Chapter 1
As I tumbled down the stairs of the training center, Alex Foster hung up on my desperate call for help.
The first time, he didn't even pick up.
The second time, he declined the call.
The third time, he finally sent a message. [Sophie Lane, stop faking being sick to make me come home. Today matters a lot to Mia Jordan.]
The back of my head slammed against the edge of the step, and blood trickled down my neck into my collar.
I couldn't move, lying on the cold floor tiles, watching my phone screen slowly fade to black.
A few minutes ago, Mia had posted on her social media.
In the photo, she was wearing a white dress, standing next to Alex.
Behind them was a campus-themed backdrop created by the Riverdale Art Gallery.
Blackboards, desks, blue-and-white uniforms, and even the banner reading "Youth Never Ends" looked exactly like the ones from our high school graduation.
Mia was smiling brightly.
Alex tilted his head slightly to look at her, his gaze so gentle it was almost like he was a stranger to me.
The caption was one line. [Twenty-eight years late, but I finally got to stand beside the person I always wanted in my graduation photo.]
I stared at that photo for a long time.
Turns out, today was the final day of her solo art show.
Turns out, Alex wasn't really too busy to pick up my call.
To him, my life meant less than Mia's graduation photo.
A ringing filled my ears.
My vision started to blur.
Suddenly, I remembered twenty-eight years ago, when we were taking our graduation photo, Mia wanted to be next to Alex too.
But I wouldn't let her have that spot.
Alex and I had grown up together, and our families had always assumed we'd end up together.
I thought that spot was always meant to be mine.
But later, I realized that a spot in a photo meant nothing at all.
I held on to my place in the graduation photo, the engagement, and my title as Alex's wife.
But I couldn't hold onto Alex's heart.
I gave up Riverdale College of Education so I could attend a university in the same city as Alex.
After graduation, I gave up a secure teaching position to work at the Foster Family's training center.
Grandma Foster was getting old, so I took care of her.
Alex was busy starting his own business, so I helped him run the training center.
When our daughter was born and there was no one to look after her, I quit my job.
When our daughter was old enough, I went back to the training center, handling all the never-ending little things for Alex.
I thought that if I was good enough, capable enough, and understanding enough, he'd finally notice me.
But the only person he ever really saw was Mia.
When Mia got divorced, Alex was right there, keeping her company over drinks.
When her art show ran into trouble, he went out of his way to get her a new venue.
When her mom was in the hospital, he kept going back and forth to visit for months.
And me? All I ever had was a stomachache, insomnia, and a tumble down the stairs.
I've always been strong.
People like me, the strong ones, we're always expected to wait a little longer.
My phone slipped from my hand.
Before the darkness swallowed me whole, there was only one thought left in my mind.
If I ever got a second chance, I'd stay as far away from Alex as possible.
Never again would I waste my time waiting for him.
*****
I suddenly heard a familiar voice. Alex asked, "Sophie, can you switch places with Mia?"
I opened my eyes.
The sunlight was so bright it stung my eyes.
The playground was packed with graduates in uniform, some fixing their hair, others signing yearbooks, a few snapping photos, while the photographer stood in front of the steps waving impatiently.
The photographer called out impatiently, "Class 1, Senior Year, hurry up. There are five more classes waiting behind you."
I froze in place.
Alex was standing to my right.
At eighteen, he was tall and lean, his uniform jacket unzipped to his chest, and his eyes were still full of that youthful innocence. None of the cold, jaded look he'd have in the future.
He followed my gaze to Mia, who was standing not far away.
Mia was holding her graduation cap, standing at the very edge of the crowd.
Her eyes were red, as though she'd been deeply wronged.
Alex lowered his voice. "No one from her family came to the graduation ceremony. She's feeling down.
"It's a photo.
"It doesn't really matter where you stand. Give her this chance, okay?"
It was the same old line.
Back then, when I heard him say that, I got teary-eyed right on the spot.
I asked him, "Why is it always me who has to give in?"
We argued in front of the whole class, Mia ran off crying, and Alex chased after her.
In the end, not a single one of us was smiling in that graduation photo.
Every time Alex looked at that picture later, he'd sigh and say, "If you hadn't been so petty back then, maybe we could've had a memory worth holding onto."
Turns out, I really did come back to the past.
Back to being eighteen again.
Back to the time before I gave up Riverdale College of Education for Alex, before I became his wife, before I wasted half my life on the Foster Family.
The photographer called out again, sounding impatient.
Alex frowned. "Sophie?"
I looked away from his face and walked down the steps. "Fine by me."
Alex was clearly caught off guard.
Mia didn't expect me to agree either.
She hesitated, then walked over. "Sophie, I wasn't trying to take your place.
"Alex thought I should be there today."
I took the spot at the far end of the last row and said,"No need to explain.
"Take the picture already."
Mia pressed her lips together and made her way to Alex.
The photographer started counting down. "Three, two, one."
As the shutter clicked, Alex instinctively glanced over at me.
I didn't look at him.
I met the camera's gaze, my smile steady and calm.
I gave up my spot in the photo.
And I didn't want to be Alex's wife anymore.