- 16.
On the day of Declan and Nora’s wedding, I watched the live stream closely, afraid of missing their happy faces. Nora walked gracefully down the aisle in a custom wedding dress, on a path lined with white roses.
Declan waited at the end, so gentle. They truly seemed to be meant for each other.
Before the pastor, they poured out their hearts, vowing eternal loyalty, through sickness and health, till death do they part.
The chaos began right then.
Suddenly, a video flooded the internet, taken on the school rooftop. The video clearly showed a younger Nora and a boy who looked a lot like
Declan.
It was snowing that day, and Nora was standing on the edge, teetering.
She cried, “Would you rather see me die than be with me?”
The boy, a bit impatient, replied, “How many times do I have to say it? I like someone else, are you deaf?”
Nora didn’t believe him, clinging desperately, “Who do you like? Who? No one at school is prettier than me!”
“Could it be… that country bumpkin, Nora?”
“What does she have that I don’t? I’ve liked you for two years, I’d even die for you! Would she dare?”
Annoyed by the insult to his crush, the boy laughed coldly.
“Nora, I know what you’re about.”
“Your tricks might fool Declan, but you’re out of your league with me.”
“I’ll say it once: hand over Nora’s photos. You try anything cheap with her again, and I’ll end you, got it?”
Nora stared wide–eyed, speechless for a while.
Much later, she laughed and leaned off the edge, shrugging, “You’re blind, really. Do you know how many people like me?”
“You’re just the least favored kid in the Declan family, why so arrogant? I offer you respect, and you don’t want it.”
“You want her nudes? Fine, come and take them yourself.”
“If you can’t, don’t blame me for spreading them, letting every man see that bumpkin’s true colors.”
She pulled out a memory card, holding it high.
When the boy lunged at her, she suddenly crouched down.
That day, the rooftop was slippery, the wind fierce.
<
A boy turned into a butterfly, briefly alighting before flying away on the wind.
I still remember the darkness of that day. He ruffled my hair, telling me to wait for him after school so we could go home together.
I touched the love letter I had written, blushing as I nodded.
But he never came back.
That letter still lies in my backpack.
