4
ᄀ
ended up taking care of it.
Now, to distance himself from me, Dustin was
giving it back, cutting the last tie between us.
Fine by me.
I was done with him.
This was Dustin’s first real relationship.
I never knew he could be so attentive.
He brought Tiffany breakfast every single day,
without fail.
When she had cramps, Dustin skipped half a
class to get her a hot water bottle, talked to
く
her in a gentle voice, put his hand on her
stomach, gave her a massage.
During class, they held hands under the table.
Between classes, Tiffany would cling to him,
using her books to hide their kisses.
In gym class, she got a little scratch.
Dustin acted like the world was ending,
eyebrows all bunched up, and carried her to
the nurse’s office.
Even the nurse was annoyed.
Everyone knew they were together, looked at
them with envy.
They didn’t care what anyone thought, walked
<
around campus holding hands.
Inspired other couples to do the same.
We had less than six months until graduation.
Soon enough, the teachers found out about
Dustin and Tiffany.
Dustin was top of the class, and the teachers
were worried, told him to focus on his
studies.
He didn’t care, took Tiffany’s hand, and said,
“What’s the point of good grades without
her?”
The teacher stared at him, couldn’t believe
he’d say something like that.
く
At the next test, Dustin fell from the top spot
for the first time.
The teachers told his parents.
That day, his mom dragged him home by the
ear.
He always listened to his parents, this was
the first time he ever argued with them.
You could hear the shouting and slamming
doors from down the street.
A bunch of motorcycles pulled up, and
Tiffany, all made up, sat on the back of one
of them. I watched from my window on the
fifth floor as Dustin got on a bike and they all
sped off.
く
I don’t know when he came back.
All I know is, his parents always looked
worried after that.
Dustin and I grew up together, so I was a
pretty good student too.
Always in the top 50 in our grade.
This time, I went up 20 places on the test.
Dustin’s mom asked me about him and
Tiffany, trying to get me to talk to him.
I figured if his own parents couldn’t do
anything, what could I do?
But I couldn’t be rude to her.
<
Later, I sent him a message, just to look like I
was helping.
Damn it!
Dustin blocked me!
I laughed a few times, and decided that next
time his mom asked me about him, I’d show
her the chat, looking all sad and pathetic. “He
blocked me as soon as he got a girlfriend!”
