It’s been more than a decade, but I still remember us. From the warmth of our embrace to the sweetness of our first kiss, these moments never left me.
We were two high school acquaintances who fell in love after a game of Scrabble. Apparently, ‘waffle’ and ‘burgundy’ won not only the best scores but your attention too. You were cute and charismatic. I was shy and studious.
That was a long time ago. Recently, you traced your way back into my life to catch up over coffee. You had these three words to say:
“I’m getting married.”
You caught me off guard, ex-boyfriend. That was the last thing I expected to hear. Clearly, my decade-old innocence hasn’t shed one bit.
While I’m trying to comprehend the wedding invitation in my hand, you spoke about this beautiful woman you met two years ago. She’s warm and kind, you said. She’s a sweetheart and a great cook, you added.
Then, you ceremoniously popped the question while on a skiing trip in Japan last Christmas. She said yes. Both of you were incredibly in love, you repeated.
I smiled politely and looked away for a bit. I hoped my expression didn’t give away the soft ripple of despair and disappointment.
You taught me this little thing called love. Between the chase for good grades and social acceptance, you were the gift I never knew I needed. A distraction from the books I felt obligated to prioritise. “No boys,” my parents once cautioned. But life has a way of teaching us to take it easy, and they were right.
For a boy who hates waking up early, you made the weekday mornings brighter. For a boy who delivers bad jokes, you gave me a reason to laugh every day. For a boy who was finding a place in this world, you told me I could achieve anything.
Then, it ended abruptly. Unlike the stories of happy-ever-afters, your feelings faded as fast as it began. Your promise of forever lasted nine months. You said you’ll continue to be there for me, but you didn’t. After weeks of going back and forth, you finally admitted – I wasn’t the one for you.
A decade later, you finally found the one. This beautiful woman, who made your weekday mornings brighter, gave you a reason to laugh and believed you can achieve anything.
Looking back, you walked into my life to teach a thing or two about heartache. Despite the initial despair and disappointment, you reminded me of the pain that I’ve overcome after all these years. Our meeting proves that life is fair because time heals all wounds. You also taught me to let go of the past, and I’m going to take that advice to heart.
Your wedding invitation arrived with good intention, but we both know that the past has no place in the present. While you walk down the aisle with someone else, I’ll be elsewhere, living out my life and finally letting you go.
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