The Hundredth Rejection

Just as I was turning away, Anna spotted me from the corner of her eye. “Sophina, come and try the breakfast August made!” Anna invited me with a smile, her tone dripping with pomposity. “Oh, you have no idea, Sophina. The food August made was inedible before! We are talking about cracked eggshells in my omelet, but practice makes perfect.” “That’s nice,” I responded indifferently. August emerged from the kitchen with two plates of food. He carefully set one plate down in front of Anna. It was a lovely sandwich with a perfected fried egg. As for the second plate, he simply left it haphazardly at the edge of the table. The edges of the egg were charred, a careless afterthought. Next, August poured a glass of milk and slid the drink toward me. I stared intently at the glass. Scenes from the past kept replaying in my head. During my first attempt behind the stove, I ingested some dairy by accident. Things were so bad that I had to be rushed to the infirmary for a

Anna looked up, her eyes sparkling with cautious, calculated curiosity. “I have always wanted a dress like this. August, can I try one on?” She looked at August with care. Sure enough, August would never say no to her. Everything just fell into place. She tried one dress after another while August kept all eyes on her, offering suggestions and straightening out her train at times. The VIP room was filled with their laughter and the staff’s compliments. It was as if Anna were the star of the show all along. I quietly sat in a corner like a spectator through and through. Exhaustion weighed down on me. However, I wasn’t the least bit upset or annoyed by their interaction. I was overcome with boredom, waiting for everything to be over. My presence must have hit August because he grabbed a few gowns and approached me awkwardly. Not that I wanted to hear his ridiculous excuses, I didn’t wait for him to speak. I picked out the plainest dress. The dress wouldn’t be of a

It was bad enough that August had been blind to his own feelings, but he even mistook caring for Anna as love. When he got back, he vowed to do whatever it took to earn Sophina’s forgiveness. Not one to doubt Sophina’s devotion, August was sure that I was just sulking. Once the realization hit, August wasted no time rushing back to the infirmary. Throughout the journey, his mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. He thought about ways to apologize, make amends, and make up for lost time. To his dismay, he was greeted by an empty ward instead of Sophina. With the she-wolf he longed for nowhere in sight, August felt the hollow opening in his chest as panic gripped him. He rushed out of the ward and grabbed a passing nurse, squeezing so hard that she yelped in pain. “Where’s Sophina?” His voice shook. “She was too badly injured to be released. You’ll have to answer to me if anything happens to her!” The nurse broke free from his grip in frustration. “Who are you to Sophina?”

Since then, my life became simple but fulfilling. I practiced piano during the day, composed at night, and whenever I had free time, I’d sit in on classes at the music academy.My rapid progress earned the old lady’s praise. She would boast to anyone that I was the hardest-working and most gifted student she’d ever met.I simply smiled. It wasn’t about pushing myself. I simply discovered my way in life. Six months later, I entered a small music competition. That night, the music hall was packed. I glanced to a corner, only to see a familiar silhouette. It was August. However, he wasn’t the August I knew. His eyes held guilt and remorse, along with a careful longing I couldn’t quite grasp. This was the look I once dreamed of seeing in his eyes. His feelings were too little too late. Paying no heed to his intense staring, I lowered my gaze and kept playing. As the final note rang out, the audience erupted in applause. By the cheers and standing ovation, I was sud