Days turned into months, and somehow, it was almost funny—how I never ran into Matt again. Not even in the hallways or snack time, or even the end of classes. Oh, and I quit the café. I think it was for the best.

I think it was for the best.

Then, graduation day arrived. 

The air felt heavier than it should have, thick with everything left unsaid. The excitement, the laughter, the relief of finishing this chapter—none of it reached me. Not when the distance between us felt so much bigger than the years we had spent together.

Last year, at Knox’s graduation, I remember him holding my hand as we ran toward the exit, breathless, giddy, making plans to escape to the mountains. I laughed at the memory—how young, how naive we were to think nothing could change.

And then I saw you walking towards me.

My heart betrayed me, skipping a beat before I could stop it. I froze. And for a second—just one fleeting second—our eyes met. But yours felt unfamiliar now, like a stranger’s.

"Congratulations," you said, offering a small, distant smile.

"Congratulations," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.

And then, just like that, you turned away. Back to your friends. With Stephanie there. Back to laughter, celebration, and a future that no longer had a place for me.

I stood there, watching as the moment we should have shared slipped through my fingers like sand. A quiet frown tugged at my lips. This should have been ours.

"Congratulations, honor student!"

"Congratulations, older sister!" Dianne beamed as she handed me a bouquet of flowers.

"You guys!" I choked back a tear, realizing there were people here for me.

"Thank you! Congratulations too, Salutatorian! You're the man here!" I grinned at Ephraim, grateful for his warmth.

Suddenly, the crowd parted, and a tall figure emerged, his black jet-black hair tied back neatly, his formal white shirt and black pants drawing all eyes to him. He approached with a confident stride, carrying a bouquet of sunflowers—the ones I loved. His smile was mischievous, his presence commanding attention.

"Congratulations on your graduation, Mel," he teased, handing me the flowers.

I blushed, caught off guard by his sudden appearance. "Knox!" I exclaimed.

"Hey, older brother Knox!" Ephraim chimed in, his voice light and teasing.

"Come on, Ephraim, you know I’m not that old. Just a year older," Knox chuckled, glancing at me.

"Older brother Knox! Hehe" Dianne added with a laugh.

"Anne, I told you I’d go with you for Mel’s grad but you left me. " Knox greeted her younger sister before turning his attention back to me, ruffling my hair in a familiar, playful gesture.

"Good job!" he said with a grin.

"Hey! My hair!" I protested, swatting at his hand.

"Hehe!" he laughed, thoroughly enjoying my annoyance.

"Hmmmphh!" I pouted, trying to hide the warmth creeping up my cheeks.

"By the way, where's Matt?" Knox suddenly asked, his eyes scanning the crowd.

I froze, my smile faltering. The mention of Matt still felt too raw, like a wound I hadn't healed. I tried to force a smile. "Uh..." I hesitated, unsure how to respond.

"Hmm?" Knox tilted his head. "Oh! There he is! Congrats, Matt! Come here!" he shouted toward Matt and his friends.

The air around me suddenly felt heavy. The last time we all met, Matt and I were still together. But now? I wasn’t so sure how to navigate this newfound awkwardness.

"Hey, Knox! Glad you could come by," Matt greeted him with a warm smile.

"Yeah, congratulations! I’ll see you at my university then," Knox replied with a casual wave.

Matt smiled happily, the same carefree look I hadn’t seen in weeks. "Yes. I’ve successfully enrolled there."

"And Mel’s gonna be in the same university too, right? We’re all going to be together again!" Knox’s words hung in the air, like an unexpected punch to the gut.

The awkward silence that followed was thick enough to cut through. "Knox, the thing is—" I started, but before I could explain, Matt smiled again.

"Yeah, we’ll all be together again," he interjected, his voice too cheerful, too unaware.

I felt my chest tighten, confusion washing over me. Together? We hadn't spoken in weeks, and now he was acting like everything was fine?

"See you around then, Matt! Stop by at our house, okay? We're playing that new game I just bought," Knox said, clearly oblivious to the tension between Matt and me.

Matt laughed, and my heart gave a small, painful tug at the sound of it. "Yeah, see you. I’ll have to go now." With a quick nod, he turned and walked back to his friends.

Ephraim and Dianne exchanged glances, both of them sensing the awkwardness but wisely remaining silent. They knew it wasn't their place to comment on it.

"So, how's my cute Mel?" Knox's voice brought me back to the present, his teasing grin pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Nothing much. Wait, why are you in a formal attire? Don’t you know you’re getting much attention? You’re not even graduating today" I pouted, crossing my arms.

Knox laughed, ruffling my hair again, as if nothing in the world could upset his easy-going demeanor. “Awwe, ain’t you grateful the handsomest is giving you flowers?”

I smacked his head.

In the background, Matt stood with his friends, his eyes flickering briefly to Melanie and Knox. For just a moment, his gaze lingered on them—then, as if caught off guard, he quickly turned away. His expression was shadowed, something fleeting passing through his features, as if caught in a thought he couldn’t quite shake.