I Lost 90 Pounds, Only To Find He Tried To Give Me Away Chapter 16

I Lost 90 Pounds, Only To Find He Tried To Give Me Away Chapter 16

After his aunt left, I spoke quietly.

“You’re awake, aren’t you?”

Nolan opened his eyes. Slowly.

I saw his lashes flutter.

I looked at him. “Thank you.”

Without the styled hair and the usual swagger, Nolan looked different. His face was pale. His eyes were red.

The playboy mask was gone. What was left underneath seemed fragile.

“I had a dream.” He was staring at the ceiling, his eyes unfocused, like part of him was still trapped there.

“I dreamed I never passed you off to anyone else. We went to the same school, graduated together, got

married. We even had a child.”

He smiled, but it looked like it hurt.

“A girl. She was really cute.”

I didn’t say anything.

“In the dream, you didn’t look like this. You looked like the girl in that photo, the one from before. Chubby.” He

paused. “And really cute.”

He blinked. “And I was happy. I loved you so much.”

“I thought what mattered was how you looked. But it wasn’t. It was you, the person who was there for me

that whole year. It never had anything to do with a face.”

His voice cracked.

“I figured it out too late.”

“I’m sorry, Tessa.”

I didn’t know what to say.

He kept going. “My aunt was right. Before all this, I never knew what mattered. I was just drifting.”

“I hated my parents for who they were. But I turned out exactly like them.”

“When the scaffolding came down, I didn’t think. My body just moved on its own. I guess it knew how I felt

before I did.”

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have made things harder for you. I’m sorry.”

I looked away. “Get some rest.”

“Your aunt arranged for a private nurse. I’ll come check on you tomorrow.”

I was halfway out the door when his voice stopped me. It was shaking.

“Tessa… it’s too late for me, isn’t it?”

Sunset filled the hallway.

I held the door handle.

“Nolan, I mean it when I say thank you.”

“I really did like you once. And I really don’t anymore.”

“I’m sorry. I hope you find happiness.”

A few steps down the hall, I heard it. A muffled, broken sob from behind the door.

I slowed for half a second. Then I kept walking.

Three months later, Nolan took medical leave for the semester.

I heard he went overseas to recover, staying with his aunt.

He didn’t come looking for me again.

Before he left, he sent me one last message.

My own words, sent back to me.

[I’m sorry. I hope you find happiness.]

When I read it, a plane was passing overhead.

A red light blinking against the dark sky.

It disappeared into the clouds.

I watched until there was nothing left to see.

Theo’s voice came from beside me.

“Come on, babe. I found this amazing K-BBQ spot off campus. I’m taking you after your evening lecture.”

I turned around. He was standing under the oak tree, hand stretched out toward me, smiling.

I took his hand. And I smiled.

“Yeah.”

There would always be regrets.

But you kept moving forward.

I hoped we all found something worth holding onto.