A long silence stretched between us.
"Phineas, is today the first day you've learned I'm afraid of thunder?"
I lifted my head and looked at him, lightning flickering across his face.
I was afraid of thunder. Phineas knew that.
Yet every stormy night these past few years, he hadn't been beside me.
The first thunderstorm, I'd called him. He said he was busy at the lab and hung up in a rush.
The second time, he said he was driving Lacey home.
The third time, he said he was helping Lacey look for her cat.
Bit by bit, I stopped expecting anything.
His eyes flickered, but he quickly slipped back into that detached look.
"I don't have that kind of free time——"
"It's not that you don't have time," I cut in. "You just don't want to."
"You really have to dig up old grudges?"
He tugged irritably at his collar, then pulled out his phone and held it up in front of me.
"Take a good look. You're not the only one who needs coaxing."
On the screen was a message, the contact saved as "Lacey."
【Phin, where'd you go? The thunder's so loud QAQ】
I looked at that message, and all at once it struck me as absurd.
Three years together, and the name he'd saved for me was always "Greta Fox."
No prefix. No pet name.
And I'd been foolish enough to think he just didn't bother with that kind of thing.
I lay down and pulled the blanket over my head. "Do whatever you want."
"Fine. You said it yourself."
He walked to the door, paused, his breathing heavy.
"Greta, what is it you actually want?"
I closed my eyes.
"Let me remind you of one thing. This isn't a cold war. We've broken up."
The door slammed shut.
The crash shook the whole room.
The next day, I dug out everything he'd given me over the years.
A crystal necklace, his gift for my eighteenth birthday, bought with allowance he'd saved up for half a year.
A hair clip, because I'd offhandedly said it was pretty, and he'd bought it the very next day.
……
I found a cardboard box, packed it all in, and carried it to his house.
The door wasn't fully shut. Laughter and chatter spilled out from inside.
I pushed it open and walked in. The living room was full of people.
Phineas sat on the couch, Lacey beside him.
"Oh, isn't this what's-her-name?" Someone recognized me, smiling with a knowing edge. "Phineas's——"
"Neighbor," Phineas said, taking up the word, his tone flat.
"Oh——a neighbor."
"Funny, I heard she's a doormat. The kind who's been groveling for years and never gotten anywhere."
"So Lacey's officially with Phineas now?"
Laughter burst out around the room.
Phineas glanced at me, then, in front of everyone, leaned down and kissed Lacey on the forehead.
Lacey blushed and pushed him away with a laugh.
The living room erupted in catcalls.
I drew a breath, carried the box past them, and stepped into the room that had once been mine.
I took everything out and started packing.
My phone buzzed.
A message from Phineas: 【You said it yourself. We've broken up.】
I didn't reply. I picked up the box and headed out.
In the living room, those people were still going at it.
"Seriously, Phineas, did you ever sleep with that doormat or not?"
"Why even ask? She's a neighbor, grew up with him, knows him inside out. A little fun's nothing strange."
"Shut it, you two. Can't you see Phineas has a real girlfriend now?"
Phineas still said nothing.
He leaned back on the couch, flicking a lighter over and over in his hand, his gaze fixed on the chat screen of his phone.
Until someone dropped a crude joke.
"But then again, was Lacey any good in bed? Some girls look so innocent, but who knows——"
