บททั้งหมดของ Riding the Wind Into a New Life: บทที่ 1 - บทที่ 9

"The one in bed twelve is pitiful. His wife comes every day, but she's never once stepped inside to see him.""I know. She goes straight to the room next door every day, to check on Freddy."Outside the door, I could hear the nurses gossiping.I'd broken bones in multiple places in a car crash, and I'd been lying in the ICU for seven days.I was unconscious, but my mind was still lucid enough to hear the nurses calling Kristen's phone, over and over.She never once came to see me.She'd been at someone else's side. Someone more important.The salvation I thought I had was nothing but a lie.I fought to open my eyes with everything I had, but all I could see was a flat line on the monitor.When I opened my eyes again, the sunlight was almost too bright.I was sitting at my old desk, the one I'd used all through school. The calendar on it showed three months left until the day I'd give up my study-abroad spot for Natalie.This time, I called the international exchange office a

Good thing this time around, I got to start over.The agent's call came right on cue, telling me they'd found a buyer for the house, that the buyer had agreed to pay in full, and that we could sign the contract the two days later.I texted back a single "okay."I needed to move out some of my parents' old furniture. It was heavy, and there was no way I could manage it alone.The first person I thought of was Kristen, who'd spent years playing the role of the dependable upperclassman.I called her. "Kristen, do you have time? I've got some old furniture at home I need to clear out. Could you give me a hand?"There were a few seconds of silence on the line before her voice came through. "Rex, what bad timing. I can't get away right now."In the background, I could hear Freddy's frail little cough clearly."Freddy's running a bit of a fever. I need to stay and look after him," Kristen explained. "Can you figure something out on your own? Maybe hire a moving company? I'll transfer

The caption read: [Grabbed two princesses on short notice for cake. Not my birthday, but who says you need one to eat cake?]So my birthday hadn't mattered nearly as much as his spur-of-the-moment party."Rex? What are you thinking about?" Kristen's voice pulled me out of the memory.Kristen and Natalie had already arrived and were sitting across from me.The food came out quickly, but no one said much. The mood felt strained.Kristen raised her glass first. "Rex, I was in the wrong that night. Let me drink to that. Happy birthday."Even Natalie, for once, wasn't scowling, though her eyes still held something complicated.Just then, Kristen's phone rang.She glanced at the screen and answered immediately, her voice changing. "What? How did he suddenly pass out? Which hospital?"She hung up and looked at me, apologetic. "Rex, I'm sorry. Freddy passed out from an acute blood sugar crash. He's at the hospital now. I need to go check on him."Before I could even respond, Natalie

Grandpa's smile was the brightest thing about this new life.To celebrate landing the internship offer, I took Grandpa to Hyme Park for a picnic.The sun was perfect, and I snapped a photo of the two of us with a backdrop of blooming roses and lush green grass.I was grinning ear to ear, and Grandpa's smile was warm and kind.Without thinking much of it, I posted the photo on a social media account I hadn't logged into in ages, captioned: [New life.]I'd forgotten that account had never blocked anyone.That photo landed like a stone dropped into still water, sending ripples through everyone I knew back home.A former classmate sent me a screenshot right away, followed by a string of exclamation points.He wrote, [Rex, you're something else! Natalie and Kristen have been going crazy trying to find you. They might actually fly to Triondelle City to track you down!]Sure enough, both of them had left comments under the photo.Natalie: [Rex, where are you? Please come back. I was

Kristen became the punchline everyone gossiped about, the fool who couldn't buy back an ex-boyfriend no matter how much money she threw at it.I'd trampled every ounce of her pride and dignity without even trying.She probably never imagined that one day, her money and influence would fail her this completely, and right in front of me.On graduation day, Triondelle City's sky stretched out in a clear, brilliant blue, sunlight spilling generously across the campus lawn.Dressed in my cap and gown, I took photo after photo on the grass with Grandpa and Claire.My future looked bright.And everyone I'd left behind finally got exactly what they deserved.Freddy's gambling debts were a bottomless pit, and the little money Kristen had given him didn't last long.Creditors came after him, and he spent his days hiding, living a miserable existence.Somehow, he tracked down my contact information and called me, crying, begging me to lend him money, swearing he'd do anything in return.