Chapter 4

Luke swallowed hard several times before he finally spoke.

"Zoe, haven't you made enough of a scene?"

I remained silent. It was precisely because I finally had enough that I no longer dared to make a fuss.

"I'm not making a scene," I said with a flat tone, meeting his gaze. "I just don't love you anymore, so I want to keep my distance and avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings."

Luke's hand froze mid-air as he stared at me in disbelief. He seemed to have never imagined that I would say something like that.

"Zoe, stay calm!" Anna chimed in, panic lacing her voice as she grabbed my hand.

"You two are so close. Everyone talks about how you're childhood sweethearts and envies you so much!"

She pressed on, squeezing my fingers. "You two are definitely going to end up together!"

"Who said that?" Luke cut her off with a bitter laugh, his eyes fixed on me. "I've never felt that way about her in the first place."

He turned to Anna. "Besides, I already have someone I like."

Hearing those words, I let out a long, quiet breath of relief.

He had finally said it out loud. Having freed himself from the debt of gratitude that had bound him for years, he was free at last.

And yet, even as he confessed his feelings to Anna, his eyes remained fixed on me for some reason.

"Congratulations," I said softly. "I hope you two stay happy together."

As I turned to leave, I thought I caught a flash of anger in Luke's eyes. However, I didn't look back. I simply kept walking, one step after another.

…

In the weeks that followed, Luke and I barely saw each other.

His relationship with Anna instantly became the hottest topic among our classmates. Everyone talked about them every day. One day, someone spotted them at the amusement park. The next day, someone snapped a picture of them kissing under a tree.

Anna kept texting me, claiming that Luke had only confessed to her to make me jealous and that she was nothing more than a pawn in our game.

Only I knew the truth. It wasn't a game. Even if it started as an act, real feelings would eventually get involved.

…

A month slipped by in the blink of an eye.

The night before I was supposed to leave, Luke announced at the dinner table that he was dating someone. His parents turned to look at me, clearly unsure what to say.

My gaze fell on the necklace around Luke's neck. Anna had braided it for him herself.

Over the past few years, I had woven countless necklaces like that for him, but he had never worn a single one. He always said he didn't want to draw attention to himself, then tossed them into the dusty drawer without a second thought.

"Yeah, they really are a great match, and they're so happy together," I said, turning to Luke's parents with a bright smile. "I'm happy for them, too."

Across the table, Luke clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles cracked, but he said nothing.

After dinner, he walked into my room. I was crouched on the floor, packing my things, when he looked at me and asked, "Where's your bracelet?"

I froze and glanced down at my empty right wrist.

"I returned it to your parents," I replied calmly. "If you want to give it to someone else, you'll have to ask them for it."

The deafening slam of the door was the only response I got. I let out a soft sigh.

After I finished packing, I went to find Luke's parents in their room. I'd already told them everything the day before.

Luke thought I would be going to college with him the next day to register. He had no idea I was actually heading to the airport that very night.

"Let us know when you've arrived," Kate sighed, her eyes glistening with tears. "I guess you and Luke just weren't meant to be. We won't force anything on you. As long as you're happy, we can rest easy—your parents too."

I wrapped my arms tightly around them and smiled as I said my goodbyes. Then, I picked up my suitcase and quietly slipped out the front door.

Just before boarding the plane, I sent one last reply to Luke from the future.

"Now, the two of you won't miss out on those four years again."

And I wouldn't miss out on the bright future that belonged to me, either.

I didn't notice that the moment my message went through, that mysterious account vanished without a trace.

Seven hours later, Luke barged into my bedroom. Staring into the empty room, he staggered back a step.

"Impossible! Impossible!" he shouted.

His parents hurriedly tried to explain what had happened, but their words faded into a blur. All he wanted was to rush to the airport and drag me back.

A second later, a sharp pain shot through his head. A flood of memories that didn't belong to him came crashing into his mind.