Chapter 4

Just then, my phone buzzed. A message from Nathaniel appeared on the screen. "It was just a game. Don't take it seriously. Go home and get some rest."

I slipped my phone back into my pocket, walked to the side of the road, and waved down a taxi.

…

The next afternoon, I was standing under the blazing sun, handing out flyers in a suffocating mascot costume when my phone buzzed three times in quick succession. I pulled off the heavy mascot head, sweat stinging my eyes, and checked the screen.

A bank notification stared back at me. 8,600 dollars had been charged to my account, leaving my balance at almost zero.

The card was linked to Nathaniel's phone. Back then, he had fallen out with his family, and they had cut off his allowance. I had shoved the card into his hands and told him it held all the money I had left for food.

Even after he reconciled with his family, he never returned it.

I had earned that money through months of nonstop part-time jobs, working until I developed gastritis. Every last cent had been saved for my tuition at Westbridge University. I sank against the wall, my hands trembling so badly that I could barely unlock my phone, let alone navigate to my contacts.

I called Nathaniel.

When he answered, I could hear airport announcements echoing faintly in the background.

"So you finally decided to call me?" he said, sounding amused. "I knew you wouldn't last even a day."

There was an obvious smile in his voice. "I'll let it slide this time, but don't pull that push-and-pull act again."

I took a deep breath and asked, "Why was 8,600 dollars charged to my card?"

"Oh, that? I booked an overseas vacation package for two."

"A vacation for two?"

"Yeah. I lost the dare last night. If we're going to play the game, we have to commit to it. I'm taking Liv on a little graduation trip."

My voice trembled. "That was my money!"

There was a brief silence on the other end before he let out a dismissive scoff. "It's only a few thousand dollars. Do you really have to make such a big deal out of it? I haven't even brought up the attitude you gave me at the graduation party. Think of this as a lesson."

Then, Olivia's voice called out from somewhere nearby, "Nathaniel, it's time to board!"

"Coming," he answered her before quickly returning his attention to me.

"Look, Liv and I were just completing a dare. You can't be a sore loser just because you don't like how the game turned out. Otherwise, people will talk. When I get back, we'll go back to being together. Stop making a fuss. I'm hanging up."

The call ended.

I stared at the pathetic 34.50 dollars left in my account and slowly slipped my phone back into my pocket. Then, I put the heavy mascot head back on and stepped into the sweltering hundred-degree heat.

…

For the next two months, Olivia posted three updates a day on social media.

In one photo, she stood in front of a towering landmark in Montclair while Nathaniel draped his coat over her shoulders. In another, they posed against the snow-capped mountains of Alpenreich, with Nathaniel tucking her freezing, reddened hands into the pockets of his coat.

While they traveled, I rented a bed in a cramped shared room. During the day, I stocked shelves at a convenience store. At night, I cleaned tables and mopped floors at a bar. In the early hours of the morning, I took on translation jobs for overseas clients.

Day by day, shift by shift, I slowly rebuilt the savings I needed to pay my tuition at Westbridge University.

Two months later, Nathaniel finally came home.

That evening, a message from him appeared on my phone. "Meet me at Central Plaza at 8:00 pm. I brought you a gift."

A second message followed almost immediately. "I miss you."

I didn't want to see him, but I needed to get my money back.

Central Plaza was packed with people, the noise and constant movement making the crowded square almost unbearable. I had always been extremely introverted and hated such places, and Nathaniel knew that better than anyone.

Yet whenever he asked me to meet him, he deliberately chose the busiest landmarks. He loved being surrounded by people, soaking up their attention while I stood quietly at his side.

That night, I waited for three hours, but Nathaniel never showed.

The only thing I received was a message.

"Liv suddenly got terrible menstrual cramps. Her stomach hurts so badly that I can't leave. Go home, okay? I'll make it up to you the next time we travel," he texted.

I stared at the message for a long moment before putting my phone away.

An airport shuttle pulled up to the curb. I picked up my suitcase, climbed aboard, and took one last look at the city behind me. Then, I left, once and for all, the lonely city that had held me prisoner for 14 years.