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

Chapter 8

During my time in America, traveling around with relatives to clear my mind, I put on a happy face.

I deliberately kept myself busy, filling my days with various activities to avoid any idle moments for overthinking.

I certainly didn't add Ryan back as a contact like he had demanded.

However, Lily and other friends would still occasionally send me updates about Ryan.

Ryan and his friends seemed to be having a great time in New Zealand for many days.

For some reason, he was posting on social media every single day.

Completely unlike before, when he would go months without posting anything.

Sometimes it was short videos of him speeding down ski slopes, sometimes lavish meals and all-night parties. Most often it was group photos of everyone goofing around and having fun at the ski resort.

Even though I didn't want to pay attention.

Somehow many friends would proactively share these updates with me.

Everyone was curious and probing, wondering why I hadn't gone to New Zealand with Ryan.

I didn't know how to explain, so I just made excuses about having family matters to attend to in America.

Except for Lily who would directly call Ryan a jerk every time, the others all had a hesitant look when talking to me.

I knew they had probably figured out what was going on.

In every group photo Ryan posted, he and Claire were pressed close together, practically inseparable.

But that spot beside him used to be mine for so many years.

Every time I saw these, my face remained calm, but my heart would inevitably ache.

After all, he was my first love, someone I had genuinely liked for such a long, long time.

In the middle of the night, I would sometimes feel pathetic and sad, occasionally even resentful.

But every time I recalled those hurtful words, I would mentally slap myself.

Reminding myself over and over:

"Mia, don't be so desperate. Have some self-respect."

Just endure a little longer, just a bit more.

Once the withdrawal period passes, everything will surely get better.

We lost contact for a whole month.

This was the longest cold war since I had known Ryan.

Distance and time are great remedies. I managed to get through the most difficult period.

Just when I had almost stopped thinking about Ryan at all, he changed his number and called me from overseas.