I Was Never the Girl in His Diary Chapter 04
When the dinner wrapped up, the group suggested hitting a nearby karaoke lounge. The moment Barrett saw Seraphina signing up, he happily added his name to the list.
I had absolutely no desire to tag along and play the pathetic third wheel, so I called an Uber to take me home.
The severe cramps in my stomach prevented me from sitting up straight, beads of sweat breaking out across my forehead.
Leaning heavily against the leather backrest, I endured the physical pain as I tapped out a paragraph on my phone.
The moment the driver pulled up to my curb, the text message left my outbox.
I had officially broken up with him.
At midnight, Barrett sent an iMessage telling me to get downstairs.
Throwing a thin coat over my shoulders, I stepped outside. He was sitting on a park bench, spinning a sleek vape pen between his fingers.
That was the first time I realized he even vaped.
He looked entirely different from the boy I thought I knew.
Barrett’s face was dark and stormy, clearly in a miserable mood. Connecting the dots back to the party, it was highly probable he had been rejected by Seraphina yet again.
Seeing me standing before him, he cut straight to the chase: “Valerie, why the hell did you send me a breakup text?”
I genuinely didn’t understand.
Wasn’t this the exact outcome Barrett had been praying for all along?
The girl he loved was Seraphina, not me. What could possibly be wrong with me calling it quits?
After a moment of thought, I gave him an honest answer:
“Because of that piece of Pecan Pie tonight. I was sad I didn’t get to eat it.”
“Are you kidding me? Over a stupid piece of pie?”
“Yes. Over that exact piece of pie.”
Barrett let out a sharp, incredulous laugh, entirely exasperated by my answer.
“Didn’t I tell you that Seraphina hadn’t eaten anything? I asked you to let her have it, and promised I’d buy you more on the way back!”
“Do you really have to be this incredibly petty over a single dessert? Valerie, why are you so frustratingly small-minded? What on earth was so damn special about that specific pie?!”
Every single word out of his mouth was a weapon designed to place the blame entirely on me.
But what he failed to understand was that certain foods only appeal to you in a specific setting. Once you leave that environment, the desire vanishes completely.
Objects work that way. And so do people.
I took a deep, stabilizing breath, forcing my voice to remain completely level.
“There was nothing special about the pie, Barrett. What was special was your attitude.”
“She wasn’t the only one starving at that table; I hadn’t eaten either. But your eyes are so permanently glued to Seraphina that she is the only person you are capable of seeing.”
“You love her. I can’t force you to change that, but I refuse to force myself to endure it anymore.”
Barrett was sharp; my words landed instantly, and the underlying meaning shattered his defensive facade.
He fell into a heavy silence for a long time, his brow furrowing deeply. “You saw my high school journal?”
“Every single page.”
Rubbing the bridge of his nose, his tone carried an exhaustion he couldn’t hide:
“Valerie, that was old stuff from the past. When the portal opened, I committed to Arlington University for you. Doesn’t that prove my commitment?”
Seeing my continued, stony silence, Barrett’s remaining patience finally evaporated. He issued a final ultimatum:
“I am asking you one last time, Valerie. Are you absolutely certain you want to break up with me?”
I nodded firmly. “Absolutely.”
“Fine. You said it, not me.”
“Don’t expect me to wait around for you when we get to Arlington. And when Seraphina and I finally get together, don’t you dare come crying to me with regrets.”
I calmly accepted every single threat.
Barrett stared at me, his eyes rimmed with a furious, bloodshot red, his chest heaving with deep disappointment as he turned and stormed away.
After that night, we completely severed contact, our relationship instantly plunging to sub-zero temperatures.
Zachary would frequently bring up Barrett at the dinner table on purpose, gleefully gossiping about how he and Seraphina were finally official.
“Barrett and the school sweetheart are the ultimate power couple! They look like royalty together. Just watching them walk down the hall is breathtaking—infinitely more attractive than when he was dragged down by you! Man, it’s a shame you didn’t see them with your own eyes.”
I kept my head down, focusing entirely on my food, offering zero reaction.
Unable to get a rise out of me, he reached across the table and jabbed my arm.
“Hey, are you deaf? You have absolutely nothing to say about this?”
“Oh. Good for them,” I replied, my voice completely deadpan.
On the day the official university admission packets were being delivered, I received a call from the mail carrier and headed downstairs, only to run face-first into Barrett, who was there for the exact same reason.
His eyes flicked over me before he immediately looked away, deliberately pretending I was invisible.
I maintained a strict distance, walking a few paces behind him toward the delivery truck.
As the bright, heavy package was handed over to him, mail carrier offered a warm smile. “Man, I’ve been delivering all morning, and you’re the only kid in this neighborhood who got into Arlington. Impressive work.”
