Chapter 9
Saw Camden again my second month back.
Backstage at the campus singing competition.
Just finished my set when I spotted him.
Walking over with a bouquet.
Face gaunt, much more mature than a year ago.
“Beautiful performance.”
“Thanks.”
“I’m sorry.”
I stayed quiet.
His voice was hoarse, struggling. “Can we go back to how things were?”
“No.”
“Moon, I read the letter you gave me.”
[ frowned. Couldn’t remember writing any letter.
“Sophomore year, you-”
He couldn’t finish.
Then I remembered.
That year I was nearly hopeless, completely alone.
Wrote him an apology.
Begged him to talk to me.
He never even read it.
Back then I didn’t know it was just an accident, didn’t understand why he hated me.
Wanted to pretend nothing happened, stay by his side.
Got ignored, targeted instead.
I looked down. “Camden, you always asked why I acted so detached. Because I always felt like I’d die tomorrow
“You hated that I wouldn’t talk, but anything I said made you angry.”
“Sophomore year I begged you not to ignore me. Freshman year I wanted you to stay away.”
Because you were always so cruel. Not like the Camden I used to know.”
Some things can’t be forgiven. We can never go back.”
His eyes reddened.
Didn’t shed a tear when his father died.
Now his throat felt choked.
Forced out an “okay.”
He wanted to leave the flowers.
But predictably, she shook her head.
As he turned to go, saw someone already waiting by the door.
Thaddeus, holding white gardenias.
[ took them.
‘Didn’t you have a competition tonight?”
‘Finished early. Got here just in time for you.”
Five years after graduation, I’d paid off everything I owed the Moraleses.
Thaddeus and I were officially together.
Still nervous visiting his family.
Thaddeus squeezed my hand. “Don’t worry.”
First time was after middle school graduation-someone gave me a slip of paper with Vincent’s contact info.
Desperate, I went.
You’re just a kid asking for five million.”
He jumped, white beard quivering.
I was drenched in cold sweat, terrified he’d refuse, sobbing hysterically.
Thankfully he lent it.
Mom could stay safely in the hospital.
Second time was after high school.
I promised him I’d pay back ten grand monthly.
Also played chess with Thaddeus all morning.
Later I visited Vincent after returning home.
Now I was here holding his grandson’s hand.
Put that way, seemed pretty shameless.
“Don’t worry, he likes you plenty.”
Thaddeus smiled, fixing my wind-blown hair.
He was right-the moment I walked in, Vincent perked up and opened his game.
“Little Moon’s here! Log on.”
Played five random matches before Vincent noticed his grandson feeding me fruit.
He excitedly slapped Thaddeus’s shoulder.
“Nice work, kid. Told you to recruit her for Morales Corp-didn’t expect you to recruit her for the family.”
‘Hold on, let me get the marriage license paperwork.”
Thaddeus rubbed his temples helplessly. “Grandpa, focus on your game. These things take time.”
Next year, we held our wedding at Grandpa’s insistence.
Many guests came.
Camden too.
Heard he gave the biggest gift.
I glanced down at the crowd once, saw his bloodshot eyes.
Looked away.
During ring exchange, I whispered to Thaddeus, “Did you give me that slip of paper?”
He nodded.
smiled. “Meeting you was the luckiest thing in my life.”
‘I’m the lucky one.”
He kissed me.
Thunderous applause.
Camden left quietly.
Later he’d often look up at night, but never saw the moon.
So he missed it constantly.
At thirty, he died at home from a sleeping pill overdose.
