After the breakup, I cried for what felt like an eternity, but I forced myself to attend classes with my head held high. I stopped bringing Amias lunch or gifts, and whenever we crossed paths, I acted as though he were a mere stranger.

Two weeks went by, and I found myself volunteering at the university's basketball tournament. Amias's team clinched first place, and as I quietly handed them water, I prepared to leave. Unexpectedly, Amias called out to me. He maneuvered around to stand right in front of me and bent down, grinning as he said, "What now? Still mad? I joined this tournament when I heard you’d be volunteering."

He showed me his phone; all posts about Lana had been wiped clean from his social media. Handing me a key, he mentioned I could come and go at his place as I pleased. That day, he stayed with me to clean up the basketball court. He didn’t let me lift a finger, running around, organizing all the equipment himself.

I watched in a daze as sweat glistened on his forehead, reminiscent of when he helped me with my luggage at the start of the semester. Coming from a quaint little town to this bustling city, I've endured countless judgmental stares. Yet, Amias never criticized my lack of familiarity or the state of my belongings.

So, my heart softened, and I agreed to reconcile with him.

When I went back to his place, the first sight was a sea of takeout boxes and trash. Looking back now, it wasn't that Amias suddenly realized he loved me. Rather, he suddenly figured out that hiring someone to clean would cost him. That’s why he came back for me, a few beads of sweat enough to soften my heart.

That's why on the first day of our reconciliation, he took me back to his place, where I spent an entire day cleaning before it was barely livable.

Looking back on it, I truly felt like I'd been in a trance.

How could I have ever believed that Amias Bennett loved me, especially after all the neglect and humiliation I endured?

I berated myself, calling myself a fool, but something wasn't right. Holding my phone, I cursed Amias out a dozen times, calling him an idiot. Then, I blocked him on every platform.

I stood at the entrance of my apartment complex for quite a while, long enough for passersby to give me curious looks.

My friend, Aylin, called, excitedly sharing about a new Victorian-style dress she had just bought, insisting that I start a video call to see it.

I told her I was outside and it wasn't convenient right then, suggesting we'd video chat later.

Aylin's lively voice softened, and after a pause, she gently asked, "Malani, what's wrong? You don't sound like you're in a good mood."

From the lounge to Amias's home, during this whole ordeal of venting and revenge, I had stayed surprisingly composed, even managing to joke with Amias. But when Aylin asked that question, I couldn't stop the lump from forming in my throat.

I wiped my face, my hand coming away wet with tears.

"It's nothing, just a sudden revelation," I said, looking up at the sky, trying to sound carefree. "Here's to being single! Here's to freedom!"

Amias, when the hurt I carried started to outweigh my initial feelings for you, I knew I would stop loving you. I would love myself more.

A year later, I landed a job with a respected government agency. I hadn't gone to any of the reunions since graduation, but my friend Aylin would sometimes bring things up in our conversations:

"Hey, Malani, do you remember Eric? You know, Amias's old pal."

Aylin quickly realized she might have hit a sensitive spot and cautiously watched my reaction. Seeing that I remained indifferent, she continued to chat cheerfully:

"He got matched for marriage right after graduation by his family, but guess what? He got caught at a wellness center a few days ago."

"And it happened during a police raid. Do you know what the officer said to him?"

"The officer said, 'Why do you keep showing up in these raids?'"

Aylin laughed so hard she could barely stand upright, and I had to hold her up. Eric had always been the wildest among Amias's friends, and he was also the one who used to make the most inappropriate jokes about me.

I should have seen it coming. If Amias could hang out with someone like Eric, what were the chances he was some upstanding guy? His reluctance to make our relationship public back then probably had to do with not wanting to scare off other potential interests.