Old Dreams No Return (Serena) novel Chapter 19

19

Liam stood under the familiar tree outside my dorm, staring stubbornly up at my window, the warm light glowing inside.

He knew I was in there.

His limbs were slowly going numb, but his heart, it was still throbbing, a dull, aching thud. He remembered countless times before, whenever he pissed me off, he’d wait downstairs just like this.

Back then, no matter how pissed I was, I’d always cave eventually. I’d come downstairs, eyes all red, and he’d just pull me into this tight hug.

But this time? Nah.

Early birds rushed past, umbrellas up, shooting him curious or pitying glances before quickly moving on.

He was drenched, shivering uncontrollably from the cold. His cheeks were flushed an unnatural red, and his head throbbed, sending waves of dizziness through him.

Finally, the dorm door opened. It wasn’t me who came out. It was my roommate.

My roommate looked at the utterly miserable Liam. A complex emotion flickered in her eyes, but she eventually sighed. She stepped forward, holding a dry umbrella over his head, shielding him from the cold rain.

“Liam, you really should go home,” her voice was soft, tinged with a hint of genuine pity. “Serena asked me to tell you… ‘Don’t bother her anymore.”

At that moment, the rain felt scalding, burning his skin.

Liam stumbled, reeling slightly.

He finally got it.

I was truly done with him.

That version of me-the one who’d secretly ache for him in the rain, the one who’d melt into a smile at his slightest sweet talk-she was long gone. Killed off by his constant favoritism and every single time he’d hurt me.

Liam took the umbrella. Didn’t open it. Just turned and stumbled away.

He spent two days straight in his dorm, completely out of it. His mind a blur, constantly replaying their past-the sweet times, the fights-until it always froze on my eyes. Those cold, blank eyes that looked at him like he was a complete stranger.

After he recovered, Liam was like a different person.

His usual swagger and sharp edge faded entirely, giving way to a stillness that felt almost dead. He stopped trying to dig up any info on me. He never showed up anywhere I might be anymore.

He booked a therapy session with the school counselor.

He started seeing his therapist every week, same time, same day.

In that quiet space, for the first time, he stopped running. Instead, he painstakingly, awkwardly laid himself bare, finally confronting the pain he’d caused me, the pain he’d conveniently ignored for ages. He started to reflect on his own character flaws and that ridiculous, self-important attitude of

his,

The campus wasn’t huge, but it wasn’t small either. Occasionally, they’d still inevitably cross paths.

At the packed cafeteria entrance, between the library shelves, or on the long, tree-lined path to the lecture halls.

Sometimes, he’d see me first. I’d be walking with Mark or my roommates, sometimes even flashing a faint smile.

Every time he saw me, a sharp pang would still hit him in the chest, but he’d just quietly, quickly shift his gaze, heading in the opposite direction.

Sometimes, I’d see him first. My gaze would simply pass over him, and I’d continue my conversation with whoever I was with, just walking away, unfazed.

1

At the end of the semester, the department announced the list of students accepted into prestigious overseas exchange programs.

Liam’s eyes landed on the place name on the bulletin board. A distant country, across a vast ocean.

22:14

AD

Verify captcha to read the contentVerify