He Promised Me Photos, She Got Them Instead Chapter 12

He Promised Me Photos, She Got Them Instead Chapter 12

When I cut him off, Dylan looked heartbroken.

“Hannah, why did you choose UT Austin? We agreed we would both go to Columbia.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Because of our shared history, I could not help sighing when I saw him like this, even though I no longer had feelings for him.

“Dylan, I only planned to choose Columbia because it was the school you wanted. UT Austin was always the

school I wanted.”

“I didn’t choose Columbia because I was tired of chasing after you.”

“I tried to tell you the day we finalized our college decisions, but you never gave me the chance.”

“After that, I didn’t think there was any point.”

“And yes, part of me was angry because you bailed on me, so I kept it from you.”

“But we’re even now. The semester starts tomorrow, so you should get back to New York.”

Dylan grew paler with every word I said.

By the time I finished, he looked as if he might collapse.

“Why? There was never anything between Madison and me. You’re the one I love.”

I froze.

Memories from all those years flashed through my mind.

Did Dylan really love me?

At first, I had believed he did. Why else would he chase away every boy who came near me or tear up the love letters other girls gave him?

Eventually, though, I no longer dared to believe it.

“I only kept Madison around to make you jealous.”

I froze for a moment, then let out a disbelieving laugh.

“Dylan, are you a little boy pulling a girl’s pigtails because you like her? If you loved me, why didn’t you just tell me? Why would you do something like this?”

“But none of that matters anymore.”

The moment I said those words, every old grievance between us seemed to dissolve inside me.

“Hannah, can’t you give me one more chance?”

“I’ll give up Columbia and take a gap year. I’ll reapply to UT Austin next fall. I’ll never do anything like this

again.”

“No.”

More and more students were arriving at the campus entrance for move-in.

I did not want to become the subject of gossip before the semester had even started, so I said to Dylan, “The moment you decided to use Madison to make me jealous, you lost your chance.”

“Dylan, hurting someone to test their feelings for you is disgusting.”

With that, I waved Nathan and Chloe over and walked onto campus with them.

I could feel Dylan’s gaze following me, but I never looked back.

“Hannah, was that your ex-boyfriend?”

Chloe directed the question at me, but she was watching Nathan.

“It’s perfectly normal for a girl to have had a few relationships,” Nathan suddenly said. “I don’t mind.”

His comment left me both embarrassed and exasperated.

“He was someone I’d liked for years. Some things had gone wrong between us, and he could be pretty

immature.”

“But I don’t like him anymore.”

Nathan considered that for a moment.

“People have always said I’m mature for my age.”

He paused before adding, “I’m especially patient, too. I can wait as long as it takes.”

He did not say what he was waiting for, but somehow I understood.

My face grew even hotter, and I hurriedly pulled Chloe toward freshman check-in.

After a hectic afternoon, Chloe and I were lucky enough to be assigned to the same dorm room.

We had barely finished unpacking when Dylan’s mother called me.

I hesitated for a few seconds before answering.

“Mrs. Carter.”

“Hannah, I don’t know what happened between you and Dylan, but he’s determined to give up Columbia, take

a gap year, and reapply to UT Austin just so he can follow you.”

“With grades as strong as his, he shouldn’t throw away an opportunity like this. Could you please talk him

out of it?”

Mrs. Carter’s voice trembled as though she were about to cry.

I could not bring myself to refuse, so I agreed.

Then I messaged Dylan.

Me: [Dylan, your immaturity has hurt me over and over. Are you really going to keep acting this way? Are you going to give up Columbia and take a gap year so everyone thinks you’re doing it all for me and I become the bad guy if I still say no?]

Me: [Do you think this is romantic? All you’re doing is making it impossible for us even to stay friends.]

Dylan replied almost immediately.

Dylan: [If I go back to Columbia, can we still be friends?]

I did not answer.

Before long, another message appeared.

Dylan: [I bought a ticket back. Hannah, I was wrong. I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to you. Please give me a chance to be your friend, and don’t give anyone else a chance too soon.]

I was about to respond when Chloe grabbed my arm and tried to drag me out to dinner.

“Hannah, my brother is so petty. Just because the message you sent me the other day had one more word than the one you sent him, he docked fifteen bucks from my allowance.”

In that instant, I finally had my answer.

Dylan and I could never be friends again.

He loved the ocean.

I loved the mountains.

We had never been meant to walk the same path.