Used as "Practice" Then Kissed? I'm Done with Him!

Chapter 19

I don't remember where I heard this saying: after a breakup, a woman will get over it in a month.

But a man may take much longer to realize what he's lost, and then he'll start to have an emotional backlash.

Ryan's emotional backlash seemed to come a bit too late.

After playing the field for half a year and lying low for a winter break, he suddenly started appearing frequently around me again.

I don't know what excuses he made to his school, but he kept popping up in Florida.

He started sending me all kinds of gifts - flowers, bags, jewelry. I refused them all.

He would camp out under my dorm building for no reason, refusing to leave no matter how much we tried to persuade him.

Whenever he managed to catch me, he would accompany me to class every day and to the cafeteria for meals.

Ethan was so agitated by him that he kept sighing dramatically at me.

Occasionally he would make some jealous remarks, which made me both amused and exasperated.

Mrs. Carter also called and messaged me many times, saying the school had started contacting parents.

Ryan was skipping too many classes. If this continued, he might have to repeat a year or be expelled.

She begged me earnestly to please talk some sense into Ryan.

I was beyond annoyed, not understanding what Ryan was thinking.

Back then he was so determined to go see the world outside. Now he was back playing the devoted lover.

I decided to confront him directly.

When Ryan realized my intention, he lost control of his emotions.

"Mia, why is that Ethan guy allowed to pursue you, but I'm not?

"How long has he known you? How many years have we known each other?

"In this world, besides your parents, no one understands you better than me. No one is more suitable for you than me."

I laughed angrily and retorted:

"Ryan, do you really not remember what you did before?

"Search your conscience, have you ever truly cherished my feelings?

"You just enjoyed the sense of superiority from having me chase after you. You thought no matter how you treated me, I would never leave you. You took my sincere feelings for granted."

Stung by the truth of my words, Ryan became even more defensive:

"Yes, I made some mistakes back then.

"I was too young at the time. I felt the whole world was full of temptations. I didn't want to be tied down by just one person.

"I owe you a formal apology. Mia, I'm sorry."

Ryan looked sincere as he suddenly softened his tone to plead with me:

"But even if you treat me as a stranger, don't I have the right to pursue you again?

"After leaving, I realized I'm not used to a life without you. I can't imagine a future without you, having no one to share everything with."

The evening breeze by the river was strong. The wind gave me a bit of a headache. I thought silently for a long time before answering him.

"To be honest, since leaving you, I've realized that mutual love doesn't require walking on eggshells.

"I can be myself openly, without my emotions being swayed by someone else's will. So I suddenly discovered -

"Perhaps that foolish love from my younger years was just my own immaturity."

Ryan stood frozen as if struck by lightning for a long time.

After a while, he finally spoke in a low voice, sounding extremely aggrieved.

"But we promised before to go to college together, study abroad together, then travel the world together. Are you going to break all those promises too?"

I was a bit dazed for a moment. I nodded, then shook my head.

"You were the one who broke the promises first. And I've already found someone I want to do all those things with."

Ryan looked devastated, his eyes reddening.

"Stop, Mia. Please, stop talking."

Seeing his dejected, hurt expression, I finally couldn't help but give him one last piece of advice.

"Maybe you don't truly love me. You just can't accept losing.

"Ryan, you should move on too."

I didn't wait for him any longer.

Ethan had been waiting for me across the street for a long time.

I ran over, and he immediately took my hand.

"Finally got rid of the ex-husband? Did you tell him that from now on, I'll be in charge of killing all your cockroaches? He won't get to squash a single one."

I laughed, nearly crying.

I looked back one last time at Ryan, still frozen by the riverside.

People came and went on the street. Some saying goodbye, some meeting again.

But Ryan and I had finally drifted apart, parting ways like rain.