I was stunned by these messages.
What did this mean? Jake hadn’t left? He was just around the corner?
He was waiting for me, waiting to take me to see fireworks.
I bit my lip and called Jake, just like the messages suggested.
When I called, it rang for a few seconds before he hung up.
I called again and discovered he’d blocked me.
He always does this. Whenever we argue, he blocks me and gives me the cold shoulder.
I always have to apologize over and over before he reluctantly forgives me.
The messages kept urging me:
“Hurry up, girl! Send a friend request with a long apology note. Just three requests and he’ll accept.”
“LOL, he’s checking his phone obsessively, just waiting for your friend request.”
But maybe I was too exhausted from running, or maybe the alcohol was too cold.
The doctor said my wound was serious and needed stitches.
It hurt so much I wrinkled my shirt from gripping it.
After getting bandaged up, I returned to my dorm and fell asleep immediately.
I forgot to write an apology message, and I forgot to make up with Jake.
When I woke up the next day, I tried sending friend requests.
I’d already sent three, but he still hadn’t accepted.
The messages were laughing:
“That was yesterday’s price. Today you’ll need at least five, no, ten requests before he’ll reluctantly accept.”
“Our boy is so lucky to have such a proactive, enthusiastic girlfriend. Who else would put up with his attitude?”
“To the person above, difficult people need patient, persistent lovers. Our couple is absolutely perfect together. My favorite couple ever!”
My alarm went off – the lecture was about to start.
I had no time to think more, quickly washing up and getting ready.
But even as the lecture began, I was distracted.
To be fair, this did start because I was late.
According to the messages, Jake had prepared a gift and fireworks, so being angry about my lateness made sense.
But I didn’t do it on purpose. I couldn’t have predicted the traffic.
Then I remembered Jake pointing and telling me to get out in public, and I felt hurt all over again.
Lost in these thoughts, the lecture came to an end.
More messages appeared:
“Guys, who gets it? Our boy couldn’t sleep all night waiting for her apology, and this morning he’s been waiting outside her classroom.”
“Hah, Mr. Pride. Standing in the hot sun for two hours, desperate to see her, but still acting tough when asked.”
“Girl, please save him. If you ignore him any longer, he’ll get so depressed he might jump in a river lol.”
Sure enough, there was a commotion outside the classroom.
“Jake, here to pick up your girlfriend again?”
“Emma, hurry up, your boyfriend’s here for you.”
“What’s this? Another basketball game? VIP front row tickets? Wow, I want one too!”
“Get lost, those are obviously for his girlfriend, not you.”
Amid the laughter, Jake looked up and saw me.
I hesitated, slowly walking up to him, about to speak.
Someone beat me to it:
“Here comes our princess. I heard you two had a date to see fireworks yesterday. Jake supposedly planned it for two weeks.”
“What fireworks? I didn’t see anything on social media. Emma, did you hide your posts from me?”
“I didn’t see anything either. Guess they were too happy to take pictures.”
“Picking her up, giving her tickets, these lovebirds need to date every day.”
“God, I’m so jealous. When will I find a relationship like that?”
Jake’s expression, which had softened, suddenly hardened. He interrupted everyone:
“There were no fireworks.”
His voice was ice cold.
“Some people don’t deserve nice things.”
Everyone fell silent, turning to look at me.
I forced a smile: “Stop guessing, I didn’t hide any posts.”
Someone from the crowd suddenly asked:
“So Jake, why are you here if not to pick her up and give her tickets?”
“Who said they were for Emma?”
Jake walked toward a pretty freshman girl in a white dress with a ponytail:
“They’re for Lily. From now on, my tickets are only for Lily.”
Jake glanced at my pale face, seemingly making a point:
“Some people are lazy, dishonest, and have no concept of time.”
“Giving her tickets would be a waste. I feel sick just talking to her.”
“He’s being stubborn again. He’s dying to see her but puts on a tough act when they meet.”
“Those tickets were meant for her. He’s just giving them to the freshman to make her jealous, forcing her to apologize first.”
“Girl, go after him! If you just apologize, he wouldn’t look at a hundred campus beauties, let alone this freshman.”
The crowd dispersed as Jake turned to leave.
I wanted to follow him, but my feet felt rooted to the ground.
The pitying, gossipy gazes of my classmates felt like needles on my back.
Being publicly humiliated like this, having my dignity as his girlfriend trampled under his feet.
Was Jake really just trying to anger me? Just trying to force me to apologize first?
The freshman, Lily, approached me, covering her mouth as if embarrassed:
“Emma, I didn’t know Jake would give me the ticket. I thought that seat was always reserved for you.”
Jake’s jersey number was seven, so the front row seat number seven was always saved for me.
Lily had been aggressively pursuing Jake since she enrolled.
When people told her Jake had a girlfriend, she just blinked innocently:
“That’s his business. I’m pursuing what I want. It has nothing to do with him.”
Even when people on campus called her manipulative and shameless, Lily didn’t care. She stuck to Jake every day.
“Did you two have a fight? That’s too bad. You’ll miss the game, Emma. This is the championship between colleges…”
I didn’t want to listen to her fake sympathy anymore, so I interrupted:
“If you feel so bad, give me the ticket.”
Lily’s expression froze momentarily before quickly recovering:
“But it’s not polite to give away gifts from others.”
She changed the subject abruptly:
“By the way, Emma, you don’t need to come to this game at all. Jake invited me to be their team assistant yesterday.”
“Wiping sweat, bringing water – they don’t need you anymore.”
Lily smiled triumphantly, even winking at me.
My friend couldn’t stand it and wanted to argue for me:
“You manipulative brat! Taking the ticket wasn’t enough, now you want her assistant position too?”
The team assistant position was coveted at our school – not only was it easy work, but it also earned high credits.
Our school’s basketball games were somewhat famous, with generous sponsors providing a decent salary.
My family wasn’t well-off, and I relied on scholarships to get by.
This position was partly the school’s way of helping me as a student in need, and partly because Jake was the basketball team captain.
So the assistant position had always been mine.
I heard there were more sponsors this time, meaning better pay.
I had already told Jake that I planned to use this money for next semester’s tuition.
But apparently, Jake didn’t care? He gave everything to Lily just because he was angry?
Lily continued with her fake sympathy:
“Maybe you should talk to Jake, Emma. Beg him a little. He might find you another position, considering how poor you are…”
“No need,” I cut her off, stopping my friend from confronting her.
“I was tired of it anyway. If you want my leftovers, take them.”
I looked up and met Jake’s dark expression around the corner.
Just as the messages said, he hadn’t gone far. He was waiting for me to apologize and chase after him.
But I didn’t. I just walked past Jake with my bag, not even glancing at him.
He suddenly grabbed me:
“Emma, you were the one who was late…”
“Yes, so I’m not reliable enough for the basketball team work. I don’t want your tickets, I don’t want the position. Happy now?”
Jake was stunned, then raised his voice angrily:
“You’re saying this on purpose.”
But these were all things he did. Why was he angry when I simply accepted them?
I shook off his hand and walked away without looking back.
There was another half of my sentence I didn’t say out loud, something Jake didn’t know.
The other half was: I don’t want you either.
