Misdelivered Love Letter

The guy I had a secret crush on just went official with my roommate. He had mistaken Laura, who volunteered to deliver my love letter, for the actual sender, falling for her at first sight. Later, even when the truth finally came out... Neither of them chose to break it off. With tears brimming in her eyes, Laura looked up at him and asked, "If it weren't for that love letter, would you still love me?" He leaned down, pressing a lazy kiss to the corner of her lips, a soft laugh escaping his throat. "Of course, baby." "I like you for who you are. I don't give a damn about who actually wrote that letter." And just like that, I quietly laid my dead-end crush to rest, convinced that Charles and I would never cross paths again for the rest of our lives. Until that afternoon. He showed up as a wingman to help his best friend pursue the girl he was falling for. The moment his eyes landed on me, he froze. His gaze lingered on my face in a subtle, unreadable way. And then, I heard him utter a soft, teasing chuckle: "Not bad, bro. You're about to land a girl who looks almost identical to my old ideal type." 01 I pushed open the dorm door. Empty. I was just letting out a sigh of relief when a bashful whisper drifted down from the top bunk. "Babe, do you really think I look good in this color?" Since she thought no one was around, she had her call on speaker. The guy's low, chuckling voice vibrated clearly through the air. "Yeah. Wear it for me next time we meet, okay?" "Then remember to book..." I dragged my suitcase inside, intentionally heavy-footed. The loud metallic scrape of the wheels cut her off mid-sentence. An abrupt silence fell over the room. Laura poked her head out from behind her bed curtain, asking softly, "Monique, you're back from the competition?" My steps hitched for a second. From the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of the framed photo sitting on her desk. She was leaning sweetly against a guy's shoulder, smiling like a girl in love. The guy was looking down at her, the corners of his lips curved upward, his usual reckless demeanor melted into a pool of effortless tenderness. They actually looked quite good together. I dropped my gaze, looking away. When I didn't answer for a long moment, Laura bit her lower lip awkwardly. "Monique, I texted you so many times while you were away and you never replied. Are you still mad at me?" I ignored her, unpacking my things at my own desk. I hadn't been back in two months. I pulled out a bottle of disinfectant spray, spritzing it over the wooden surface and wiping it down thoroughly. I tried my best to pretend she didn't exist. Yet her voice drifted down again, heavy with emotional guilt. "We used to be so close. Why do we have to let something like this ruin our friendship?" Her tone gradually turned soft and aggrieved. "You used to say that no matter what happened, we'd always be best friends, didn't you?" My hands froze mid-wipe. Right. In our dorm, she and I used to be the closest. She was quiet and timid, so I always stood up for her. I was impulsive, and she would patiently advise me to think twice. Because our personalities complemented each other, we became inseparable. Her family background made her insecure and sensitive. Whatever she did, I made excuses to accommodate her, which was why I had once made that promise: No matter what, we'll always be best friends. I said it because I was willing to invest in a real friendship. I thought she was my friend. But what about her? She knew better than anyone how much I liked Charles. 02 Charles was the undisputed golden boy at the neighboring university. Tall, wealthy, devastatingly handsome, and an absolute star on the basketball court. During the inter-collegiate tournament, his performance pulled screams from every girl in the stands. That was the first time my heart had ever skipped a beat for a guy. I asked around, only to find out that countless girls tried to get his number, but he was notoriously cold in private and never handed out his contact info. So, I decided to write him a love letter. I hunched over my desk for an entire week, obsessing over every word, terrified of sounding cheesy or desperate. Unluckily, my dance troupe's competition schedule was moved up at the last minute. Intensive training started immediately, and we had to leave campus the very next day for weeks. In my panic, Laura stepped up and offered to deliver the letter for me. At the time, I was moved to tears by her kindness. I happily promised to buy her a massive dinner the moment I got back. Until that afternoon. I was sitting on the team bus, nauseous from the stench of leather and stale exhaust. Battling a violent wave of motion sickness, my phone buzzed with a screenshot from a classmate: [Did your roommate just get a boyfriend?] It was a screenshot of Laura and Charles's official relationship announcement post on social media. I stared at the screen for a long time, an overwhelming sense of absurdity washing over me. I opened Laura's profile and refreshed it again and again. Nothing. She had blocked me from seeing that post. Still, I refused to believe it. With trembling fingers, I texted her to ask if she was really with Charles. The typing indicator flickered at the top of the screen for five straight minutes. Finally, she sent a crying emoji. Then came her text: [Yeah...] My hand squeezed the plastic motion-sickness bag so hard my knuckles turned white. I doubled over and threw up until my stomach was completely empty. 03 [Monique, you know I'm terrible at saying no to people. He asked if we could try dating, and I just... yielded and said yes.] [I'm so sorry.] Laura told me that Charles had fallen for her at first sight, which was why he didn't take my love letter. She claimed she tried forcing it into his hands, but he tossed it straight into the trash. Was that really what happened? I endured a blistering lecture from my dance instructor just to get a half-day pass back to campus. I went to the coffee shop where they first met and persuaded the manager to let me check the security footage from that day. The scene opened like something straight out of a romance drama. Laura clumsily tripped and fell right into Charles's chest. He caught her by the waist, holding her there for a beat, his gaze casually sweeping over her. When he spotted the envelope in her hand, his eyebrows arched with interest. "For me?" Laura stared at him, stunned. Before she could react, he took the letter, scanning it rapidly. The curve of his lips deepened into a charming smirk. "Nicely written, and you're pretty cute too. Let's see, your name is..." At the bottom of the letter were my personal details and contact number. Just as he was about to read it, Laura snatched the paper back with a flustered expression. She whispered something to him, her voice timid. "That draft isn't good enough. I'll write you a better one later." "I'm from the university next door. My name is Laura." I had to face the brutal truth: she had lied to my face. Exposed, Laura admitted her deceit in tears. I had no intention of keeping her secret to save her pride, and soon our close mutual friends knew what she had done. Under the overwhelming social pressure, she was forced to set up a meeting with Charles to clarify things. Laura looked up at him with tear-brimmed eyes. "If it wasn't for that letter... would you still have liked me?" Charles listened to her confession, his expression darkening slightly. But the moment he saw her bloodshot eyes, his irritation melted into helpless tenderness. He bent down to press a soft kiss to the corner of her lips, letting out a lazy chuckle. "Of course, baby." "I like you. I don't give a damn about who actually wrote the letter." Standing a short distance away, I watched the entire exchange. The step I was about to take forward froze in mid-air. I pulled my foot back. The misunderstanding was resolved. What else was there left for me to understand? He wasn't going to break up with the girl he fell for at first sight for a stranger he'd never met. If they could be together like that, how could there be no real feelings between them? 04 "We used to be so good together. Do we really have to throw away our friendship over this?" Seeing that I hadn't spoken for a long time, Laura asked again, her voice thick with suppressed sobs. Snapping back to reality, I answered in an even tone. "That was all in the past." "Is there really any point in us being friends anymore?" Her phone call hadn't been disconnected. In the quiet room, a faint, scoffing laugh suddenly sounded over her speaker, full of disdain and petty mockery. "What an arrogant act." I curled my fingers inward slightly. I pretended I hadn't heard a thing. 05 That evening, our other two roommates returned one after the other. Seeing me, their eyes lit up instantly. "Monique! I saw your dance troupe's competition video online! You were amazing, the comment section is full of people praising you guys!" "Right? Absolutely stunning! You brought so much glory to our school!" I happened to be reviewing my performance footage on my tablet, so I turned around and offered them a warm smile. "Thanks guys." Laura's voice chimed in at an awkward moment, dripping with gentle sweetness. "Hey guys, my boyfriend just ordered boba for our dorm. Who wants to come downstairs with me to pick it up?" Their attention shifted immediately, and they eagerly volunteered to walk down with her. When they carried the drinks back upstairs, however, an uncomfortable tension filled the air. Four girls in the dorm. Only three cups of boba. Laura offered a sheepish smile. "Monique, you can have mine." "I'm so sorry, you just got back, and my boyfriend is so used to ordering three cups that he probably forgot to change the order." I glanced at the mango sago drink she held out. "I'm allergic to mangoes." Feeling a sudden wave of exhaustion, I turned my head back to my desk. "And you know that." "Laura, do I need to spell it out for you? We cut ties. We are nothing to each other now. I have zero interest in Charles anymore. Who you date is your business, but there's no need to pull these petty little mind games." She went completely rigid, looking entirely helpless. "I really forgot..." As she spoke, massive tears began spilling over her lashes. "I'm so sorry, Monique, I didn't mean it." "You used to never speak to me in such a harsh tone... If my presence bothers you that much, I can just pack up and move out." A bitter laugh almost escaped my throat. Look at that, I was the villain again. First, I was the bitter loser ruining her fairytale romance. Now, I was the bully forcing her out of her own room. "Do whatever you want." I closed my laptop, climbed up to my bunk, and pulled my bed curtain shut, blocking out her pitiful gaze. Our roommates stood nearby, awkward and silent. They had witnessed our fallout from start to finish, so they knew the truth behind the drama. But because Charles was generous and frequently bought them expensive treats, they couldn't take a moral high ground either. Hating to offend either side, they chose to play blind and deaf. 06 My childhood best friend, Sienna, sent me a text. [Babe, you're back? I heard you made Charles's girlfriend cry.] Sienna and Charles both attended the finance department at the neighboring university. Back then, she was the one who swore up and down that Charles's ideal type was a tall girl with long black hair, fair skin, and great style, insisting I fit the bill perfectly. That was what gave me the courage to write my very first love letter. Who knew the guy would fall for Laura at first sight instead? Afterward, Sienna felt terribly guilty. [I'm so sorry, babe! How was I supposed to know he had so many 'ideal types'? Ugh, ideal type my foot! He just falls for whoever looks pretty in the moment!] Staring at her text, I parted my bed curtain slightly. Through the gap, I saw Laura sitting at her desk wiping away tears, her fingers flying across her phone screen. Sienna sent another message right after: [Charles is furious. He said he's taking his girlfriend to live off-campus.] I slowly sat back up. [Oh.] Sienna was a bit airheaded, but realizing my dull response, she quickly changed the subject. [By the way, your competition video blew up on our campus forum! It's hilarious, you've gained a whole army of fanboys.] [You're incredible, babe! Whenever I tell people you're my friend, I feel so proud.] I touched my cheek, letting out a small, embarrassed smile. [Thanks.] Then I added: [Credit really goes to the photographer.] That was the truth. The video that went viral was shot from a stage-front angle by a student photographer. He had captured every movement and expression with breathtaking precision. After the show, he had even approached me to ask for my contact info. A black baseball cap had been pulled low over his messy hair, revealing a pale lower face and tightly pressed lips. He had held out his phone's QR code toward me. My knee-jerk instinct was to politely decline. Yet, looking past his calm demeanor, I noticed his ears were burning bright red, and his long lashes were trembling with quiet nervousness. On a weird whim, I had agreed. He sent a brief message shortly after: [Gavin.] 07 Laura started packing her suitcases. I assumed she was moving out. For some reason, after stepping out later that evening, she abandoned the idea. Down by the entrance of our dorm building, she was arguing with Charles. She was sobbing uncontrollably while yelling at him, and Charles was pulling her forcefully into his arms, murmuring low words of comfort. Students passed by, many turning their heads to stare at his striking appearance. He suddenly looked up. I pulled my gaze back instantly. Acting as if it had nothing to do with me, I headed back upstairs to do a face mask. When Laura came back, her eyes were swollen and red. "Monique." She called out to me, hesitating. "You said you don't like Charles anymore, right?" "Can you promise me that you won't ever try to step between us again?" I glanced at her reflection in the mirror, thoroughly speechless. "I'm not insane." "He isn't the last man on earth. Am I forbidden from liking anyone else?" She pressed further, "Then do you have someone you like right now?" I didn't answer. I pulled a tissue to wipe away the excess serum from my neck. The exact moment she asked that question... Gavin's face had popped into my mind. 08 When my emotional breakdown hit its rock bottom weeks ago, I had spent a late night crouching on the campus amphitheater stairs, crying my eyes out. At the time, everything felt unbearable. More than losing a secret crush, I couldn't get over the sting of betrayal from someone I thought was a true friend. I had been so slow that I hadn't even noticed during the basketball tournament that Laura, sitting right next to me, was looking at Charles with the exact same burning, desperate admiration that I had. Why didn't she just tell me she liked him too? Why hide it? Why lie to me? We were supposed to be friends... As my thoughts spiraled, tears leaked through my fingers. Someone had sat down beside me, handing me a paper cup of warm water. I wiped my eyes and instinctively tried to stand up, forgetting I was on the edge of a step, and lost my balance. By the time I realized what was happening, I was sprawled across a pair of broad shoulders. A faint scent of summer breeze and fresh body wash drifted from his clothes. My ankle hurt, and my heart hurt even more. I ended up sobbing right into his back. Gavin had a wonderful voice. Though his words were straightforward to a fault. "I'm really bad at comforting people. But if it's okay with you... could you maybe stop crying?" I froze. I clutched his neck tighter, far too embarrassed to shed another tear. 09 Gavin had shown me photos of his alpine mountain climbs. The raw vitality in those shots almost burst through the screen. He was the textbook definition of an adventurous college guy. Except when he was around me, he was quiet. Most of the time, I did all the talking while he listened silently. He would sit motionless, his eyelids lowered, looking as if he were meticulously counting my eyelashes. After the inter-collegiate showcase ended and we returned to our respective campuses, he became noticeably warmer. He handled conversation topics effortlessly. He would also order small cakes and snacks to be delivered to my dorm. Yet for some reason, the brands he picked always managed to match the ones Laura received from Charles. It led Laura to observe me constantly, her eyes filled with deep suspicion. Fearing she would accuse me of copying her, I turned down quite a few of Gavin's gestures. Our chat log went quiet for a while. Until today, when he texted asking if I wanted to go on an outdoor photoshoot with him. I happened to be free, so I agreed without thinking twice. I spent the afternoon picking an outfit and doing my makeup in the dorm. My roommate leaned over curiously. "Monique, are you heading out?" "Yeah." Her eyes caught the silver bracelet on my wrist. Excitement flushed her face. "Wait, that looks like a men's design! Monique, are you seeing someone?" I paused, touching the metal self-consciously. Gavin had given it to me. He said he crafted it by hand. Our other roommate perked up instantly. "What? Who's the lucky guy who managed to capture our dance goddess's heart?" "Can I take a look at that?" Laura's voice cut in suddenly. I turned to look at her. She was staring intensely at my wrist, looking as if a deadly threat had appeared. "Monique... where did you get that bracelet? Charles has the exact same one. I'm positive, it has his club's custom logo on it." She looked up at me, acting like the victim of a betrayal. Gavin attended the same university as Charles. Being in the same student club was hardly an impossibility, it was a simple coincidence. "A guy from the university next door gave it to me," I said. "Are you sure it wasn't Charles?" "...No." "How can you prove it?" I met her eyes, the corners of my lips lifting into a faint smile. "Because I'm not you. I don't steal things from other people." "I have zero desire to covet anyone else's boyfriend." Laura went rigid, biting her lip hard. Holding back her tears, she spat out a bitter warning: "You better mean what you say. Don't let me catch you lying." 10 I was under no obligation to manage her insecurities. Once I finished dressing, I left the building. I walked to the designated coffee shop as agreed. Through the glass windows, I caught sight of an unexpected figure: Charles. He was leaning against the service counter, frowning down at his phone. Standing right beside him was Gavin. Charles let out an impatient scoff, his lips moving rapidly. It was obvious he was talking trash about someone. Given that Laura had likely complained to him earlier, he was undoubtedly calling me malicious, jealous, and vengeful. The disgust on his face was unreserved. Finally, he chuckled coldly, wrapping up his rant: "Honestly, being liked by a girl like that is seriously disgusting." Gavin didn't seem to be paying attention. He sat with his head down, fingers tightly laced together, visibly tense. Charles noticed it too. He clapped a hand onto Gavin's shoulder. "Don't be nervous, bro. I'll be your wingman today." "I'd bet money that girl likes you back. You've got this in the bag. Once you two start dating, make sure your girl helps out mine a bit so she stops getting bullied by that roommate." "At the end of the day, it's drama between girls, so it's awkward for me to step in." So they were friends. Just as I hesitated over whether I should walk inside, someone pushed open the door beside me, setting off a clear wind chime. Both guys looked toward the entrance simultaneously. A gentle breeze drifted past, sunlight spilling across the flowing hem of my dress. Gavin stood up straight in an instant. "Monique." Charles's casual glance swept over me. His eyes hitched slightly, a brief pause of surprise flashing through his expression before vanishing just as fast. Then, I heard his amused, teasing voice: "Not bad, bro. You're about to land a girl who looks almost identical to my old ideal type." Gavin glanced sideways at him, his voice low. "Watch it." Strictly speaking, this was the very first time Charles had ever seen my face in person. Yet I had seen him more times than I could count. Which explained why he failed to recognize that I was the very roommate he had just labeled as evil incarnate. Suppressing the bizarre tightness in my chest, I looked at Gavin. "Hey." 11 The three of us sat down at a booth. They sat on one side, and I sat across from them. Gavin stood up to head to the counter to place our order. Charles rested his chin on his hand, observing me with undeniable curiosity. "So, what's your impression of Gavin? Mind sharing?" "If you two end up together, he's a pretty lucky guy." "By the way, are you a dancer? I saw your university performance video online, you're pretty famous now." Before I could form an answer, an angry voice shattered the quiet atmosphere. "What are you two doing?!" Laura was standing a short distance away. Her eyes were wide with disbelief, her rims red, radiating the furious energy of a wife catching her husband red-handed. She turned her glare onto me, wiping her tears away with a vicious swipe of her sleeve. She let out a harsh, cold laugh. "Monique! Didn't you say you had zero interest in Charles?!" "You were the one who said you dropped the whole love letter thing and moved on!" "So what is this now? Trying to seduce my boyfriend?!" "You're doing this just to get revenge on me, aren't you?! Pretending to be so detached and unbothered, you make me sick!" The casual smile slid off Charles's face. Capturing the key piece of information, he turned his head slowly to look at me, his throat working. "The person who sent me that love letter... was you?"