When my parents call to tell me they are taking me to my childhood friend, Oliver Holland's house to meet his blind date, he is still asleep beside me.

I think they are joking and whisper, "Oliver, they said they've found you someone to date."

He gives a lazy hum and pulls me into his arms. "Gerry, help me pick out something to wear later. And fix my hair, too."

When I freeze, Oliver opens his eyes and lets out a short, mocking laugh. "What's wrong with you? We're just sleeping together. You don't actually think I'm going to marry you, do you?"

For a moment, I couldn't even process what Oliver Holland had said. All I could do was fumble around awkwardly.

I didn't dare look at him. I pushed him away, grabbed my clothes off the floor, and threw them on in a panic.

"Geraldine, look at me," he said, propping his chin on his arm with a teasing smile. "You didn't actually think we were a couple, did you?"

The words "just sleeping together" echoed in my head. My hands trembled, and I couldn't even fasten my bra.

Oliver lifted the blanket, revealing his lean, toned abs as he knelt halfway on the bed. Then, he reached out and helped me fasten it with practiced ease.

I kept my head down and let out a bitter laugh. "Who's the blind date? Don't tell me Mr. Holland just grabbed someone random from a matchmaking event for you."

I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. My body was still covered in faint red marks, and my legs were sore and weak.

Oliver, wearing only gray sweatpants, came up behind me and buried his head in the curve of my neck.

"It's Abigail Floyd."

He lifted those striking, playful eyes and continued, "She's my senior from the art department back in college. To be honest, I'm kind of nervous to see her again."

My hand froze halfway through applying lipstick. Of course, I remembered Abigail. He used to have a crush on her. But before he ever confessed, she had gone abroad.

I thought he was over it.

Oliver looked at me and pressed his lips together. "Geraldine, don't get any funny ideas. We grew up together, remember? Sure, you're pretty, but I see you as my best friend."

He grinned. "You're my favorite person to eat with, drive with, and sleep with…"

His words hit like a blow to the head. My whole body went cold. I forced a smile that barely reached my lips.

He went on, laughing like it was all a joke. "I even know what outfit you'll wear and which lingerie you'll match it with. It's honestly boring sometimes.

"Some nights, I wake up and see you next to me, and it actually freaks me out. It makes me think—what if my parents' jokes came true and we really got married? My life would be over before it even starts. I know you too well. If we got married, life would be so boring."

He gave a little shiver, as if the thought alone disgusted him.

I dug my nails into my palm, forcing myself not to let the tears fall.

"I've got things to do," I said flatly, throwing on my coat and leaving like a coward running from the battlefield.

...

I used to think Oliver and I were in a relationship.

We did everything normal couples did. We shared meals, went on dates, and hung out with friends. We would kiss each other during truth-or-dare and say "I love you" without hesitation.

He would drive me to and from work every time it rained, and he would reach for my hand under the dinner table at family gatherings.

I didn't realize what I thought was six months of love was just a game to him.

"Gerry?" My mom, Susan Cooper, knocked on the car window, peering in with concern.

I snapped back to reality. Seeing my tear-streaked face in the rearview mirror, I quickly wiped it clean, got out of the car, and forced a smile.

"Mom!" I threw my arms around her before she could get a good look at me. "I missed you."

Carrying a grocery bag, she linked her arm through mine, clearly relieved. "You scared me half to death! What were you doing, sitting in the car for so long? Didn't you see the news about people suffocating in parked cars?"

As I nodded, Mom suddenly changed the subject. "By the way, Gerry, Oliver's blind date is coming later. Mr. and Mrs. Holland are really taking it seriously this time. I heard Oliver's been planning it for weeks.

"He said the young lady might feel awkward, so if you're there, she'll feel more comfortable. I've been close with Mrs. Holland for years. You…"

She trailed off, looking uneasy.

I forced a smile. "Don't worry, Mom. I get it. I'll keep the atmosphere light and say nice things."

Mon looked at me with quiet sympathy.

She had seen the photos of Oliver and me sitting on my bedside table, the gifts he had given me carefully stored away, and the journal filled with tiny confessions of love I couldn't hide.

How could she not understand?

We walked home in silence. As I opened the door, I said suddenly, "When Dad retires next month, let's move to Atharia."

Mom froze. I smiled and looped my arm through hers, pretending to be playful. "You've been talking about retiring there for years. I don't have any big dreams, anyway. Just being a dance teacher and staying close to you and Dad sounds perfect to me."

...

Sitting with my parents in Oliver's living room felt completely different this time.

We used to joke around every time we came here. The last time, we had even hidden in his room under the excuse of playing video games, only to end up kissing.

But this time...

"Oh, Susan, you have no idea how hard that brat worked to chase Abigail," Rebecca Dillon, Oliver's mom, chirped. "He could've just gone after her directly, but he insisted on courting her 'with marriage as the goal.' Thomas even had to pull strings to get her to come today as a blind date."

I looked around the carefully decorated house, filled with roses everywhere.

There were fruits, candies, and tea on the table. Even Oliver's dog was dressed in a bright red outfit.

Oliver stood in front of the mirror, checking himself over and over again to make sure he looked perfect.

The ridiculous part was that just last night, we had been tangled up in bed, his lips lingering passionately on the small mole at my waist. Even the underwear he was wearing now was the one I bought.

"What a pity," Rebecca said, shaking her head as she held Mom's hand. "When we were young, we always said we'd become in-laws one day. We even joked about arranging a childhood engagement for the two of them!"

She glanced at me, her tone warm. "I've always liked Gerry. She's such a lovely lady. She's beautiful, kind, and cheerful…"

I lowered my gaze, afraid to make a sound. I was terrified that if I slipped up for even a moment, my tears would start falling one by one.

Oliver frowned sharply, clearly annoyed. "Mom! You said it yourself—those were your ideas, not mine. Since you and Mrs. Scott get along so well, why didn't you marry her? What's that got to do with me? It's the 21st century. Stop dragging up ancient nonsense."

He didn't care about respecting the elders.

Then, he turned to me, his tone clipped and cold, as if Rebecca's words had somehow been my fault. He asked, "Geraldine, where's the bracelet my mom gave you?"

I didn't respond.

He strode over, grabbed my wrist, and yanked up my sleeve. "It's the bracelet that went with that so-called childhood engagement. I just don't want Abigail to see it and get the wrong idea."

As soon as he finished speaking, Thomas Holland and Dad froze mid-sip. Even Mom, who had been arranging flowers for Oliver, stopped what she was doing.

In an instant, the atmosphere turned painfully awkward.

Mom looked at me, then slammed the vase and scissors onto the table with a sharp clang. She stood up abruptly, but Rebecca grabbed her arm first.

Then, Rebecca turned, stepped between Oliver and me, and shoved him hard. "Oliver! What are you doing?

"You and Abigail aren't even officially together yet. Besides, did you forget that you broke down crying and begged Gerry on your knees to wear that bracelet when you were 17?"

Oliver suddenly seemed to come to his senses. He remembered that year when someone had confessed to me.

In a panic, he had gotten drunk, stolen his family's bracelet in the middle of the night, and come to my house. He cried and begged on his knees for me to wear the heirloom bracelet.

Now, he tugged at his tie, exhaled deeply, and forced a smile. "I overreacted. I… don't take back things I've given away. You can keep it."

"It's fine. I'll return it. I'll grab it from home right now," I said evenly. "I'll be quick. It won't take long."

Before anyone could react, I grabbed my bag and left.

...

When I came back with the bracelet and was about to knock on the door, a burst of cheerful laughter caught me off guard.

"Welcome—" Oliver froze the moment he saw me. "Why is it you?"

He clearly hadn't expected me to come back, let alone actually return the bracelet to him.

When I held it out to him, disbelief flashed across his face. He took it at last, leaned close, and whispered, "Geraldine, since we've always gotten along so well, do me a favor and don't stir up any trouble today. Abigail's a sensitive lady. Don't say anything that might upset her."

I didn't bother replying. So, Abigail was a lady, and I wasn't?

I looked at the man I had loved through my entire youth, and the coldness in my chest nearly swallowed me whole.

Ten minutes later, Abigail arrived at the Holland residence with the matchmaker.

The elders quickly fell into an easy conversation, getting along surprisingly well. That was exactly why my parents had agreed to come. Over polite small talk, they subtly laid out the Holland family's finances and plans for the matchmaker.

Meanwhile, Oliver sat beside Abigail. He was attentive to every move she made. He was almost 30, yet he looked like a nervous teenager on his first date.

I had nothing to do there, so I started looking for a quiet way to slip out.

But then Abigail turned to me with a soft smile and said, "So, you're Geraldine. I've heard a lot about you. You were the art department's beauty, right?"

Caught off guard, I waved my hands quickly. "Oh, that's not true. People were just teasing back in college."

I thought that would be the end of the topic, but she wouldn't let go. She continued, "Oh, come on. I remember the dance performance you did at the school ball. There were piles of flowers under your dorm the next day!"

Before I could respond, she tugged playfully on Oliver's arm and asked, "You two grew up together, didn't you? I always thought you'd end up together. Everyone did."

All eyes turned toward me.

Despite her gentle tone, there was a sharpness beneath her words that made my skin prickle.

"She?" Oliver laughed lightly, passing Abigail a slice of apple. "In your eyes, she may be a lady, or even a goddess. But to me? She's like a man. She's my best friend."

He chuckled as if recalling something funny. "You should've seen her as a kid. Every time she cried, snot and tears were everywhere. If I hadn't wiped her face, it would've gone straight into her mouth.

"And when she was 15, she fainted during PE and started mumbling nonsense. She even waved her arms like a crazy person—"

"I have to go," I said sharply, cutting him off before I could explode.

I turned to the elders, forcing a brittle smile. "Please, enjoy the evening."

Abigail glanced awkwardly at Oliver and asked softly, "Did I say something wrong? I hope I didn't upset her."

Oliver shot me a furious look, as if I were the one who had ruined the mood.

Before he could speak, I said flatly, "I have a date with my boyfriend tonight. I don't want to be late."