The Last April I Stayed

Every April Fools' Day, my boyfriend joined his childhood friend in the same cruel prank, pretending to propose to me.

Last year, I slipped the ring onto my finger, my heart full of hope. Suddenly, the mechanism snapped tight. Pain shot through my hand, and I cried out.

He apologized afterward and promised that, this year, the proposal would be real.

As such, I arrived carefully dressed, believing him.

Instead, I was met with a face full of cake.

He reached out gently, wiping the cream from my face as if it were nothing more than a harmless joke.

However, this time, I took a step back.

After six disappointments, I chose to walk away.

So why was it that, in the end, he was the one consumed by regret?

Every year on April Fools' Day, my boyfriend would team up with his childhood best friend to pull the same prank on me. He would pretend to propose.

Last year, the two of them laughed like it was the funniest thing in the world, even though my fingers were almost crushed in the process. Later, he apologized and swore that this year would be different. This year, the proposal would be real.

As such, when he called me again, sounding urgent and telling me to come to the place where we had our very first date, I believed him.

I curled my hair, got my nails done, and spent extra time perfecting my makeup. I picked out a brand new outfit, and even drafted the announcement post I was going to share once everything became official.

However, the second I stepped through the door, smiling and full of excitement, a thick slab of cake cream slammed straight into my face. Laughter burst out from among the crowd and a girl's voice rang out, bright and smug.

"I told you Whitney would show up, Nolan. You lost!"

Nolan Jones walked over and, just like always, gently wiped the cream off my face. "You got all dressed up," he said with a soft smile. "It’s a shame about the outfit."

Then he added, like it was nothing, "I made a bet with the guys about whether I could get you to come. I said you wouldn't. If I won, I'd propose tomorrow. If I lost, I'd propose next year."

He looked at me, still smiling. "Sorry. Since you showed up, I guess we're not getting married this year after all."

I stared at him quietly. "So, you do know what tomorrow is."

He let out a careless laugh. "Of course I do. It's our six-year anniversary. How could I forget?"

The cream clung to my face, sticky and cold. At that moment, something inside me went completely numb.

Our anniversary did not even take precedence over a prank.

Just like I could never beat her.

I slipped off the plain couple's ring I had worn for six years.

"Then let's break up."

The sharp, clear sound of the ring hitting the floor cut through the room, and everything went silent.

Nolan frowned a little. "Don't make a big deal out of this, it's just some cream. I'll wash it off for you later. You know Silvia used to go way harder than this. She's already holding back."

He glanced at the others. "It wasn't easy getting you here. Don't make it look like I can't even have fun just because I'm in a relationship."

Silvia Lowell made a face, looking upset. "Whitney, it's just a joke. If you don't like it, we'll stop, okay? Why are you talking about breaking up over something like this?"

"See? I told you Whitney can't take a joke," someone else said. "You insisted on calling her. Now look at what’s happened."

Silvia huffed and sat on the couch, the mood shifted instantly. The way everyone looked at me turned cold.

She was the only girl in their group, the one everyone spoiled. As long as she was unhappy, everyone would rush to comfort her, Nolan included.

The first time I met her, she organized a game of truth or dare. When other people got dared, it was just something a little embarrassing. However, when it was my turn, they asked me to do something way out of line in front of everyone.

All I said was that it was too much and I did not like it. Silvia's eyes immediately turned red and she ran out of the room.

Everyone ran after her.

Nolan too.

The welcome party that was supposed to be for me ended with me sitting there alone.

He never said anything about it afterward, but from that day on, he never brought me to their gatherings again unless Silvia said it was okay.

Then Nolan looked at me, his brows pulled tight.

"Whitney, apologize to Silvia."

Before, I would have swallowed everything. I would have forced a smile, apologized, and explained myself just to fit in, just so Nolan would not look bad in front of his friends. I probably would not have even waited for him to ask.

However, when even breaking up meant less to him than a single moment of Silvia being upset, I finally understood.

From the very beginning, this relationship never mattered as much to him as what he had with her.

I bent down and picked up the bag and coat I had bought in order to meet his parents.

As they stared, cold and judging, I said, "Nolan, we're done. I mean it this time."

My heels felt unsteady as I turned and walked out.

As the door closed behind me, I could still hear Silvia's light, teasing laughter drifting out from inside.