Three days before the wedding, Peach Blossom showed up at my door. I finally placed her. She was a girl Aaron’s family had helped put
through college. A small–town girl who’d made
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it to the big city. She’d apparently developed a crush on Aaron. Understandable. A young, impressionable girl meets a handsome, wealthy, seemingly unattainable man who also happens to be her benefactor. Who wouldn’t develop a crush? “Hailey,” she said, her smile devoid of warmth, “You loved someone else for ten years. I’ve only loved Aaron for ten. So please, don’t hold onto him.” She knew I’d seen her social media posts. She continued, her voice laced with triumph. “You know about the kiss, about us sleeping together. We both know what it’s like to be the one pining away. Aaron and I are meant to be together, don’t you think?” A heavy weight settled in my chest, making it hard to breathe. She pressed on, her tone challenging. “Women always choose the guy who loves them more than they love him. Do you really think he believes you could just switch your affections to him after ten years of loving someone else? You’ve only been together for five.” Aaron had told her all of this. It was true. After I gave up on Ethan, I’d stayed friends
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with Aaron for two years before we started
dating. I smiled faintly. “If you were so
confident he’d choose you, you wouldn’t be
here.” Peach Blossom’s face paled, but she
recovered quickly. “It’s just a matter of time.
Like you, I chose to pursue the man I loved.
Now it’s my turn. He’ll see me, the girl who’s
devoted to him. He sees himself in me, the one
who’s pining. He’ll feel sympathy, pity. And
once he’s curious, I have a chance. You, up on
your high horse, wouldn’t understand.” My nails
dug into my palms, leaving crescent–shaped
marks. Thinking of Aaron, my heart twisted with
a sharp pang of pain. I swallowed the rising bile
in my throat, stood up, and looked her dead in
the eye. “Don’t get ahead of yourself,
sweetheart. The one you can’t have is always
the most tempting. You should cherish your role as the secret admirer.” “Because once you’re
in the spotlight, the moonbeam loses its magic, and the beauty mark becomes just another
freckle.”
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I leaned against my car, taking deep breaths,
trying to quell the turmoil inside. The dull ache
in my chest sharpened, twisting like a knife,
making my hands tremble. I clutched my chest, fighting back tears. No, Hailey, not yet. Aaron was already starting to feel guilty. It was almost over. I’d recently taken him on a tour of all the places where we’d had our “firsts,” making him take photos to compile into an album, a
chronicle of our time together. I told him these would be our cherished memories. He’d hesitated with every location, every caption. I knew he was reminiscing. His revenge might have been real, but so were those feelings. I was going to use that guilt against him, turn it into a weapon. Did it hurt? Yes, more than he knew. Because unlike him, my love had been pure. But I hadn’t lost. I could love fiercely, and I could let go. I’d just made a mistake. I looked up, startled by a bottle of water appearing in front of me. Ethan stood there, bathed in sunlight. “I saw everything,” he said. “Even
after all that, you’re still going through with the
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wedding?” I didn’t take the water. “Do you regret it?” he asked. I didn’t regret the love,
only the person. “Would you… consider me?” he asked tentatively. I almost laughed. Were all men like this? You offer them your heart, and they scoff. You take it back, and suddenly, they’re all vying for your attention. “Ethan, I’ve told you countless times, I’m not interested. Even if Aaron and I break up, I would never choose you.” “Why not? We’re a perfect match, socially, financially. We’ve known each other for years.” I snorted. “So I have to choose between you and Aaron? Is that it? I can’t exist without one of you?” “That’s not…” He reached for my hand, but I pulled away. Then, a familiar voice cut through the air. “What the hell is going on here?” I turned to see Aaron standing in the shadows, his face obscured, his eyes dark and cold. A tense, aggressive energy radiated from him. He punched Ethan in the face. Ethan reacted instantly, hitting him back. “Ethan Blake, you lay one hand on Hailey again, I swear
to God, I’ll kill you!” Aaron roared, his eyes
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Diooasnot. Etnan was just as тurious. LIKE
you’re such a prize, Aaron? You chased Hailey
just to spite me! Admit it! Your feelings for her were never real!” “I may have wanted her, but she never gave me the time of day. You, on the other hand… does she know about your little side piece?” Aaron froze, his face contorted in shock. He turned to me. “Hailey, let me explain.”
In the car, Aaron’s explanations tumbled out. It was just a girl who had a crush on him. He saw himself in her, that was all. Nothing happened between them. He gripped my hand tightly. “I’ve loved you for so long. We’re getting married, Hailey. You have to believe me.” His grip tightened. Strangely, the turmoil in my heart was subsiding. I looked at him, my voice flat. “Aaron, let’s not get married.” “What?” The panic in his eyes seemed genuine. “Hailey, we’re getting married in three days. Don’t say things you don’t mean.” “Aaron, do you feel… cheated? Do you think I settled for you? That I’m still in love with Ethan? That a part of my
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heart will always belong to him?” “No. It’s not
like that.” Tears streamed down my face as I
laughed. “Aaron, I really did love you. I loved
your kindness, your gentleness. I loved the way you made me feel special. Or maybe there was no reason. You standing there in the rain….. it made my heart skip a beat. I thought… maybe it’s you.” His eyes reddened, his voice
trembling. He reached out, his hand shaking as he wiped away my tears. “I know, baby. Please, don’t say anymore. I feel like you’re breaking up with me.” “Please, don’t leave me.” “Aaron, do you love me?” He didn’t hesitate. “Yes! Of course, I love you. More than anything.” And yet, you hurt me like this. I sniffed. “Then I’ll believe you. One last time.” Because it wasn’t time yet.
Two days before the wedding, Aaron and I went back to our respective families‘ homes. He held my hand tightly as he dropped me off, like he was afraid I’d disappear. “Hailey, we are
getting married, right?” I didn’t answer. He
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reassured himself. “Of course we are. We’re
getting married.” That night, I snuck back into
our apartment, the one filled with our memories.
I took everything that belonged to me, even
wiping away stray hairs. I left behind only the
remnants of his gifts, the ruined wedding dress,
my wedding planner, and my engagement ring. I
couldn’t wait to see his face when he realized I
was gone. It would be priceless.
The day before the wedding, Peach Blossom
posted another update: “The man I love is
getting married tomorrow. And it’s not to me.”
The photo showed her bandaged wrist, lying in
a hospital bed. I drove to the hospital,
sunglasses on, and waited. Soon, Aaron arrived.
Peach Blossom rushed into his arms. He stood
there, not hugging her back, but not pushing
her away either. I was too far away to hear
what they were saying. She sobbed against his
chest. Strangely, I felt nothing. I remembered a conversation we’d had during our second year together. In a moment of vulnerability, I’d asked
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him, “Will you ever cheat on me? Fall for
someone younger, prettier?” He’d nuzzled my
face. “What are you talking about? No one’s
prettier than you. Besides, if I cheated, there
wouldn’t be a good man left on earth. I’ve
known you since you were twelve, we’ve been
together since we were twenty–five. You’ve
been a part of my life for half my life. How could I possibly fall for anyone else?” All lies. My phone buzzed. It was a message from my friend, Sarah, from grad school: “My advisor is amazing, Hailey. You’ll love it here!” “God, I’m so glad you’re finally coming! I thought you were kidding about applying to the PhD program.” “I’m so excited! I’m practically
lighting fireworks at the airport waiting for you!” Watching Aaron and Peach Blossom in the distance, I typed back: “Tonight.” I’d erased every trace of myself from Aaron’s apartment. I’d finished my wedding planner entries: “2 days to go. I finally understand. You have to love yourself first. It’s not that I’m not worthy of love. It’s that you’re not worthy of mine.
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There’s nothing wrong with me.” “1 day to go.
This whole charade wasn’t just about giving you
a chance, it was about giving myself closure. I
needed to see you for who you really are, watch
you hurt me, watch you lie, until there was
nothing left but disgust. We’re done, Aaron. I’m
done.” I packed my bags, turned off my phone,
and boarded a plane without looking back.
Some people are only meant to be in your life
for a little while. I could love fiercely, and I
could walk away. The road always has an end. I
couldn’t help but wonder, though… Aaron, are
you surprised I ran away from the wedding too?
Three years later, I was thriving in my PhD
program in England, on track to become an
assistant professor. Sarah came to celebrate with me before graduation. “I was back in New York the other day. Guess who I saw?” “Who?” “Your two–timing ex.” She was indignant. “The jerk. He tried to get me to spill your location, playing the heartbroken lover.” Hearing his
name brought no reaction. “He contacted you?”
