The Years of Revenge and Growth

ith Ma

ike a bucket of ice water, d

unned for a moment, the

as... s

ive days, and it was just three day

ng. The woman beside me was known a

I'd liked for five years w

inner this afternoon. Wan

I don't want to intrude," I

or you, we wouldn't have met. So you have to co

and agreed

phone album-a picture of Matt and

im?" she had a

blush. "We're just good

tt, constantly asking me about him. A few days ago, Matt returned and invited me to dinner.

ing would lead me to hand over the

eaning against the car door, waving at us. Lucy immediately ran over to h

tching, feeling a

minutes, they fina

out, holding Lucy's hand a

e front seat caught my eye. Lucy, true to his expectations, was delighted, h

knew how to

n the city. Lucy's eyes sparkled as

ell, I could see the

This is a gift we picked for you, " Matt s

, " Lucy said, holding his arm, like a q

. Three days ago, I was the one standing next to

ickly, leaving me feeling like

expensive food before me,

, I never saw M

began skipping classes frequently

bags from luxury brands, excitedly tellin

envy, and Lucy, with a proud wave, pulle

pted it. "Lucy, y

. "Amy, why don't you

ead, declini

en't been to the dance studio in a while. The comp

I've been having so much fun lately that I

d in ag

rehearsal room, the teacher's face fel

the fragmented sounds and express

and the teacher had been grooming her for the theater's lead role. Nex

ing classes and missing practice. It

e returned, sitting next to

happ

hat if I skip class again before next week's

nd practice. You can celeb

w. I've already planned a surpris

dvice got stuc

. The next morning, when I got up, her bed was alr

ehearsal room, Ms. Jenkins was furio

n't k

the dorm l

es

s not here within half an hour,

d her number. A mechanical voice answered, "The nu

. "Fine, it's her choice. I hop

dia, I saw she had prepared a perfect birthday for Matt. She posted a pictu

it a th

message from h

r competitio

es

I will come to

y phone and

ins handed me my costume. "Amy, with Lucy absent,

practiced for two months. As long as nothi

erform. As I stepped out from backstage, I

pretended not to see her and walked

mmed, and the

udience was silent for two seconds before erupting into a

I had

e victory, meaning I could ent

t backstage removing my makeup

first, handing me a bouquet. Matt

nk y

he theater," Lucy said, her cong

ht. On Matt's ring finger, there was a small letter, "R." Notic

ttoo?" I aske

ea

ucy chimed in. "That's th

Bichon Frise he got after moving abroad,

usual expression, I decid

meal together la

a celebratory banquet later

n, understandably so, as it would only

oo. "Let's skip it. We'll cel

t," I r

earsing with the performing arts theater and gra

missed school due to theater rehearsals or event

. As soon as I entered the dormitory, eve

immediately held up h

e is coming to our school

y. It was indeed the international

movie would be a dream debu

g to audition

y lately. I'm not sure if I'l

Jenkins recommended you and Lucy

neasily. "Professor Jenkins hasn't told me the

if there's no schedu

ntation, the atmosphere between Lucy

linked arms with Katy and left the dormitory. We all

t's Twitter. He was someone who enjoyed sharing his life

tarted dating Lucy, his posting fr

of ten posts were about Lucy, there was no trace of her

aching the period when he was abroad. A parti

e image that appeared on my phone

and glanced at the opposite bed. Lucy's steady breathing reache

rehearsals in the afternoon, I left af

to the theater, I recei

1 a.m., Room 2

ks," I repl

time to come

Besides, it's not easy to get an interview with Mr

ka

tion, I didn't reply further. I put my

ist's studio I had worked with before. She gave me a refined yet und

s year. When you become famous, hire me as your personal makeup artist. I'm a

chubby cheeks. "I'll

ore the interview. I went with her to pick out an

y see a throng of people gathered at the entrance. Among them were several students who had come merely to satisfy their

y materials to the

here for the

ganizing materials on the table, looke

e. My teacher, Professor

l you the interview time?" He see

at 11?"

g. "I'm sorry, I don't know what miscommunication occurred, but our interv

rds. But Lucy had clear

he sighed when I didn't respond. "It's oka

d my materials from his

aw Lucy, dressed in designer clothes, comi

I approached her, showing

rently, wiping her h

o get all worked up. I

you talk

r must be worth celebrating. I get it, so I didn't make things difficult for you whenever you came back to flaunt. Now, I'm just reclaiming what's mine. Sin

sbelief at her

didn't stop you. Blaming everything on me because

-weather friendship. Oh, and by the way, I've never con

n aback by

. "Oh, and there's one more thing you need to know, " she paused