Reunion with Ex - Boyfriend Trouble

While video chatting with my boyfriend, his roommates were eagerly clamoring to meet me. Just as I was giving a modest smile, the phone was unexpectedly snatched away.

A charismatic voice, tinged with humor, chimed in, “Come on, don’t be shy, show us what our sister-in-law looks like.”

To my surprise, I found myself face-to-face with my ex-boyfriend, Brayden, whose breakup with me had been quite the upheaval. His smile slowly faded, and after a moment, he forced a wry grin. “Wow.”

As he leaned in, the star pendant on his silver chain brushed against the camera lens. My breath caught when I recognized him. Sweat trickled down Brayden's sharp jawline and into the open collar of his basketball jersey. He stared at the screen for a couple of seconds, his pupils widening in shock. “…Wow.”

The phone was abruptly tossed aside, the screen momentarily blacked out before it was quickly picked up again. Cassius grabbed the phone, sounding annoyed, “Why did you freak out like that?”

Brayden hesitated, then snorted, “Your taste could use some work.”

Cassius, usually so calm, surprisingly found himself irritated, and retorted sharply, “My girlfriend is great, stop with the nonsense.”

“She’s definitely prettier than the prom queen, what's up with you, Brayden?”

“If I scored someone like her, I’d live on instant noodles for three years!”

“No way, I’d give up takeout for a decade!”

His roommates erupted in laughter, while Brayden stayed silent. Cassius picked up the phone again, “Sorry, Evelyn, he must’ve lost a basketball game today and is sulking.”

From the background, Brayden’s frustrated voice came through, “I won, I beat them by 20 points!”

Cassius remained unruffled, “Then he’s just having a moment, Evelyn. I’ll take you out for dinner tonight.”

Once the video call ended, I lay quietly on my bed, summer sunlight glaring through the window. I covered my eyes with my arm. It had been about three years since I last saw Brayden. I never expected he’d still wear that star necklace I gave him. Such a cheap trinket; it cost just $30, and with the couple’s deal, it was only $15 each. I’d tossed mine a long time ago.

He seemed both the same and completely different. The same face, but maturity had sharpened him, like a rough gem finally shaped to reveal striking facets, with defiance gleaming in his eyes.

Suddenly, I recalled three years ago, before finals. Brayden stood below my window in his basketball jersey, eyes red as he pleaded with me.

“I’ll do whatever you want from now on. If you don’t want me around her, I won’t have anything to do with her again. We promised to go to the same college, remember?”

His voice was hoarse, and in the dim light, his eyes seemed to shimmer with unshed tears. “Just don’t break up with me, I’ll agree to anything you say, alright?”

He looked so pitiful, almost ready to drop to his knees and beg. But I simply watched him