Chapter 295: Burial
Mia and I lugged our tiny suitcases through security, while Brad and Yancy hung back, looking all mopey.
Feeling a sudden pang of heartbreak, I dropped my suitcase and bolted over. I hugged Brad tight through the security barrier, tears welling up in my eyes.
Goodbyes always sucked, no matter the distance or reason.
Over the past year, Brad's pampering had made my emotions super fragile. Now, this sudden split was just too much for me.
"Brad," I choked out, tears streaming. Brad, hearing this, felt a stab of pain. He gently stroked my cheek and said, "Baby, don't cry. You'll be back in a few days. I'll video call you every day, and I'll be there to pick you up when you return. Be good; it kills me to see you cry."
"Okay," I sniffled, wiping my tears with Brad's hand.
After a moment, Mia walked back too and stood in front of Yancy. She looked down for a second, then glanced up at Yancy with a faint smile, saying, "Yancy, I forgive you, but just this once."
Yancy froze for a second, then his eyes went wide with disbelief. He hugged Mia like a goofball, shouting, "Awesome, Mia forgave me. I'm so happy."
Mia squirmed a bit, but Yancy held on tight. Giving up, she stopped struggling, her face turning red, and said, "Just so you know, I only forgave you; I don't have any other plans. So, don't get too excited. I'm not ready for a new relationship yet. Hope you get that."
Yancy nodded like a bobblehead with a silly grin. "It's cool, I get it. I can wait, no rush."
Of course, there was no rush. He was only twenty, with all the time in the world, so naturally, he wasn't in a hurry.
Twenty, what a sweet age.
At four o'clock, the plane touched down at Eldoria City Airport.
Mia and I dragged our small suitcases out of the security checkpoint and immediately spotted Isabella, grinning from ear to ear.
Seeing us, Isabella rushed over, and the three of us hugged tight, our screams scaring the people around us away.
After a year apart, the three besties from the Northern Institute of the Arts dorm were finally back together.
Screaming and hugging were mandatory.
After enough laughing and joking, Isabella pulled over the guy behind her and introduced him, "Babe, this is Jane, and this is Mia. You've seen the photos. We were college roommates."
Isabella's guy was named Caleb. He looked super gentlemanly, with simple gold-rimmed glasses, a broad forehead, bright eyes, a straight nose, and about 5'10" tall. He was a bit shorter than Yancy and Brad but had his own kind of gentle charm.
From the moment we got together, he had been standing behind Isabella with a smile, his eyes glued to her. That gentle, doting look was seriously enviable.
I glanced at Mia with concern.
Since stepping onto Eldoria City soil, Mia had shown no signs of weirdness except for a few seconds of eye movement at the start. She was so normal that it felt a bit off.
Eldoria City, the place where Mia had once stayed for Benjamin.
Back then, Benjamin had spoiled Mia a lot, and we all thought she'd be the first to get hitched.
Now, Benjamin was out of the picture, leaving Mia solo, and Isabella was the first to tie the knot.
Would Mia think about her unfulfilled dreams and Benjamin at tomorrow's wedding? Could she handle it?
Plus, this was Eldoria City, the place where she buried her youth and love, the place filled with nothing but pain and despair.
Isabella pinched the back of my hand and subtly shook her head. I quickly shoved my thoughts aside and started chatting happily with them.
After dinner, Isabella suggested we girls go for a walk and sent Caleb on his way.
Since we had to get up early for makeup the next day, we just took a stroll and saved the shopping for after the wedding.
The restaurant was in a bustling part of the city center. With nothing much to do and not wanting to go far, we wandered the streets and caught up on the past year.
As we talked about houses, Isabella pointed to a spot on the right and said, "The housing prices in Eldoria City are insane. I heard the villas in this area start at $150,000, with some going for millions. But they say the property management here is top-notch, and the scenery in the community is beautiful. I don't even dare to dream of living in such a nice house. I'd be happy just to see the scenery inside. Unfortunately, the community is fully gated, and if you're not a resident, you can't get in."
I turned to take a closer look. The houses were indeed fancy, with a bit of a vintage vibe.
Definitely out of my league.
Such high-end stuff was just for us to gawk at.
Mia glanced at the houses and said, "The house is so big that playing music seems to echo. As for the scenery, it's just okay, nothing special, just very clean."
Isabella and I exchanged a look, not getting what Mia meant and not daring to say anything.
"Why are you looking at me like that? I used to live in there, in that standalone villa," Mia said, pointing in a direction.
I followed her finger and saw a sunny, prime spot.
When Mia was with Benjamin, at least materially, she was never shortchanged. Such an expensive villa was a place most people never got to enter in their lifetime.
However, love couldn't be bought with money, especially since Mia didn't care about money. All she wanted was a lover who had her in his eyes and heart, nothing more.
So, from the start, Mia and Benjamin were doomed.
I licked my lips, wanting to say it was all in the past. But seeing Mia's indifferent expression, I couldn't gauge her mood and didn't dare to say more.
Isabella turned her face and slapped her own mouth, cursing herself for bringing up houses. Eldoria City was so big, why did she choose this road?
For a moment, none of us spoke.
Mia walked in the middle, holding Isabella's and my hands, and smiled, "Why aren't you talking? Don't worry, I'm not that fragile. It's all in the past, and I've moved on. It's nothing. Since we've finally gathered together, don't let old stuff spoil our mood."
Even though she said it was nothing, we didn't dare to speak freely.
This was a place where Mia had lived for a long time. She knew every inch of this place. We were worried that any topic might remind her of something unpleasant.
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