Chapter 8

As expected, Jordan glanced at his phone when he heard the special ringtone. Then, he stepped away to answer the call so that Sabrina wouldn't hear him. She didn't know what Holly said on the other end of the line, but it made his expression shift. He even glanced at Ansel when hanging up and gestured for the latter to join him. They had a hushed conversation before going back to Sabrina. "Ansel and I need to step away to attend to something, Rina. You'll need to take a cab home. Is it okay to take a rain check on our anniversary celebration?" Jordan asked. What would he possibly need to take Ansel with him for? It was simple—they only wanted to be with Holly. It was a terrible lie, but Sabrina didn't have the strength to call him out on it. She looked at them and saw how expectantly they were waiting for her to give the green light. She chuckled and said, "Sure. Be safe." Jordan relaxed and picked Ansel up. Then, he turned to head to the main gate before suddenly remembering something. He returned to kiss Sabrina's cheek. "I'll prepare a huge surprise for you next time, Rina." After that, he turned to leave. He'd only taken a few steps when she called, "Jordan, Ansel." They stopped, wanting to turn back to look at her. However, she said, "Keep going forward. Don't turn back. I just wanted to say goodbye." She emphasized "goodbye", but Jordan didn't pick up on the oddity. Instead, he smiled and waved at her. Ansel did the same and bid her goodbye. Then, they left together. Sabrina remained rooted to the spot as she watched the father and son disappear from her sight. Once they were gone, she retracted her gaze and strolled around campus alone. Every inch of the place oozed youth and vibrancy; there were memories of her and Jordan's time together everywhere. As she entered a lecture hall, she was almost able to envision the handsome young man in the last row. He poked her back, his ears red as he asked, "Will you be my girlfriend, Sabrina?" She left the lecture hall and walked to an oak tree. In her mind's eye, she saw a young Jordan holding her hand in the moonlight. He carved a promise on the tree bark. "18-year-old Jordan Faust will always love 17-year-old Sabrina York." She walked along a corridor, remembering a night when the electricity had gone out. Everyone in the building had cheered, but Jordan had panted while pulling her to a dark corner. That was where he'd kissed her for the first time. Lastly, she pushed open the door leading to the building's roof. Again, Sabrina could almost see Jordan kneeling before her in a sharp suit, his gaze nervous yet filled with love as he held out a bouquet of roses. He'd asked her to marry him, saying that he would always love and dote on her. He'd also told her she would be his only wife—she would be the only woman he wanted to call his wife. Finally, he'd promised he would never betray her. Not in this lifetime, not ever. Yet he'd repeated all his promises and vows to another woman. In the end, Sabrina returned home alone. It was almost midnight, but Jordan and Ansel were still out. What were they doing? Were they eating with Holly? Watching a movie? Or were they tucking her into bed the way they did with Sabrina? She sat on the couch and watched as the hands on the clock slowly pointed to 12:00 am. When the appointed hour arrived, she closed her eyes and listened as the system spoke. "It's time to leave, Sabrina. Are you ready?" She didn't open her eyes. All she did was say softly, "Yes, I am. Take me home." A blinding light shone before her as soon as the words were out of her mouth. Before she could process it, the light enveloped her. She could feel her soul slowly being extracted from her body. After an insurmountable period, the light faded, leaving the woman on the couch lifeless. All that was left was the hint of a relieved smile on her face. Before leaving, Sabrina thought, "I'm going home, Jordan and Ansel. We won't ever see each other anymore."