To Love Until the End

When the lights came on at the end of the graduation party, the spotlight suddenly shifted and froze on a young couple kissing passionately at the back of the auditorium.

The young man held up a bouquet of roses and shouted to the crowd, “Sophie, be my girlfriend!”

The moment the girl covered her face and nodded, the cheers in the hall nearly lifted the roof.

Amid the thunderous applause, my hand trembled around my phone. The screen still showed the message he had sent half an hour earlier.

Rowan: [Wait for me. I’ll come to you right away.]

After the party, I took off the couple’s bracelet from my wrist and threw it into the gutter, along with four years of love.

“If we told Madison that tonight’s confession was just a bet between friends, do you think she’d believe it? She’s never been able to tolerate even the slightest flaw. She’s going to start something with you again. Rowan, did I cause you trouble again? I’m so stupid…” Sophie Wendell’s sweet voice trembled with concern.

Leaning against a large tree outside the auditorium, I heard her cloying tone and instinctively looked up. Rowan Shelby was gently brushing her soft, long hair. “Silly girl, don’t worry. I’ll handle her,” he said.

My hand trembled. Ash from my cigarette fell onto the back of my hand, and the sharp sting brought tears to my eyes.

I lowered my head and let out a bitter laugh as I flicked the cigarette away. As the two of them approached, I stepped out from the shade of the tree.

The moment they saw me, both of them froze.

Sophie quickly pulled her hand behind her back when she noticed my eyes locked on their tightly clasped hands. However, the diamond bracelet on her wrist still burned in my vision.

“Madison, long time no see,” she said. “Rowan bought this bracelet for you. I was just giving him some advice. Don’t get the wrong idea.” She hurriedly removed it and held it out to me, but her tear-filled eyes made it look as though I had done something to her.

Rowan’s brows knit together as he stepped in front of her protectively. “I asked Sophie to try it on,” he said. “Madison, can you stop being so unreasonable?”

“Thank you.” I took the bracelet from Sophie, slipped it on, and held up my wrist to Rowan. “Does it look good?”

Rowan stared at me for a long moment. The words caught in his throat before he finally gave a neutral hum.

I glanced down at the bracelet, which hung slightly loose on my wrist, and smiled—cold and sarcastic.

Sophie’s soft sobs eventually broke the silence. “I knew Madison would mind me being here. I’ll leave right away.”

She ran off in tears. Rowan gave me one last frigid look before chasing after her. “It’s late. I don’t want you walking home alone. Let me take you.” He practically shoved her into the passenger seat.