He Posted Ninety-Nine Sorries And I Posted My Goodbye Chapter 01

He Posted Ninety-Nine Sorries And I Posted My Goodbye Chapter 01

On the Amtrak home for Thanksgiving weekend, my suitcase got wedged between the seats. I yanked at it, but it wouldn’t budge.

A hand reached over my shoulder from behind, lifted it just slightly, and the thing slid free.

“A month of silent treatment and you’re still not over it?”

Ethan Cole’s voice. He was leaning against the aisle, that cold smirk playing at the corner of his mouth.

I paused, then ignored him.

He walked past me at an easy pace, voice lazy. “Sophie, you used to cave in three days tops. This is a new record.”

At the station exit, waiting in line, I pulled up a thread titled: 99 Times I Screwed Her Over.

[1. I never held her hand in public. The second I spotted someone I knew, I let go. I’m sorry.]

[2. Every time things got hard, I shut down. I watched her cry more times than I can count and never said a word. I’m sorry.]

[3. I made her take Plan B over and over because I couldn’t be bothered to think ahead. I’m sorry.]

…

[99. When she brought up marriage, I told her to have an abortion. I’m sorry.]

A comment underneath read, [Every single line just gutted me.]

[Guys don’t reflect on this stuff. So you’re the girl, right?]

I looked up. Ethan’s back was a few yards ahead, as familiar as it was searing.

I liked that comment.

The page refreshed, and right under the comment, it now showed his username in the likes.

Ethan Cole would never reflect. Never apologize.

So this time, I wasn’t looking back.

***

Outside the station, it was pouring. Uber said there were like fifty people ahead of me.

Ethan got picked up by his friend Matt. The car rolled past me, and Matt leaned out the window. “Sophie, get in. This rain isn’t letting up anytime soon.”

I didn’t move.

The back window rolled down. Ethan glanced at me from inside, voice flat. “Get in.”

I turned my head, pretending I hadn’t heard.

Matt chuckled. “Whoa, she’s really got it bad this time. Ethan, what the hell did you do to her?”

Ethan’s eyes stayed on me for two seconds, then he spoke. “Sophie, it’s twelve miles from here to your place. You planning to walk?”

“Ride-share.”

He held up his phone with a short laugh. “Fifty people. You’ll be here till tomorrow.”

“That’s my problem.”

The air went quiet for a beat.

Matt tried to smooth things over. “Come on, Sophie, just get in. We’re all friends here—”

“Who said she’s a friend?”

Ethan’s voice cut in, neither loud nor soft.

The window rolled up. His face went dark.

“Drive.”

The car pulled away.

An hour later, I finally got a ride.

Soaked to the bone, shivering.

My phone buzzed. Ethan.

[It’s just a cat. I already dropped it off at my mom’s. You’re really gonna die on this hill?]

I looked away, leaning against the window, watching rain streak down the glass.

In the past, our silences never lasted this long.

Three days, tops. I’d find some excuse to text him. Ask if he’d eaten. Ask how his day was.

He’d reply with a single “K,” and I’d be floating for hours, convinced he’d finally decided to acknowledge me.

Pathetic down to my bones.

But this time was different.

He’s allergic to cats. Literally allergic. I begged him for years to let me have one, and he always said no.

But Lily was going abroad for a month, and he brought her Ragdoll into his apartment without a second thought. Popped antihistamines like candy, not one word of complaint.

When I asked him why, he said, “Just doing a favor. You’re seriously making this a thing?”

Just doing a favor.

Three words that threw every question back in my face. Like I was the one being unreasonable.

I walked in the door, and my mom took one look at me and started fussing. “It’s pouring out there—you’re gonna get sick.”

She went to get me hot water, still talking over her shoulder. “Is Ethan seeing someone? He brought a cat over to Ginny’s place a while back—clearly a girl’s cat.”

I peeled off my wet clothes. “Probably soon.”

“I mean, a guy who’s allergic taking in a cat like that—that girl must be something special. And you, all these years, running right behind him and never—”

“Mom.” I cut her off. “I got the study abroad spot.”

I came back to tell you. I leave after the holiday.”

“Does Ethan know?”

“There’s no reason to tell him.”

She went quiet for a few seconds. Then her eyes got red, and she came over and pulled me in. “That’s my girl. You go get that degree, and you’re gonna be just fine.”

I leaned into her shoulder and said nothing.