Chapter 2

As I nodded, Mom suddenly changed the subject. "By the way, Gerry, Oliver's blind date is coming later. Mr. and Mrs. Holland are really taking it seriously this time. I heard Oliver's been planning it for weeks.

"He said the young lady might feel awkward, so if you're there, she'll feel more comfortable. I've been close with Mrs. Holland for years. You…"

She trailed off, looking uneasy.

I forced a smile. "Don't worry, Mom. I get it. I'll keep the atmosphere light and say nice things."

Mon looked at me with quiet sympathy.

She had seen the photos of Oliver and me sitting on my bedside table, the gifts he had given me carefully stored away, and the journal filled with tiny confessions of love I couldn't hide.

How could she not understand?

We walked home in silence. As I opened the door, I said suddenly, "When Dad retires next month, let's move to Atharia."

Mom froze. I smiled and looped my arm through hers, pretending to be playful. "You've been talking about retiring there for years. I don't have any big dreams, anyway. Just being a dance teacher and staying close to you and Dad sounds perfect to me."

...

Sitting with my parents in Oliver's living room felt completely different this time.

We used to joke around every time we came here. The last time, we had even hidden in his room under the excuse of playing video games, only to end up kissing.

But this time...

"Oh, Susan, you have no idea how hard that brat worked to chase Abigail," Rebecca Dillon, Oliver's mom, chirped. "He could've just gone after her directly, but he insisted on courting her 'with marriage as the goal.' Thomas even had to pull strings to get her to come today as a blind date."

I looked around the carefully decorated house, filled with roses everywhere.

There were fruits, candies, and tea on the table. Even Oliver's dog was dressed in a bright red outfit.

Oliver stood in front of the mirror, checking himself over and over again to make sure he looked perfect.

The ridiculous part was that just last night, we had been tangled up in bed, his lips lingering passionately on the small mole at my waist. Even the underwear he was wearing now was the one I bought.

"What a pity," Rebecca said, shaking her head as she held Mom's hand. "When we were young, we always said we'd become in-laws one day. We even joked about arranging a childhood engagement for the two of them!"

She glanced at me, her tone warm. "I've always liked Gerry. She's such a lovely lady. She's beautiful, kind, and cheerful…"

I lowered my gaze, afraid to make a sound. I was terrified that if I slipped up for even a moment, my tears would start falling one by one.

Oliver frowned sharply, clearly annoyed. "Mom! You said it yourself—those were your ideas, not mine. Since you and Mrs. Scott get along so well, why didn't you marry her? What's that got to do with me? It's the 21st century. Stop dragging up ancient nonsense."

He didn't care about respecting the elders.

Then, he turned to me, his tone clipped and cold, as if Rebecca's words had somehow been my fault. He asked, "Geraldine, where's the bracelet my mom gave you?"

I didn't respond.

He strode over, grabbed my wrist, and yanked up my sleeve. "It's the bracelet that went with that so-called childhood engagement. I just don't want Abigail to see it and get the wrong idea."

As soon as he finished speaking, Thomas Holland and Dad froze mid-sip. Even Mom, who had been arranging flowers for Oliver, stopped what she was doing.

In an instant, the atmosphere turned painfully awkward.

Mom looked at me, then slammed the vase and scissors onto the table with a sharp clang. She stood up abruptly, but Rebecca grabbed her arm first.

Then, Rebecca turned, stepped between Oliver and me, and shoved him hard. "Oliver! What are you doing?

"You and Abigail aren't even officially together yet. Besides, did you forget that you broke down crying and begged Gerry on your knees to wear that bracelet when you were 17?"