didn't sleep a wink that night. The next day, I sat in the library with puffy, red eyes, clutching the note Asher had given me. Lookout Point, edge of town. The wind up there was fierce, strong enough to make your eyes water. Sitting in the swaying cable car on the way up, my legs felt like jelly. When I finally reached the top, I felt like a complete idiot. The scenic overlook was deserted. Not a soul in sight. Asher definitely had something up his sleeve. Just because he showed a moment of unexpected kindness, I'd forgotten his reputation as a troublemaker. Standing on the high peak, the pain from yesterday and the frustration of today washed over me, leaving me feeling empty. All Kevin's sweet talk seemed ridiculous now. The necklace he gave me, which I'd been clutching tightly, I ripped off and threw onto the ground, grinding it into the dirt with my heel. "Chloe Miller, you didn't disappoint me after all." A cool voice cut through the wind, startling me. Asher had appeared behind me somehow, standing against the wind, effectively blocking the gusts that had been hitting me. His tall frame created an unexpected illusion of being a shield, something solid to lean on. Surprise made me forget my tears. "Who are you?" He’d already seen me at my worst, so I didn't care how pathetic I looked right now. He didn't answer my question. He just waved for me to follow him and turned away. As if he knew I'd follow. "Since you came all this way, might as well make it count." And yeah, I was weak. I didn't want the trip to be for nothing, especially since I still didn't know who he really was. Standing at the edge of the bungee jumping platform, my legs turned to rubber. I absolutely refused to take another step forward. I couldn't believe Asher would pull something like this. "Dude, what did I ever do to you?" Tears welled up in my eyes, purely from terror this time. All my sadness vanished, replaced by the overwhelming urge to run, fueled by my fear of heights. But Asher wasn't about to let me off the hook. He hooked two fingers into the collar of my shirt. Giving me zero chance to escape. "Still got some fight in you. Good, you know how to resist." Asher smirked, and damn it, good-looking guys really know how to mess with your head. I clung to his shirt for dear life, my mind blank with fear. But he wouldn't let up. "Look over there. See that?" I knew he was probably tricking me, but Asher's low voice held a strange kind of pull. When I finally looked up, I just stared, dumbfounded… 4: That Two-Timing Bastard! Before I could even register the view, I felt that stomach-dropping lurch of falling. We were off the platform. But I wasn't alone. Asher's arms were wrapped around me. Even in that terrifying freefall, he was somehow smiling. Instantly, all my fear and sadness evaporated. Back on solid ground, I collapsed, too shaken to stand. I refused to let him near me. Maybe it was the shock, maybe something else, but tears streamed down my face again. All the emotions I'd bottled up finally burst out. It wasn't really about missing Kevin; it was the pain of realizing I'd trusted the wrong person. Only I knew how much I'd put into getting us to this point. Before I could even glimpse the future I'd imagined, reality had dealt me a devastating blow. The wind felt cold, and that sense of helplessness made me cry until my limbs felt numb. Asher stood nearby the whole time, not moving, not offering platitudes. I could just feel his gaze fixed on me, never leaving. Only when I'd cried myself dry did I hear him softly say my name. Turning around, the harsh afternoon sun was gone. Only a final sliver of light pierced the growing dusk. Even though it was just a tiny gap, the sunset hadn't given up. I stared at it, and Asher's voice, sounding almost gentle, reached my ears, "See? The world keeps turning. It’s not the end of everything." I don't remember much after that, just that he somehow produced drinks. Asher wasn't a big talker, but him silently sharing a drink with me, just being there, actually did feel comforting. But I was so focused on drowning my sorrows that I completely forgot to ask him again who he really was. The third time I mentally kicked myself for my bad memory, a bubble tea appeared on my library table. "Chloe…" I looked up. Kevin stood there, looking guilty. "It was my fault. I got… confused. I didn't really mean to break up with you…" He launched into a rambling explanation without even pausing. Completely forgetting that I hate tea, even bubble tea. But the earnest look on his face made my tightly clenched fists relax just a little. Seeing my expression soften, he slid a stack of papers across the table towards me. I stared for a second, then couldn't help but laugh. "Kevin, have you no shame?" I almost forgot. He'd used 'looking for a job' as an excuse to get me to basically do his entire senior thesis project for him. With graduation approaching, that was probably why he'd kept stringing me along instead of breaking up sooner. Watching him carefully put on his 'devoted' act, I found it utterly ridiculous. I leaned back, pulling away from him, the way I looked at him totally different now. "Jessica's family is loaded and well-connected, right? Can't they even handle your thesis?" I might be a top student, but I couldn't compete with Jessica's family's influence. Have to admit, Kevin picked a good ladder to climb. Hearing me lay it out so bluntly, his face turned white with anger. "What's that supposed to mean?" He dropped the act, getting furious, showing no consideration for me. Seeing how unreasonable he was being, I didn't want to argue anymore. "We broke up. Stay away from me from now on." Our quiet argument in the library quickly started attracting attention. Wanting to avoid a scene, I decided to leave. As I walked away, I noticed people weren't pointing at me, but at Kevin. "Isn't that the guy?" "Yeah, the two-timing bastard!" Someone held up a phone, showing the picture from the day of his public confession – the three of us in that confrontation. "Seriously shameless, still harassing his ex-girlfriend." The murmurs grew louder. Kevin noticed something was wrong, pulled out his phone, and less than a minute later, he exploded. "Chloe Miller, did you do this?" Too bad for him, the library was full of people. He couldn't do anything to me. I felt a surge of satisfaction, but also like it wasn't quite enough. "So what if I did? Kevin, if you don't want people to know, don't do it in the first place." The second the words left my mouth, Kevin lunged towards me. But someone secretly tripped him, sending him sprawling face-first onto the floor. Combined with the stares and whispers from everyone around, he couldn't take it. He scrambled up and ran off. I felt vindicated. I glanced at the student who had just sneakily intervened. "Thanks." The guy grinned innocently, then said something that completely stunned me, "No problem, Sis!"
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