Abandoned at the Service Station, I Watched His Taillights Fade Chapter 09

Abandoned at the Service Station, I Watched His Taillights Fade Chapter 09

Back at my off-campus studio apartment.

Gavin handed me the warm milk.

He didn’t ask a single question about Ethan or Sophie. He just set my art supply case down by the door.

“Long day. Get some rest. I’ll come by in the morning to pick you up for the studio.”

I took the cup, feeling the warmth spread through my palms.

“Okay. See you tomorrow.”

I shut the door and leaned back against it, letting out a long breath.

The apartment wasn’t big, but every single corner of it was put together by my own hands.

The windowsill was lined with the plants I’d been raising. My concept sketches covered the walls.

I walked over to my desk and opened my laptop.

I started organizing my final project for the semester.

This time, the theme was My Room.

It was a goodbye to dark corners. It had become a room flooded with sunlight, filled with brushes, with a huge floor-to-ceiling window. It showed a glimpse of the workstation I was about to have at my new internship at Reid & Co. Design Studio.

I had landed that rare spot entirely through my own grit.

My phone screen lit up. A video call from my dad.

His grinning face filled the screen. “Nat, how’d the exhibition go? You must be wiped out.”

I flipped the camera around to show the offer letter on my desk.

“Not even a little, Dad. I got an official offer from Reid & Co.”

My dad beamed. “That’s my girl!”

Then his voice turned careful. “So… do you think you’ll ever come back home?”

I looked at his slightly weathered face on the screen, my eyes growing hot.

“Yeah,” I said, smiling. “Once I’ve got enough experience under my belt, I’ll come back and open my own studio. You can come live with me then.”

“Okay. I’ll be waiting.”

After we hung up, my phone buzzed again.

A long text message popped up from an unknown number with our home country’s code. But I knew exactly who it was.

[Nat, I’m flying back tomorrow. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about that last thing you said. You were right. I’ve been arrogant this whole time.]

[I thought arranging everything for you was the same thing as caring about you. I never once asked you what you actually wanted. I lost the girl who used to look at me like I was her whole world.]

[I’m sorry. If you ever need anything, anything at all, just let me know.]

I read this apology that was a year too late.

My heart didn’t stir. Not even a little.

He had finally learned to bow his head. Finally learned respect.

But that had absolutely nothing to do with me anymore.

I didn’t block the number.

I just calmly typed two words into the text field.

[Take care.]

I hit send and flipped my phone facedown on the desk.