Chapter 15 Chapter 15 I managed to avoid seeing Aiden again until move in day , though it wasnt easy living next door .
Id time my coffee runs and grocery trips for when his car wasnt in the driveway .
Started taking the long way to everywhere , just in case .
Maya sent me his Instagram post a perfectly filtered photo of him and Madison at some rooftop party , his caption announcing they were official .
I deleted the notification without opening it , but not before catching a glimpse of the likes piling up .
All our mutual friends , already accepting this new reality .
I went through my social media with surgical precision , blocking anyone connected to him .
His friends , his cousins , even his little sister who used to borrow my makeup .
There was no point keeping any windows into his life open anymore .
Some doors need to stay firmly shut .
But the universe has a twisted sense of humor we ran into them at JFK .
Madison was there , of course , looking like shed stepped out of a travel influencers feed in her matching luggage set and designer sweats .
Her carefully curated airport look made my jeans and Columbia hoodie ( bought before everything fell apart ) feel suddenly childish .
Aiden barely managed a stiff Hello to my parents before storming off .
He looked right through me like I was just another stranger in the crowded terminal .
We quickly scattered in different directions , everyone pretending this wasnt painfully awkward .
No one looking back , because looking back meant acknowledging what wed all lost .
At the security checkpoint , I caught one last glimpse of him heading to his gate the one for New York bound flights .
He must have felt my gaze because he turned , just for a moment .
One final cold look before he disappeared through the doors , Madisons hand tucked perfectly in his .
Just like that , the boy whod been there for every major moment of my life first day of school , braces , drivers test , prom was walking toward a different future .
The boy who knew all my secrets , all my fears , all my dreams .
Or at least , the dreams Id had before I learned to dream bigger than just being his .
Our paths were finally diverging .
Good luck with your life , I thought silently , watching his retreating back .

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Some childhood stories dont get happy endings .
Some prince charmings turn out to be just boys who never learned to see beyond themselves .
I turned toward my own gate , ticket to San Francisco clutched in my hand .
Stanford was waiting , 17:41 Backup Girl No More : Adios To My V Card and My First Love 10.9 % Chapter 15 and for the first time in my life , I was writing own story no co author needed .
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