before leaving.
Alas, when I opened the door, I saw Dante sitting on the living room couch. Mom and Dad were sitting on the other side, their expressions conveying a mix of emotions.
Two years ago, I told them that I was leaving to do my research work. They didn’t know the real reason why Dante and I broke up. Meanwhile, he continued to show up during this time. In fact, throughout the last six months, he would appear in their vicinity every few days. He never disturbed them. He simply waited in silence.
Mom and Dad tried to convince him to give up as well, but they saw how obstinate he was and felt a little sorry for him. Thus, when he came to the house that day, they decided to let us have a proper talk.
Once Dante spotted me, he shot to his feet. “Nina.”
“What are you doing here?” I questioned exasperatedly.
His lips parted, but in the end, all he did was ask me to take a seat. Once I sat down, I curtly said, “What do you have to say to me? Let’s just get everything out today.”
Dante’s eyes flashed with hurt as he asked, “Must you act as though we’re strangers?”
