There Is No Aurora For Me

After my parents got divorced, my mom settled in Teania for good. Every year, I would receive a [Happy Birthday] text message from overseas. However, she never replied to the messages I sent her. I had always wanted to ask my mom in person if she actually cared about me. So, before my SATs, I worked like crazy to save money. I was even afraid I would not be able to resist spending it, so I gave the money to my boyfriend and asked him to keep it for me. However, just as I was about to buy my plane ticket, my boyfriend sent me a screenshot showing that my balance was zero. He brushed it off casually. “Last time we played Truth or Dare, I lost a wish ticket to your best friend. “She said she wanted to go see the Auroras, and there was a ‘buy two, get one free’ deal on mystery flight tickets. So, I bought two tickets. We’ll just have to visit Teania another time.” I struggled to keep my voice from trembling. “Lennon York, if you go see the auroras, we’re breaking up.” His expression did not change. He just reached up and ruffled my hair. “Don’t be silly. Once I’m in college, I’ll get a part-time job. Then, I’ll definitely take you there during semester break, okay?” I looked downwards and smiled. I messaged my childhood friend, whom I had not spoken to in a year, and typed. [Is that wish slip you promised me still valid?] Chapter 1 I took a deep breath, turned off my phone, and looked at the man standing before me. “Lennon York, I’m not messing around. I’m serious.” Lennon pulled me into his arms. “Be a bit more sensible. I promised Chloe Cole I’d fulfil that wish slip. I can’t go back on my word, can I?” My heart ached like it was being torn apart. For that plane ticket, I had worked day and night at the coffee shop. The unreasonable customers pushed me to the point of tears. To save money, I even lived in a leaky rental apartment and could not bring myself to eat a proper meal. I lost thirty pounds in a single month. Lennon had seen all of this. Yet he still transferred every penny I had saved to Chloe. A dense, bitter ache crept over my heart. I lowered my gaze. “Lennon, let’s break up.” Lennon’s breathing grew heavy. “Leal Sawyer, don’t speak out of anger. It’s the same thing if we were to visit your mom again during the semester break.” As he spoke, he tied on his apron. “How about we have crayfish for dinner tonight?” The aroma of the food wafted into my nose. I could not help but freeze in surprise. In all these years, this was the first time he had ever prepared a meal. I could not help but feel a small crack in my frozen-over heart. However, in the very next second, footsteps echoed down the hallway. Chloe wrapped her arms around me from behind. “Leal! Lennon lost another round of ‘Truth or Dare’ yesterday, so I made him cook for me today. Hurry up! Let’s both try his cooking!” My heart went completely cold. It took me a while to realize that this meal was not meant to cheer me up. It was because he had promised Chloe. Lennon noticed she was drenched in sweat and handed her a cold drink. “It’s hot outside. Have something cold to cool down. Don’t get heatstroke.” Chloe gave me a meaningful look. Only then did he realize what was going on, and he grabbed a cup for me, too. I did not take it. My mouth felt bitter. I had told him many times before that my doctor had advised me to avoid cold drinks. However, even though he always acknowledged that, he would still bring me iced drinks the next time. There was no other reason. He simply remembered that Chloe could not live without ice. “Thanks, but my doctor has already advised me not to drink cold drinks. So, I can’t take that.” Lennon froze for a moment. Before he could say anything, Chloe playfully punched him in the chest. “I’m speechless. How can you be so forgetful? Don’t forget to plan our trip to see the auroras. I’m not Leal. I won’t let you off the hook that easily!” Lennon smiled affectionately and agreed wholeheartedly. At the dinner table, the two chatted nonstop about the auroras. “I heard that 90 percent of the place’s surface is volcanic rock, and you can actually see volcanoes erupting. If we’re lucky, we might even see the midnight sun!” I lowered my head, silently picking at my food. A bitter taste filled my mouth. My phone vibrated. Neil Jerome had replied. [Let’s go. I’ll book the flights. We’re leaving tomorrow.] Chapter 2 Neil was my mom’s best friend’s son. We grew up together. It was not until we got into the same high school that he found out I had a crush on Lennon. From then on, he would not stop nagging me. “Leal Sawyer, wake up! He doesn’t like you at all. The only reason he talks to you is to catch a glimpse of your best friend.” I did not believe him. So, I made a bet with him that I would definitely win Lennon over. The bet was that wish slip. From then on, I persistently wrote love letters to Lennon. Finally, outside the SAT venue, he confessed his feelings to me with a bouquet of flowers. Neil rolled his eyes. “It looked like he was confessing to you, but his eyes were glued to your best friend the whole time. Maybe he was just doing it out of spite. Leal, can’t you be a little smarter?” I ignored him and threw myself wholeheartedly into my romance and part-time job. I overlooked the fact that Lennon had agreed to pick me up after work but was called away by Chloe with just one phone call. I also overlooked the hair tie on Lennon’s wrist when we went out for hot pot. I had short hair. The only one who would use a hair tie was Chloe. “Leal, it’s my birthday tomorrow. What are you getting me?” I snapped back to reality. Before I could say anything, Chloe continued, “That Lennon! I just mentioned that I liked the emerald necklace on the bedside table in the bedroom, and he gave it to me! He really went all out just to get me to approve of your relationship!” A bad feeling suddenly welled up inside me. I looked at Lennon. A flicker of guilt crossed his eyes. “What did he give you? Can I take a look?” Chloe readily pulled it out. As I looked at the necklace, my heart suddenly stopped. This was the very last birthday gift my mom gave me before she left. Rage surged through my head. “Lennon, you know full well that this was a gift my mom left me! Why on earth did you give it to her?” He furrowed his brow slightly. “Chloe is your best friend, Leal. Can’t you be a little less petty?” I rushed over to snatch it back. Chloe instinctively stepped back and accidentally knocked over a porcelain bowl. She let out a scream and fell to the floor. The emerald necklace in her hand also fell to the floor. It shattered into pieces. I stood there in shock for several seconds. The gems rolled to my feet. In a fit of rage, I slapped Chloe across the face. “Leal Sawyer!” Lennon stopped me. When he saw Chloe’s swollen and red face, his expression darkened. “You’ve been at it since yesterday, all because of your mom. Is it worth it? If she really cared about you, how could she have ignored you for three whole years? On the contrary, Chloe and I were the ones who’ve been by your side for the past three years!” I looked at him, wanting to cry but unable to. I crouched down and picked up the broken pieces one by one. Then, I carefully tucked them into my pocket. Lennon realized he had spoken out of turn and instinctively reached out to help me pick them up. I just looked up at him coldly. “Stay away from my gems.” He gulped. “Then, be careful not to hurt yourself. Chloe’s just blunt. She doesn’t mean any harm. Don’t hold it against her. I put the pudding in the fridge. Have some this afternoon if you get hungry.” My chest felt so tight and achy; it felt like it was about to explode. Lennon did not know. That morning, when my dad had an affair, he had made me pudding too. Ever since that day, I developed a special distaste for pudding. Before long, they put on their coats and headed out. I did not linger either. After packing my bags in the bedroom, I left immediately. Once I was out in the neighborhood, I noticed I had over a dozen missed calls on my phone. There was also a message at the end. [The flight’s delayed by six hours. Don’t worry. I’ll pick you up tonight.] Chapter 3 My eyes stung a little. Then, I replied. [Okay.] My phone vibrated violently. Lennon was calling. “Leal, Chloe and I are at the mall. What color suitcase do you like?” I was taken slightly aback. Just as I was about to speak, Chloe’s voice came through the phone. “It has to be pink! All girls love pink. So, Leal definitely does too!” Lennon asked me. “Is that okay?” I lowered my gaze. There was a pang of sadness in my heart. “Lennon, I like blue.” He did not reply because he was helping Chloe pick out clothes. “Get this one. It’ll go great with the snowy scenery at the auroras. Perfect for great photos! Get two fox-fur scarves too. Then, you can take best-friend photos of me and Leal!” Only after she finished speaking did she remember I was on the other end of the line. “Leal, I’m sorry I broke your mom’s necklace today. I’ll pay for the clothes. Consider it an apology!” The words about my fur allergy got stuck in my throat. I gave a soft hum and hung up. At that moment, a text message from overseas popped up on my phone. It was a birthday wish from Mom. I stared at the screen, and tears finally poured out as if the floodgates had opened. My birthday was just one day apart from Chloe’s. Since my dad only cared about his illegitimate son and would not let me celebrate, she always dragged me along to celebrate with her. However, there was only one birthday cake. Chloe wore a birthday hat, blew out the candles, and made a wish. I stood to the side, forcing a smile while fighting back a pang of sadness. Lennon tried to comfort me. “Leal, birthdays are just a formality. There’s no need to waste money on two cakes. The fact that Chloe is willing to include you means she cares about you. Can’t you be a little more understanding?” I used to believe that wholeheartedly. However, if she really cared, how could she not even have a cake? On the screen, the birthday message my mom sent was painfully glaring. I could not help but type back. [Mom, why do you send me birthday wishes every year but never reply to me?] Second by second, time passed. As usual, there was no reply. The hope deep in my heart was completely extinguished. I had lost track of time when Lennon appeared in front of me. His brow was furrowed with exhaustion. “Leal, what are you doing here? Why didn’t you reply to my message?” My voice was hoarse. “My phone died.” Lennon froze for a moment. I opened my mouth to say something, but his phone suddenly rang. “Lennon, where are you? The class president’s college acceptance celebration is about to start! Hurry back!” I lowered my gaze. A bitter taste came up in my mouth. Back in high school, Lennon and Chloe were consistently ranked in the top three in our grade, while I was just a wallflower in class. They were very popular, but I could not break into any of their social circles. Lennon glanced at me. “Let’s go together. I’ll drive you home.” Since I was leaving soon anyway, I did not feel like arguing with him here, so I just got in the car. The passenger seat cushion was a soft pink, and there was a mini steering wheel up front with “L&C&L” written on it. It was the initials of the three of us. I was last in the lineup. Back home, thankfully, there were still four hours until my flight, so I drifted off in a daze. When I woke up again, my stomach suddenly seized with excruciating pain. This condition was the result of my irregular eating habits from working part-time. Since I did not eat much for lunch earlier, it flared up again. Cold sweat poured down my forehead, and I instinctively called my emergency contact. The phone was picked up almost as soon as it started ringing. Chapter 4 Lennon sounded a little impatient. “What’s wrong? I’m at a party.” I fought back the pain in my stomach and crouched down, while leaning against the wall for support. “I’m not feeling well. Can you come back?” “If you’re not feeling well, take some medicine first. Everyone’s here. It wouldn’t be right for me to leave.” As if afraid I would read too much into it, he added, “Be a good girl. Do as I say.” A metallic taste filled my mouth. A second before he hung up, I heard Chloe laughing heartily on the other end. I forced a smile and dialed Neil’s number. Less than ten minutes later, someone rang the doorbell. A second before I lost consciousness, I saw that figure pause for a moment, then rush toward me in a panic. “Leal!” When I woke up again, the burning sensation in my stomach had eased up quite a bit. Neil was leaning over the bed. He instinctively handed me a cup of warm water with his brow furrowed. “Why didn’t you call me sooner?” The curtains billowed in the breeze. The wind chimes clinked. I smiled wryly as I reached for my phone and unlocked the screen. There was not a single message. However, one of my classmates had posted a new update on their Stories. In the video, a group of people was cheering each other on during a game of Truth or Dare. The bottle had spun and landed on Lennon. He glanced at Chloe beside him and chose “Truth.” “Lennon, you and Chloe were so happy in high school. Why did you choose someone else in the end?” As soon as those words were spoken, everyone fell silent. Lennon paused for a moment and remained silent for a while. “I lost a game of Truth or Dare with Chloe, and that was the penalty. Later, out of a sense of responsibility, we ended up where we are now.” The other person pressed further. “Lennon, you didn’t actually fall for her, did you?” Lennon glanced at him. “Leal is perfect as a girlfriend. I’m going to marry her.” My fingers tightened around my phone. In the next round, he drew “Dare.” “A lot of people shipped you two back in high school. Why don’t you kiss Chloe today? Let’s just put an end to that relationship we’ve been shipping all those years.” Lennon smiled helplessly, set down his glass, and yanked Chloe toward him. Then, he pressed his lips against hers. Chloe only partially resisted it. They both kissed passionately, reluctant to part. The screen reflected my teary eyes. It turned out that what I had once believed to be mutual affection had been nothing but a joke the whole time. I sat motionless on the bed all night. Goodness knew how long it had been when I finally heard the door open. Lennon’s eyes widened in fury as he yanked my blanket back. “Leal, what did you mean by that message in the class group chat?” I numbly unlocked my phone. The group chat was buzzing with a heated discussion. [Lennon, how could you let this happen? While you were out at a party, she snuck right into your house to have an affair!] [I heard this guy is Leal’s childhood friend! Tsk, tsk. They even have rhyming names too!] I took a deep breath and locked eyes with him. “Lennon, I called you home because I had gastric pains. What were you doing? You were kissing Chloe.” Lennon froze suddenly. Just then, a message popped up from my top-pinned contact. [Come downstairs. The airport shuttle’s here.] I grabbed my luggage, but Lennon frowned and grabbed my arm. “Where are you going?” Before I could say a word, he sighed and massaged his temples. “Can you stop messing around? I can’t handle your little tantrums every time. I’m really tired of it this time.” Even at that moment, he still thought I was throwing a tantrum. I paused for a moment. Then, I pushed his hand away. “Once you leave, don’t come back. This time, I won’t try to persuade you to come back.” I nodded and pushed open the door. Through the crack in the door, I took one last look at the home I had lived in for so long. I no longer needed anyone to persuade me. I would never, ever come back.