12
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09:23
The first light of dawn.
The rustling leaves occasionally brought a cool breeze.
Daniel had sent me a few messages.
I didn’t reply.
Soon, he called.
“Aria, stop it.”
His tone was weary.
It seemed that in his eyes, I was nothing but a spoiled, unreasonable child.
I unconsciously tightened my grip on the phone.
“Daniel, I made myself very clear yesterday.”
His voice softened a little.
“You always used to beg to come to these kinds of gatherings.”
“If I didn’t bring you, you’d throw a tantrum for days.”
I was speechless.
The “me” in the story was so possessive.
The thought of Daniel and Hannah laughing and talking somewhere I couldn’t see would drive me mad with jealousy. I’d cry and scream, wanting only to destroy
everything.
No one on Daniel’s team genuinely liked me.
No wonder he was annoyed.
I was disgusted with that version of myself too.
“Daniel, I have plans today. I’m really not going.”
“It’s Saturday. What plans could you have?”
His tone was hard again.
In the distance, Cole’s voice sounded at just the right moment.
“Aria, do you want a bun or a donut?”
The air seemed to freeze for two seconds.
Chapter 2
Beep-
He hung up.
I put my phone away and calmly took the breakfast from Cole.
I wasn’t lying to Daniel. I really was busy.
Busy dropping out of school, busy applying to new schools.
Busy leaving his world.
