Since It’s Already Like This Chapter 11

Since It’s Already Like This Chapter 11

During my few days in Chicago, I poured all my energy into work.

During the day, I went to the site, revised plans, and coordinated with suppliers.

At night, I returned to the hotel and went straight to sleep.

I didn’t answer anyone who reached out on Lowell’s behalf.

I deleted Lowell. I deleted Mira, too.

I scrubbed every social media account that chronicled our life together over the years.

I left the group chats we shared.

I made my social media pages private.

I even started a new Instagram account.

But the traces time leaves behind aren’t so easy to erase.

My photo albums were full of them.

Photos I had taken of Lowell’s profile while he slept.

Photos of us in our graduation gowns on campus.

Pictures we took in Times Square on New Year’s Eve.

There was also a video from one of Mira’s birthdays, where the three of us were laughing in a restaurant.

I deleted them one by one.

Looking at those images still hurt.

But that hurt also made one thing crystal clear.

Neither of them was worth it.

The project wrapped up smoothly.

Ethan and I had an extra day to ourselves.

“Indigo, there’s a pretty famous café nearby. Want to check it out?”

Ethan stood at my hotel room door in a light gray hoodie, looking almost the same as he had in college.

I looked at his expectant face and finally nodded.

But when we got there, I realized the café he’d mentioned was a cat café.