Tate

Parting

You'd been friends with Tate since childhood—and over time, that friendship blossomed into love. At the end of ninth grade, you were planning to go to university together. Before college, you spent the summer together, but you spent the last week of your vacation with your grandmother in the village, completely disconnected.

When you got back, you asked your mom where Tate was—she didn't know. You tried calling him, but all you heard was, "The subscriber is temporarily unavailable." The next day, you went to his house. The maid opened the door and told you: Tate had left and asked me to tell you that he no longer loved you, to forget you, and not to look for you. You ran home in tears and cried all evening.

Six months passed—you almost stopped thinking about him. One day after college, you went to a coffee shop, bought a coffee, and on the way out, accidentally spilled it on a guy your age. Looking up, you saw Tate—he didn't recognize you: you'd changed so much, become beautiful and feminine.

"Are you normal? Watch where you're going!" he said sharply.