My secret crush, Julian, knew exactly what to say. He?claimed?the SATs were stressing him out and my body would inspire him.
And just like that, I was his casual hookup for a year.
When I asked him when we’d go public, he’d always say.
Why mess with a good thing? I’m not into labels, I like my freedom.
So I waited. Just like an idiot.
On the day the popular Serena confessed her feelings to him, Julian asked to meet me.
“Help me pick out some flowers. They’re for Serena. She’ll probably like your taste.”
That’s when I knew. I was the only one who felt like a “label” to him. Serena never did.
Julian couldn’t hide the smile on his face when Serena came up.
I’d known him for years, but I’d never seen him look like that before.
I mumbled a reply, terrified that if I said too much, he’d hear my voice shake.
“Aurora,”he said, his tone deliberately loud and mocking. “You’re not about to cry, are you?
My hands trembled, clutching the hem of my shirt.
He knew me too well. He could read every emotion from the slightest flicker in my eyes.
I couldn’t lie to him.
But for once, I had to try.
“Just stressed. Tired.” I managed.
“Perfect. Come to the flower shop with me then. Think of it as relaxing.”
Relaxing. My heart gave a little flutter at the word. He always used it as an excuse to get me into bed with him.
His voice held an undeniable pleasure. “You’re both girls. Whatever you pick, Serena’s bound to love it.”
Serena was the most popular girl in our class-gorgeous, with a long line of guys after her.
But I never knew Julian was interested in her, too.
So what was I, then? A joke?
“Julian, what about me?”
I bit my lip, unable to stop myself from asking.
He fell silent for a few seconds, his face darkening.
When he spoke, his expression was serious. “Aurora, don’t tell me you took this seriously. You’re my friend, we grew up together. Sex is just about mutual needs, isn’t it?”
His tone was calm, but every word felt like a stab to the heart.
He tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear, his smile mischievous. “You’ve lived with my family for so many years, everyone sees you like my little sister. If we actually dated, people would definitely talk. It would be weird.”
His words were like a bucket of ice water, chilling me to the bone.
I stared at the ground, determined not to let my tears fall.
“Oh, I just remembered, I made plans to see a movie with a friend. I can’t go pick out flowers with you.”
With that, I hurried away.
I thought Julian saw me as his girlfriend.
We rode Ferris wheels together, watched sunsets together.
He took me to Norway to see the Northern Lights.
He’d kiss me deeply as the sun rose, whispering romantic vows.
Julian called me his sister.
But every time he took me out for an overnight stay, in the heat of the moment, he’d call me “baby.”
Turns out, in Julian’s eyes, it was all just a game.
And I was the only one who fell for it, from beginning to end.
The ringing phone shattered my thoughts.
“Aurora, have you been crying?”Aunt Caroline heard the strangeness in my voice.
I snapped out of my memories instantly.
My reflection in the mirror showed a face streaked with tears. I quickly wiped them away.
“Just stressed lately, and caught a bit of a cold.”
She finally sighed in relief. “Remember to take your medicine. If you really feel unwell, have Julian take you to the doctor.”
I nodded along to everything she said.
Mentioning Julian, Aunt Caroline seemed to remember something. “Oh, Aurora, did you tell him you’re moving abroad after your exams next month? This time, he won’t try to stop you again, will he?”
The year my parents died, Aunt Caroline planned to take me abroad.
But Julian held onto my sleeve, begging me to stay.
He promised his house had plenty of room, that his home would be my home, and he’d be my family.
His words moved me, and I turned down Aunt Caroline.
Now, considering my future, Aunt Caroline had invited me to move abroad and live with her again.
I had planned to tell Julian about it today.
I’d even written a whole page of heartfelt notes a week ago, ready to give him.
“Don’t worry, Aunt Caroline, we’re all grown up now. We won’t be as impulsive as we were as kids.”
“What about you, though, Aurora? Will you miss him?”
Every time I talked to Aunt Caroline, Julian would always come up somehow.
She knew my teenage crush was painfully obvious.
Aunt Caroline had been living abroad for many years, and our relatives had mostly kept their distance from me, an orphan. This time, when I left, I probably wouldn’t be coming back.
The thought that time would heal everything brought a sense of peace. “I’ve already contacted a famous painter in Europe. Besides my studies, I’ll have plenty of time to spend with you.”
After school, Chloe suddenly gasped. “Aurora, check the university’s online forum!”
Before I could react, the content on her phone was right in front of my eyes.
In the video, Julian was holding a bouquet, kneeling on one knee. “How could I let a girl propose? Serena, will you be my girlfriend?”
He looked nervous and shy, drawing screams from the surrounding crowd, who praised him for being romantic and charming.
But just last night, he’d used dinner as an excuse to meet me, kissing me deeply against the hotel door.
He’d also promised to buy me flowers.
Now it was clear, all of that was just empty promises made after his physical desires were satisfied.
“Ugh, I honestly thought Julian liked you, you know?”
Chloe dragged her chair next to mine, a look of pity on her face. “He always called you whenever he went out, and he’d get you gifts for holidays and your birthday. Now you’re telling me you two aren’t a couple?”
I forced a smile, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill.
My fingernails dug hard into my palms.
Maybe if my body hurt, my heart wouldn’t ache so much.
That evening, after dinner at a restaurant, I ran into Julian and Serena.
I instinctively lowered my head, wanting to get away from them quickly.
“Aurora, what’s the rush?”Julian grabbed the collar of my shirt, pulling me back.
“Why didn’t you reply to my SnapChat message this afternoon? I was just about to look for you.”
He looked especially handsome today, every strand of hair perfectly in place.
Our eyes met, and he saw the humiliated tears in mine.
Julian froze.
Once, a guy from the next class asked me out, and I didn’t know how to respond.
Julian had just returned from playing basketball. Seeing the scene, he casually draped his arm around my neck and pinched my cheek.
He said then, “What are you spacing out for, Aurora? Need me to reject him for you?”
The guy asked him what right he had to decide for me, and what business it was of his.
“What business?”He chuckled softly. “The business of living together.”
“I’ve got plenty of photos of Aurora sleeping and drooling on my phone. Wanna see?”
That night, after he’d chased the guy away, Julian pinned me to the bed and kissed me all night.
He fiddled with the necklace around my neck, whispering a warning in my ear, “Aurora, you can only have me in your heart.”
I pursed my lips, forcing out a smile.
“If there’s nothing else, I’m heading back.”
I thought to myself, Julian, there’s no ‘us’ anymore.
Serena’s voice came from behind me. “Are you coming to Julian’s birthday party with us later? You’re like his sister, it wouldn’t be right if you didn’t go.”
In the end, I went.
At the party, Julian was chatting with other people, and Serena sat in the seat next to me.
She was overly friendly towards me.
“Aurora, I heard you and Julian grew up together. Why didn’t you two ever consider being a couple?”
I managed a strained smile.
“Julian always just saw me as his sister.”
But Serena wouldn’t let up, asking provocatively, “So, you mean you’re hopelessly in love with my boyfriend?”
“Oh, no…”
I opened my mouth, unsure how to retort.
Then Serena pointed at the necklace around my neck her eyes sharp.
“That’s quite nice. It looks like it could be a matching set with Julian’s.”
As if on cue, Julian stepped to my side. “Aurora, give me your necklace.”
He didn’t wait for a reply. His fingers went for the clasp.
“Since Serena likes this necklace, just let her have it. You pick it, she’ll probably like your taste.”
The demand was so outrageous that I instinctively stumbled back.
He froze for a moment, his eyes darkening with anger. “Since when do you say no to me? Remember your place. That belongs to the family, and I have every right to take it back.”
“Julian, you gave this to me when I was sick,”my voice choked.
Julian seemed to snap back to reality, instinctively pulling his hand back.
“Forget it… if you like it, keep it.”
“No.”I ripped the necklace from my neck. “Take it. Now, I owe you nothing.”
He stood frozen, staring at the necklace lying in his hand.
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