On Graduation Eve, I Lost My Girlfriend

The night before our graduation, I find out that my girlfriend of four years, Naomi Walker, has been financially supporting a low-income student named Luca Brown. Every month, the money she saves from her living expenses goes straight to Luca. I confront her with my phone in hand. She falls silent before finally admitting, "Yes, I feel sorry for him. So what?" Four years together, and it all means less to her than her sympathy for him. I'm not ready to let things end like that. I push aside my sadness and stand beside her for our graduation photo. Then her roommate, Ava Jackson, comes rushing over. "Naomi! Luca heard you're getting engaged to Caspian after graduating, and he took a whole bottle of sleeping pills in the dorm!" Chapter 1 Naomi Walker's degree slipped from her hand as she bolted out of the ceremony. I clutched mine and shouted after her, "If you walk away today, don't come back to me!" She paused for just a second, then disappeared into the crowd without looking back. I stood there as the tassel on my graduation cap swayed before my eyes. All around me, there was laughter, shouting, and chaos. The university president stood onstage with a microphone, looking from me to the direction Naomi had run, clearly at a loss for words. Naomi's parents, George Walker and Andrea Willow, came over, their faces dark with anger. George grabbed my hand. "Caspian, I'll drag that idiot girl back here right now!" I shook my head and slowly kept my degree away. "George, Andrea, let her go." My parents looked even worse. My father, Frederick Abbott, had gone pale with anger, while tears streamed down my mother Claire Sutton's face. "How did things end up like this? It's your graduation day—and your engagement celebration! What will people think of our family?" Mom said. I stepped off the stage and took my mother's arm, saying, "Mom, Dad, I'll take you home." The entire venue was in chaos. Naomi's roommate, Ava Jackson, approached me nervously, fidgeting with her hands. "I'm sorry, Caspian. It's an emergency. I…" I just looked at her without saying a word. Ava had been Naomi's roommate for all four years of college, and she knew Luca Brown too. To both of them, he was someone who needed protecting. But someone who truly needed protecting wouldn't choose the most important day of someone else's life to create a crisis. I picked up my degree and walked away from what should have been a celebration. My phone kept vibrating in my pocket, but I didn't answer. I knew it was Naomi. She would explain and apologize. She would tell me Luca was in danger and that she couldn't just leave him. After four years together, I knew exactly what she would say. She had a strong sense of responsibility, especially toward people she believed she had hurt. During our sophomore year, there was a discussion about financial aid for low-income students. Naomi, the student council president, publicly questioned some of the documents Luca had submitted because she thought parts of them didn't add up. Later, it turned out to be a misunderstanding. Luca had simply filled out the paperwork incorrectly. But by then, he had become the laughingstock of the department, and Naomi had carried the guilt ever since. For two years, it had haunted her. I used to think helping him was the right thing to do. She had made a mistake, so she should make it up to him. But today, I finally realized that some of the things she did to make amends had crossed the line. Back at the dorm, I took off my graduation gown and changed into my own clothes. I knew Luca had been taken to the nearby hospital, so I grabbed my keys and headed there. Naomi was exactly where I expected her to be—sitting beside his bed. Luca lay there with an IV in his arm, pale and weak, his eyes closed. Naomi held his hand tightly, her brow furrowed with worry. After a brief pause, I walked toward them. When she saw me, she jumped to her feet, guilt filling her eyes. "Caspian, you're here. I'm sorry about today—" "How is he?" I cut her off, looking at Luca. "The doctor says his condition has stabilized, but he's still weak and emotionally unstable." I nodded. "That's good." Then I turned to leave. Naomi quickly reached out and grabbed my wrist. "Caspian, please don't be mad. This happened because of me. I can't just ignore him. He's young, his family is struggling, and he has no one. He's already been through enough." I pulled my hand away. "Naomi, I'm not angry. I just realized that apparently, a junior you've known for two years matters more to you than the graduation day we were supposed to share." Chapter 2 "No! Caspian, you'll always be the most important person to me! But he could've died!" Naomi exclaimed. "The doctor said he wasn't going to die." I looked at her calmly. Naomi's lips moved, but she had nothing to say. Just then, Luca woke up. The moment he saw me, feigned guilt filled his eyes. "Caspian… I'm sorry. This is all my fault. I didn't mean to. I just… I couldn't control myself," he stammered. "When I saw your graduation ceremony, I thought about myself… and I just lost control. I'm sorry. I ruined your graduation…" Naomi immediately sat back down beside him and gently comforted him. "It's okay. It's over now. Don't think about it. You need to rest." Then she looked at me with a hint of reproach in her eyes. Her gaze seemed to say, "Look at him. He wasn't in his right mind. You should cut him some slack." I said nothing and walked out. Outside the hospital, the summer air felt hot and heavy against my face. That was when I realized my hands had been shaking the entire time. … The next morning, Naomi was waiting outside my dorm with breakfast. I buzzed her in through the entrance but didn't let her come upstairs. She handed me the breakfast with an apologetic smile. "Caspian, I'm apologizing to you on Luca's behalf. He was emotional yesterday. He didn't mean anything he said or did." "Did he lose his ability to speak overnight? Why do you have to apologize for him?" I asked. Naomi's expression stiffened. "H-He's still recovering." "Naomi, forget about him for now. Let's talk about us." I looked at her. "Our graduation ceremony was ruined, and the engagement party turned into a joke. What are you planning to tell our families and friends?" She was silent for a moment, then said, "Once things die down, we can invite everyone out for dinner." "Dinner?" I scoffed. "You think one meal is enough to fix something this big?" "What else am I supposed to do? It already happened!" She was starting to sound irritated. "Caspian, I know you're upset, but Luca comes from a poor family, and he almost died. Just feel sorry for him and try to be more understanding, okay?" There it was again, the words "Be understanding". I took the breakfast and casually set it on the steps beside me. "I understand. You should go. He shouldn't be alone at the hospital. He needs someone to take care of him." Naomi visibly relaxed, thinking I had given in. "I knew you were softhearted. Don't worry. Once he's out of the hospital and doing better, I'll make it up to you." With that, she turned and left. I watched her walk away, then I picked up the breakfast from the steps and tossed it into a nearby trash can. Afterward, I went to the administration building to take care of my graduation paperwork. When I passed the hospital, I found myself walking inside. I wanted to see Luca. He was sitting up in bed, scrolling through his phone and chatting with the patient beside him. They were laughing, and he looked perfectly healthy. The moment he saw me enter, his smile froze. Then he quickly put on a pitiful expression. "Caspian, you came," he said. I nodded. "Yeah. Just checking on you." I walked over and picked up the chart at his bedside. "Looks like you're recovering well. You should be discharged tomorrow." "Yeah." He lowered his head, his voice soft. "Thank you for coming all this way to see me, Caspian." "Don't thank me. Just don't do anything reckless again. Your life is your own." He bit his lip, and guilt filled his eyes again. "I understand, Caspian. But sometimes… sometimes I really can't take it anymore." I didn't respond. I put the chart down and left the room. After leaving, I visited a friend who was interning at the hospital. Chapter 3 "Lauren, do you remember the guy who was rushed in yesterday after taking pills? Luca Brown?" I asked. Lauren Jones thought for a moment. "Oh, him? Yeah, I remember. When he was brought in, there was this gorgeous girl with him. She looked terrified." "How many pills did he take?" "Oh, don't even get me started." Lauren looked dismissive. "He took a few vitamin pills mixed with two sleeping pills he had somehow obtained." She rolled her eyes. "That amount wouldn't even put me to sleep. It just looked scary. He was crying the whole time when they brought him in. He was definitely putting on a show for someone. The doctors and nurses all knew that. He was never in any real danger." I felt my heart sink at those words. … That night, Naomi asked me to dinner to celebrate my acceptance into grad school. She seemed to be in a good mood. Luca had been discharged that day, and she said she had gotten everything taken care of. "I made a reservation at your favorite place." During the drive, she kept trying to hold my hand, but I pulled away each time. "Caspian, I know you've been through a lot recently. I did ruin your graduation ceremony, after all. "Just wait—I'll make it up to you. I'll make that day the happiest day of your life." I stared silently at the passing streets outside the window. Then I suddenly asked, "How much do you give Luca every month?" She froze. "N-Not that much. It's just… half of my monthly allowance." Naomi came from a well-off family, and her parents gave her a generous allowance. Half of it was no small amount. "Doesn't he get financial aid from the school?" I questioned. "He does, but it's not enough. You know how proud he is. He doesn't feel comfortable asking his family for more money." "So you've just been supporting him this whole time?" My voice turned cold. Naomi frowned, clearly growing impatient. "What kind of question is that, Caspian? What do you mean 'supporting him'? I'm making up for what I did!" Her voice rose. "I almost ruined his reputation back then! What's wrong with making sure he doesn't have to worry about money for the rest of his life?" I said nothing in response, and the atmosphere in the car instantly turned cold. At the restaurant, neither of us had much to say, so the entire meal passed in silence. On the way back, Naomi's phone rang. It was Luca. The moment she answered, her voice softened. "What's wrong? Are you feeling sick? "The power went out in your dorm? Don't be scared, and don't touch anything. I'll be right there." After hanging up, she gave me an apologetic smile. "Caspian, I'll drop you off first, then I need to go check on Luca. He lives alone, and he doesn't know how to fix it." I looked at her quietly and asked, "Naomi, what exactly is he to you?" The smile froze on her face. "He's… just my junior." "So you're responsible for him for the rest of his life? Even when the power goes out?" "Caspian Abbott!" She was getting angry. "Why are you being so unreasonable? He just got out of the hospital. He's alone, and his dorm is completely dark. How can I just ignore him?" "He can call the dorm manager. Or campus maintenance." "That's different! He doesn't trust anyone else!" I chuckled. "Right. He only trusts you." I reached over and opened the car door. "Don't worry about me. I'll get myself home. Go ahead. Your 'junior' is waiting for you." I got out and slammed the door shut. Naomi's car remained there for a moment before it drove away in the direction of Luca's dorm. After that incident, we stopped speaking to each other. Naomi didn't contact me, and I didn't contact her. We had already rented an off-campus apartment for grad school and planned to move in together after graduation. Chapter 4 I went to the new apartment alone. It was big, but empty, and every piece of furniture had been picked out together. I silently sat on the couch for a long time. … A week later, Naomi called. She sounded exhausted as she said, "Caspian, we need to talk." We met at the new apartment. She looked thinner, with dark circles under her eyes. "Caspian, I'm sorry. I know I've handled things badly," she started. "Luca's been emotionally unstable, so I've had to spend more time with him." I said nothing and waited. "I know this is hard for you. But, Caspian, we've been together for four years. Don't you know me by now? What I feel for Luca is nothing but guilt and a sense of responsibility. There's nothing else." "I know," I said. She visibly relaxed. "I knew you understood me." She stepped forward to hug me, but I took a step back. "Naomi, I came here to tell you I don't want to stay in this apartment anymore." She froze, her arms hanging in the air. "What… what do you mean?" "The lease is in your name, and you paid the deposit. I'm walking away from it." "Why? Caspian, this is our home!" she said, panicking. I snorted. "What if Luca's dorm loses power again? Or his pipes burst? You'd probably decide he needs a home more than I do." Her expression changed instantly. "Caspian! Do you have to say things like that? Do you have to keep throwing this in my face?" "Am I wrong?" I asked. "Helping him is no big deal!" "Running out of our graduation ceremony in front of thousands of people was no big deal? "Giving him half your monthly allowance was no big deal? Naomi, you have a lot of 'no big deals'." She wanted to argue, but she couldn't find the right words. Finally, she took a deep breath. "Fine, Caspian. If that's how you see me, I'll prove you wrong." She stared straight into my eyes. "I'll have Luca move in. He can take the spare bedroom." My mind went blank. "What did you just say?" "I said I'm moving Luca in!" she snapped, as if trying to convince both herself and me. "He's alone in the dorm, and I'm worried about him. Something is always happening. If he lives here, I can keep an eye on him, and you won't have to worry either. Isn't that what you want?" I looked at her as if she were a stranger and said, "Naomi, you've lost your mind." "I haven't. I've never been clearer! I can't let anything happen to him again. It's my responsibility!" Every word came out with absolute conviction. Suddenly, I felt exhausted, deep in my bones. "Fine," I said. "Move him in." Naomi clearly hadn't expected me to agree so easily. She stared at me in shock. I took the keys from my bag and placed them on the coffee table. "Here. They're yours. From now on, this is your home—with Luca. Hope you two are happy." I stood up and walked out of the home I had once looked forward to sharing with her. As I closed the door, I thought I heard something shatter inside. My shoulders finally sagged as the sadness settled in. We had dated for four years. And just like that, it was over.