Xena looked at me in panic and quickly scolded, “Remy, stop talking nonsense! I’m calling to tell you that we shouldn’t be in contact anymore. My boyfriend doesn’t like it!”
Remy shouted in disbelief, “Snow, what do you mean? How can you do this to me for that petty Ezra!”
Xena emphasized again, “He’s my boyfriend. Don’t talk about him like that! Let’s not contact each other anymore! That’s it!”
She quickly hung up the phone and didn’t answer despite it ringing continuously.
”
Xena looked at me pleadingly, “Ezra, see? I really cut ties with Remy. Don’t be angry anymore. Let’s be good to each other from now on, okay?”
I was shocked, never expecting her to be so decisive.
I had originally planned to bring up the breakup on the day I left, but now I had to do it earlier.
I slowly began, “Xena, you don’t need to do this. I think we should…”
Xena suddenly rushed forward and covered my mouth, stopping the words “break up” from coming out.
Her lips trembled, tears falling one by one.
In the past, seeing her cry would break my heart. I would anxiously wipe away her tears and comfort her until she smiled again.
But now, I didn’t raise my hand to wipe her tears. I just looked at her silently.
“Ezra, I’ll go back home with you!”
Xena said this and then tightly hugged my waist, pressing her face against my chest. Soon, that area was wet with her tears.
I thought I had protected my heart well enough, but at this moment, it still ached unbearably.
I slowly raised my hands to push her away, struggling to speak, “I’m sorry, Xena. Let’s break up!”
Xena hugged me tighter, shaking her head as she sobbed, “No, Ezra, I won’t break up. I don’t want to be apart from you!”
I smiled bitterly, “You should be happy. From now on, no one will bother you and make you feel unfree.”
Xena was in tears, begging, “No, I was wrong, Ezra. Can we not break up? I won’t say you’re controlling me anymore, and I won’t contact Remy. Please give me another chance, please!”
I hardened my heart and said, “Xena, don’t be like this. We’re from two different worlds, and now we’re just returning to our own worlds. I’m really tired after these years!”
I pried her hands off me and retreated to my room, leaving Xena wailing outside without coming out again.
13
The next day, I opened my bedroom door with my suitcase in hand. I saw Xena lying asleep on the couch, her face still streaked with tears.
I picked up a thin blanket nearby and gently covered her, silently saying, “Goodbye!”
As I waited at the station, Xena called. Her voice was anxious and panicked.
“Ezra, where did you go? Why are your things gone?”
I hadn’t wanted to answer the phone, but in the end, I softened. After all, she was someone I had once loved deeply.
My throat tightened, “Xena, I’ve left. I wish you all the best in the future.”
Xena cried out, “Ezra, how can I be well when you’re gone?! Where are you? Don’t go! Wait for me to come with you!”
“Take care!”
After saying this, I hung up the phone.
2:45 PM
<
I picked up a thin blanket nearby and gently covered her, silently saying, “Goodbye!”
As I waited at the station, Xena called. Her voice was anxious and panicked.
“Ezra, where did you go? Why are your things gone?”
I hadn’t wanted to answer the phone, but in the end, I softened. After all, she was someone I had once loved deeply.
My throat tightened, “Xena, I’ve left. I wish you all the best in the future.”
Xena cried out, “Ezra, how can I be well when you’re gone?! Where are you? Don’t go! Wait for me to come with you!”
“Take care!”
After saying this, I hung up the phone.
The phone kept ringing, but I didn’t answer.
Then messages started coming in continuously.
“Are you at the train station?”
“I’m coming right away, wait for me!”
“I’m here, where are you?”
I didn’t reply. I dragged my suitcase and queued to enter the station.
The moment I stepped through the entrance, I heard a heart–wrenching cry from behind the crowd: “Ezra!!”
My body stiffened, but I only paused for a moment before continuing forward.
A few days later, I was counting inventory at the entrance of my family’s supermarket.
A trembling, tearful voice sounded behind me: “Ezra!”
I stopped what I was doing and slowly turned around. It was Xena.
She looked much more haggard after just a few days.
“You weren’t just coming back for a few months, were you?”
I nodded gently, “That’s right. I’m not going back.”
Xena’s eyes were red–rimmed as she choked out, “Why did you lie to me?”
I smiled bitterly, “You’ve lied to me countless times before. I only lied to you this once.”
Over the past few years, Xena had told so many lies for Remy’s sake that I had lost count.
These lies used to hurt me deeply. Now, was she feeling the same way I once did?
Xena cried and begged, “Ezra, can I move here to be with you?”
I closed my eyes briefly. When I opened them again, my voice was as firm as steel.
“When disappointment accumulates too much, it turns into despair. We can’t go back, Xena. Let’s part ways amicably!”
I watched Xena’s lonely, desolate figure grow smaller in the distance, just like the fading memories in my mind, until they disappeared completely.
From now on, we would each continue our journey in our own worlds; but without each other.
