Maybe

Chapter 46 Strangers

The sun was slowly sinking behind the trees, casting a soft golden glow across the park. The flowers in full bloom filled the air with a delicate scent, and the distant laughter of children playing echoed through the air.

It was peaceful-almost serene-but my mind kept wandering, as it often did when I had too much time to think.

Mom had insisted I join her today, pulling me out of the house for a meet-up with her friends. She didn't want me to spend my time alone, which she thinks I spend whole time doing nothing, even though that was exactly what I felt like doing.

She was deep in conversation with her friends, gossiping and laughing as usual, while I quietly walked along the path, letting my thoughts drift.

The sound of my footsteps softened as I walked deeper into the park. Then, my eyes landed on a couple, strolling hand-in-hand, laughing together while sharing an ice cream cone. The sight of them rwminded my old memories.

I couldn't help but remember those high school days, the moments I spent with Ethan. The way we used to wander through this same park, laughing at the world around us.

We'd had ice creams, sitting on a bench, watching couples like this one, joking about how we'd never end up like them. And there we were, two kids, making fun of Janice and Jake's hopelessly sweet romance, yet secretly envious of what they had.

Back then, I hadn't realized how much time we spent together, how much I relied on him to distract me from the reality of everything around me. The way his smile used to brighten my day, how his presence felt like a shield from all the things I wanted to escape.

I stopped walking for a moment, my gaze fixed on the couple. The sight was bittersweet. The nostalgia hit me harder than I expected.

Good old times..

I could hear the sound of my mom's voice in the distance, but it felt distant, as if I were in a different world altogether.

The memories felt so vivid, almost as if they had happened just yesterday. But so much had changed since then.

I shook my head, trying to clear the thoughts. It was pointless to linger on the past. I continued my walk.

I knew deep down that I could never go back to those days, no matter how much I wished I could. He.... would never stay. He'd leave, just like he always did, claiming it was for my safety, my well-being.

It was always about protecting me, and I hated it. I hated that he always made decisions for me, thinking he knew what was best, as if I couldn't take care of myself. It was like I was never enough to be his priority.

It felt like He'd always choose to walk away, to protect himself, and leave me behind.

As I walked through the park, my mind still lost in the haze of memories, a sudden sound snapped me back to the present. I turned my head to see a girl stumbling and falling to the ground, her face visibly in pain. She had clearly twisted her leg while running.

Without thinking, I rushed over to her. "Hey, are you okay?" I asked, kneeling beside her.

She winced, trying to sit up but clearly in a lot of discomfort. "I-I think I twisted my ankle," she said, her voice shaky.