She was smart, always top of the class, and she looked great too. She had plenty of admirers at school. Compared to her, I was just ordinary.
I tucked away those insignificant feelings of mine, trying to keep up with her, but the more I tried, the further she seemed to get, until her sudden confession. It happened on April Fools' Day.
"Alan, let's be together! I like you!" Her confession was as straightforward as she wasbold and direct.
But I couldn't believe it, because it was April Fools' Day. I was scared it was just a prank, a joke, and Mona loved playing pranks. She liked to see people get startled.
"Is this an April Fools' joke, or did you lose a game of truth or dare?" I tried to reply calmly, but inside, I felt like a storm was raging. Every move she made affected me deeply. I couldn't resist. I craved her affection like a thirsty man craves rain.
"No, it's not a joke, and it's not a prank. I've liked you for a long time, Alan. Do you like me?"
"Okay. "
Since that day, I started to love April Fools' Day, because it was the day I got together with her.
But it was also on April Fools' Day that she ruthlessly left me, because she had fallen for Jeff.
When I saw Mona standing next to Jeff, fear and a massive, nameless anxiety overwhelmed me. They looked so well-matched, like a perfect couple, as if the words "golden boy and jade girl" were made for them.
They seemed like the hero and heroine of a novel, while I was just a background character, not even worthy of being a supporting role.
I looked at the photo Sam sent me. Mona and Jeff were so close and so well-suited for each other. Mona had never posted any photos of me and her on her social media.
"Mona, why have you never posted pictures of us together on your social media?" I asked, puzzled, as she lay on my lap eating.
"Because my Alan is so handsome, I don't want to share him with anyone else. I want to keep you all to myself. You're my treasure, only mine. "
At that time, I felt my face flush with embarrassment. Mona was the first person to tell me I was good-looking. She said love is blind.
To me, she was the most beautiful, and we never talked about it again after that.
I looked at the picture of Mona's bright smile. It had been a long time since she smiled at me like that. Maybe, without me realizing, our love had slowly faded. Maybe I was the only one holding on, pretending not to notice.
A few days later, I received her and Jeff's wedding invitation.