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Over time, I’d used my meager earnings to fill the house with vintage furniture again. I had a dining room table, a couch, and a few side tables taking up space. It wasn’t everything I wanted, but it was enough to make my house feel close enough to home that I didn’t feel sad every time I woke up.
Lately, my life had been so monotonous that it was close to boring. I had my usual morning routine of coffee, work, and then living vicariously through either reading or watching my neighbors through my windows. My newest yet closest friend, Lily, helped ease it ever since I met her, but I couldn’t help but wonder if this was how my life was going to be until the end of time.
I worked a boring job at my family’s company, and they didn’t have anything for me to do. The weather was cold, so the neighborhood was quieter than usual, and most days, I was trying to find a book to read by noon to carry me through my shift that ended at five.
And this day was proving to be the same as all of the rest.
I checked my email one last time before pulling out my current book. It was like all the others I’d read, but there was something about watching two people fall in love that made me smile every time. I knew it wasn’t real—Gram’s ghost would haunt me if I believed it for a moment—but the escape was something I desperately needed.
After ten minutes, I’d made it to an adorable first-kiss scene when a message popped up on my phone.
V
I’m never reading fantasy again. Rohanda’s mom just came back to life and then DIED AGAIN. Cruel. Why are you making me read this?
I laughed and quickly typed out a reply.
BECAUSE I need someone to talk to about it. The only other person I know LOVES fantasy, and I can’t exactly tell her that this was nightmare inducing.
So you chose me???
You’re brave enough for it.
I am … but I’ll hold this against you for the rest of our friendship. This has a happy ending, right? If it doesn’t, we may need to reevaluate things …
Just kidding. I’ll forgive you if you give me an actual happy rec after this.
My friendship with V defied all odds, yet it was one of my greatest treasures. He didn’t get bored of me, even when I had to hand over the book club to Becks because of my health or when the first messaging app we were using announced that they were shutting down.
Both times, V had suggested a solution rather than to drop me. The first was that we talked about books whenever I could, even though he didn’t know health was the reason I was too busy for it. And he’d also suggested we move to Discord instead of paying a subscription fee.
I still had the letter V had given me, stored with the very few things in my house that I’d kept for years.
Back in college, I’d always hoped that he would show up to one of my weekly sessions, but he never did. I’d always told him he was welcome, but I was pretty sure Becks had done some damage. She was fun with all of the women in the group, but obviously her thoughts had leaked out into her actions when V had met her in person.
Over time, I figured out that it was best that he didn’t come in person. About half the time, people joined the club to hear more about my brother, not to read books. And if I lost V to Calvin like I did everyone else, I knew that was something I wouldn’t recover from.
I knew within the first week that V was special. And he stayed special, even to this day.
I’ll do whatever to earn your forgiveness.
Actually, your forgiveness is coming early. It’s getting romantic now.
I wanted to tell him that Lily had written this, and why it shifted so much near the end. When she had been forced into a contract to marry someone, her writing had been dark and twisted. Then, as she connected with her husband, she added more and more romance to get to the happy ending her series,The Fair Originals,had.
But Lily closely guarded her identity since her parents would try to take away her success if they found out how much they’d inspired the series. And while I didn’t think V could be connected to that life in any way, it would be my luck if he was.
The ending is so worth it.
I managed to do some of my actual job for a few more minutes before I got another message. I looked at my phone, eager to see what he said.
Instead, it was a message from Dad.
As much as I liked to think it was directed at me, I knew it was copied and pasted and sent to everyone who wanted to attend their parties. Most were in Calvin’s honor, and this was no different.
Dad
Come and celebrate Calvin’s promotion to CEO! On his birthday no less! My retirement is now fully effective.