After Reading My Boyfriend’s Mind, I Dumped Him for Good Chapter 08
Footsteps sounded behind me.
Sophia hooked an arm around my shoulder and grinned.
“It’s really over? He’s that hot and you could actually go through with it?”
Dry leaves crunched beneath our feet.
“Why would I stay with someone who doesn’t like me?” I said.
Sophia clicked her tongue in amazement.
“I saw you kiss Atticus once, you know. His face went so red. I seriously thought he was crazy about you.”
Apparently, he hadn’t just fooled me. He’d fooled everyone else, too.
“If Atticus’s back on the market, he’s gonna have girls lining up.”
I shrugged. “Whatever. Not my problem anymore.”
The sound of footsteps continued behind me, neither too close nor too far away.
When I glanced back, Atticus was still there. His lips were pressed into a tight line.
“Can we talk?”
Sophia took one look at the situation and bolted.
I lowered my head and kept walking.
Atticus was much taller than me, but somehow he matched my pace perfectly.
“Why?” His voice was low.
“Did I do something wrong? Or…” He paused. “…do you like someone else now?”
His thoughts were churning nonstop again.
I sighed, exhausted. “Atticus. If you don’t like me, why didn’t you just say so sooner?”
His brows knitted together so tightly they seemed impossible to untangle.
“Did someone tell you something?”
A faint smile tugged at my lips. I lifted a finger and poked his chest.
Atticus’s ears flushed crimson instantly. He stumbled backward.
“Not there.”
I stared at him.
So I disgusted him that much. He couldn’t even stand me touching him.
“Your heart told me.”
He wouldn’t let me poke him. Fine. I’d just say it outright.
Confusion filled his eyes. “What does that mean?”
I stopped beating around the bush.
“You said you don’t dislike me. So that means you like me.” I held his gaze. “Then why have you never said
it?”
Atticus pressed his lips together, like he wanted to say something but couldn’t.
“Say it.” My voice was calm. “Tell me you like me.”
His mouth opened slightly. But it was like the words were stuck in his throat. “I…”
Silence stretched between us.
A long moment later, his eyes had started to redden.
Yet every single one of his thoughts still rang clearly in my ears.
[I hate this. So annoying. So useless.]
A mocking smile pulled at my lips.
At that moment, whatever hope remained in my heart finally died.
I quickened my pace. Fallen leaves swirled around my feet as I left him with one final sentence.
“Atticus. Stop looking for me.”
I didn’t know how far I’d gone before hurried footsteps suddenly rushed up behind me.
A hand caught my wrist. Atticus’s voice was shaking. “I like you, Cecilia. I can say it.”
His breathing was ragged, as though speaking those words had exhausted him.
“Can we not break up? Please?”
It was like those words had drained every last bit of strength from him.
Whispers immediately broke out around us. I turned around.
His eyes were red. And yet his thoughts were still screaming inside my head.
[So useless. So annoying. I hate this.]
I looked at him quietly. Then I spoke, “You really are good at pretending.”
My voice came out flat. Emotionless.
