Chapter 4

"Mia, why have you been ignoring Xander these past few days?"

The first week after submitting applications, a classmate messaged me.

I didn't reply, just silenced my phone and tossed it on the bed.

In the past, whenever we fought, as long as he gave me the cold treatment for three days, I'd be the first to back down.

This time, Xander was clearly waiting again.

I found an empty shoebox and packed all the things he'd given me into it.

Handwritten problem sets, a cheap silver bracelet, sticky notes covered with physics formulas.

When I got to the workbook from second semester of junior year, I opened the cover page.

"Mia, I've organized the thought process for every wrong answer in this book. If you master them all, MIT is guaranteed. ---Your Xander."

I ran my fingertip over the words "Your Xander."

Then I closed the book and put it in the shoebox.

I picked up the packing tape, preparing to seal it.

I didn't cry, but when sealing the tape, I had to tear it three times before it broke.

Because my fingers had completely lost their strength.

On the third day, Xander finally sent me a message: "Been at my grandma's in my hometown these past few days. Bad phone signal. Stop being mad and reply."

Below was a photo from his hometown.

I still didn't reply.

That afternoon, I went to a bookstore downtown, planning to buy some travel guides for the South.

While picking books on the second floor, my peripheral vision caught the first-floor café area.

Xander, who said he was in his hometown, was sitting by the window helping Summer organize travel plans.

On the table sat two milk teas, with two straws in Summer's cup.

I stood behind the bookshelf, my fingers crushing the corner of the book in my hand.

Summer's voice floated up clearly.

"Xander, will Mia be upset that you came out with me?"

"Is she still mad at you? Actually... my scores aren't high enough for MIT either. You don't need to worry about me."

Xander laughed lightly: "She's so stubborn---where else would she go besides to me?"

"She definitely filled in MIT. Don't worry about it. After school starts in September, once she's on my turf, I can just sweet-talk her a bit and it'll be fine."

He paused, then added another line.

"You're different. I'm worried about you going to that community college alone. After I get settled, I'll fly over to see you on weekends."

Summer giggled and tapped his hand.

"But what about Mia?"

"Her? She's very sensible. Just buy her some flowers and she'll be fine. Don't worry!"

I slowly released the crumpled book pages.

I remembered the New Year's Eve party in sophomore year, on the way home when Xander walked me back.

I'd asked him: "If we ever fight, will you go comfort other girls?"

Seventeen-year-old Xander had stopped and turned to look at me.

Seriously and clumsily, he'd said: "Mia, I've given you all the patience I have in this lifetime. How could I have any left to give to someone else?"

That was the best sweet talk I'd ever heard.

Looking back now, it was just empty promises casually made by a teenage boy.

I finally stopped feeling the pain.

Because the boy who said those words and the person downstairs who said "just sweet-talk her a bit" weren't the same person at all.

I put the book back on the shelf, turned around, and went downstairs.

I went home, grabbed that sealed shoebox, and stuffed it into the roadside clothing donation bin.

Then I pulled out my phone and blocked his contact one by one.

At the same moment, on the bookstore's first floor.

Xander's phone buzzed.

He glanced at it---not a message from Mia.

He paid it no mind and continued helping Summer check travel routes.

"I'll give her the cold shoulder for two more days. When the acceptance letters come, I'll take mine to her apartment building. I guarantee she'll be moved to tears."

What he didn't know was that below the group message he'd scrolled past, there was another one.

The advisor had sent an @everyone notice in the grade group chat.

"Please verify your application information, everyone. The system has been locked and cannot be changed."