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

Chapter 9

"Mia, you've got some nerve, abandoning me to run off to America and staying there for so long.

"If you don't come back soon, summer break will be over. Have you forgotten your promise to travel with me?"

Perhaps because we hadn't spoken in so long, there was a hint of caution in his complaining tone.

I still didn't want to talk to him.

Just as I was about to hang up, Mrs. Carter snatched the phone.

"Mia dear, are you having a good time over there?

"That boy Ryan, he doesn't tell me anything. I only just found out you two had a fight.

"Don't hold it against him. When you come back, make him apologize to you in person.

"Oh, Ryan received his college acceptance letter today. Yours should arrive soon too. When are you planning to come back for your graduation celebration? Auntie has prepared a surprise for you..."

Mrs. Carter had always been very kind to me since I was little, like my own relative.

I couldn't bear to hang up on her, so I had to listen to her chatter on.

"Auntie, I'm not planning to have a graduation celebration. My parents are very busy, flying all over the world. The relatives can just have an online gathering.

"I probably won't be coming back for a while. I'll likely return directly for college orientation..."

Before I could finish, Ryan was back on the phone.

His breathing was heavy. I could feel his anger even across the Pacific.

"Mia, I've already swallowed my pride to reach out to you. How long are you going to keep sulking?

"If you don't come back soon, don't blame me for going to New York without you."

After delivering this cold threat, he waited a long time. Not hearing a satisfactory response, he asked again:

"Think it through carefully. Don't regret it later."

I hung up the phone directly.

And blocked this number too while I was at it.

After spacing out for a while, I was planning to go for a walk when my mom suddenly video called me.

It turned out my acceptance letter had arrived at home too.

Seeing the school on the letter, my parents finally learned that I had changed my college choice.

They were very surprised.

"Mia, why did you change your application without discussing it with us?

"Does Ryan know about this? His mom was just asking this morning if you had received your letter yet."

Dad also leaned into the camera, looking worried.

"Sweetie, how can we feel at ease with you going to Florida all alone?

"Aren't you terribly afraid of the heat and cockroaches? You dare to go to Florida? Don't end up calling Dad to come catch cockroaches for you, haha."

"..."

I was a bit speechless.

I had to ramble on about how great the university I got into was, and assured them that Lily would be going with me so I'd have someone looking out for me.

They were still concerned.

"Did you have a fight with Ryan? Even so, you shouldn't impulsively choose such a faraway place."

"What if you regret it in a few days and want to find Ryan again? You'll have nowhere to cry then."

"That's right, once you separate, it'll be four years of long distance. In the past you'd get homesick after just two weeks at grandma's house during summer and insist on coming back to find Ryan..."

The more I listened, the more upset I felt. I decided to explain everything to them at once.

"Ryan has a girlfriend now. It's not appropriate for me to stay so close to him anymore.

"Mom, Dad, I have my own life to live. I don't want to just exist in his world.

"So, please support my decision, and keep it a secret for now."

My parents looked at each other, silent for a long time, before finally agreeing.

They just asked me to come back home soon.

There wasn't much time left before school started, and they wanted to spend more time with me.