Secret of My Ex-boyfriend

etown, my ex-boyfriend and I were

me on the sofa and k

to break, he looked me straight in the eye and aske

pte

tention. You need to interview the lawyer h

r in charge of this case was my

phone screen still di

the elevator with the cameraman. Even though it was win

nd as the doors slowly opened, Ro

n his eyes, but I composed

of the elevator, pretendin

ew. My name is Samantha Fletcher." I extended my hand with

ion become awkward. He shook m

rmally, and I immersed mys

e remarks and immediately smiled, "Thank you

oment, Roderick and I sat facing each other. The awkward at

outside the window, whi

eavy snow on the day Roderick an

dowsill mirrored the warm

aces got blushed and hot that nigh

The cameraman called my name twice with

left. Out of the corner of my eye, I sneaked a glance a

s, leaving footprints in the snow before

he studio, I was sti

of college; it was particularly cold. I compl

e up and drop me off at my

d specifically found for me so I c

ook good care of me and jo

t a joke. I once thought I w

years, I had saved some money, and I couldn't live in a rented apartme

ceived a call f

meet with

our relationship to our parents, always pre

are you going to invite Rode

as awkward enough, let alone reminiscin

ow outside. I rubbed my fingertips agai

hung up the phone and collaps

pte

and I was assigned by the studio to

equipment and headed to

d I sat on a bench in front of it, adjust

elt bored, sitting on the bench in a daze

rned my head to mee

and sat in the empt

's Eve?" I glanced at Rode

city's neon lights. The winter wind made it par

u?" Roderi

oad?" I asked, looking at the

a mont

ds catching in my throat, the

o I lowered my head, holding

l counting down, flashing on

stay this time?" I took a

to leave." Roder

Roderick had earned a Ph.D. abroad. I tho

ed but secretly a

rick for the breakup four years a

friend. I never felt he treated me poorly, nor did

rk, and I often walked the streets we used to fre

ack, but his return this time disru

to settle down for goo

ne, I never asked intentionally. It was just something

till staring at the big scr

sually, though I couldn't help but squeeze the

" Roderick ans

. His gentle eyes were still the same, but I couldn

re, we were holding hot coffee, waiting for the countdown like

re still many couples, and th

screen countdown, I adjusted the c

saw Roderick standing beside me

d and helped me

ew Year's Eve with me?

stantly broken, and we waited

, two

works lit up, illumina

I slowly opened my eyes, the fireworks were still going off, and the camera w

slowly app

and quietly captured the moment, th

overlapped with the figur

ht of Roderick's high school gradu

he got drunk, he rested

find me when you

d his head at that mom

, Happy N

I replied, slightly tiltin

ter

our contact beca

h Roderick, and even when he invite

to face Roderick, or the re

ff. After a shower, I lay in bed when my phone suddenly chimed with a mes

I replied with a simple "okay" and sat in fr

y house after the movie, as my mo

oderick drove to my

coats, looking inexp

ard and avoiding eye contact, unsure how

car and slowly drov

in this month?" I as

nds rested on the steering

ave time." I leaned against the car win

erick replied

in dissatisfaction. Why couldn't he give a straightfo

" Roderic

sappeared, and I

elcoming me or not?" Roderic

ted playfully, prete

the cinema, and Roderick

I watched the screen

ctly, but in this one, both th

ick and I left th

rick opened the trunk to revea

took them, the fresh petals e

y me flowers? It's not e

breath visible in the cold nigh

d from the cold, and his ears w

I softly cal

n't accept them." I jok

me?" I guessed, taking an

e the distance between us, and he lowered h

ou ag

rea