Requiem of a Broken Heart

Chapter 28

Chapter 28:

Under the dappled summer sunlight, Brian’s voice carried a warmth that made Rachel’s chest tighten.

“Tracy, we’ll be in the same university soon. Once we’re in college, be my girlfriend, okay? I promise…”

Rachel never heard the rest. If she hadn’t been crouched behind the thick trunk of a tree, she never would have overheard his tender words.

She realized that Brian hadn’t failed his exams after all. Every choice he had made—all his sacrifices, all his compromises—had been for someone else. He had someone he liked. And he loved that woman deeply. Rachel couldn’t even begin to put her feelings into words.

It felt as if something inside her had been torn apart, the raw edges burning as though rubbed with salt.

She spun around and ran. Faster. Farther.

She had no idea how long she kept running—only that, by the time she finally stopped, the ice cream in her hand had completely melted.

The pink liquid dripped onto her white dress, splattering like drops of blood from a wounded heart.

That day, she had spent every cent of her pocket money on the prettiest dress she could find, just in case she ran into him. And in the end, she felt like the biggest fool.

As she sprinted uphill, her foot caught on an uneven patch of ground. She stumbled, and the ice cream smeared across her face as she crashed onto the rough pavement. Jagged stones bit into her skin, but she felt nothing.

The only thing that mattered was that the boy she loved already had someone else in his heart. And to him, she was nothing more than a stranger—someone without a name.

L𝑎tеst chαptєrs in g𝒶l𝓷ovє𝓁s.𝗰𝗼𝗺

When her senior year began, she buried herself in her studies. She stayed up until one in the morning, then dragged herself out of bed at five—running on only four hours of sleep.

In the sweltering summer, whenever exhaustion crept in, she ran laps on the track until sweat drenched her clothes. Then she’d go right back to her books.

In the biting winter, when drowsiness clouded her mind, Rachel splashed ice-cold water on her face and plunged her hands into a freezing basin. The pain jolted her awake. That sharp sting fueled her determination.

And she endured. For an entire year, she never once tried to see Brian again. Then, just days before her college entrance exams, she did something reckless—something completely out of character. She requested a leave of absence.

swelling and her feet going numb, before transferring from one bus to another. Finally, she arrived at the gates of his university. She had no phone number,

do was wait and

until her

pounding with anticipation.

beside it, Brian wore a crisp white shirt. His features had

year had

that time,

older,

in his gaze had faded, replaced by the quiet maturity of a young

tears

her crying and handed her a tissue. “Miss,

tears and forced a smile,

happy.”

the picture, Brian’s

of purpose, she

every person who stepped out.

then did she step away,

The bulletin board information had to be accurate. Brian was

she blurted out, struggling to steady her breath. “I need to ask something.”

he left for

Tomorrow? Her stomach dropped.

left. She had planned to catch the train back tonight, right after seeing him. If she stayed another day, she wouldn’t even have enough for a place

she supposed

and forth, her

her way to the train station, rescheduled her ticket, and used her

freezing. By the second half of the night, she was curled

night finally gave

soon as the first light touched the sky, she got up

was the first to step out

T-shirt and crisp white pants, his outfit exuded an effortless charm. His short haircut framed his features, accentuating the sharp lines