Chapter 6: The Last Goodbye

When Derek came home that night, he must have seen the things I’d thrown away. He knocked on my door angrily.

“Natalie! Come out! We need to talk.”

I opened the door.

Derek stood there, his face icy cold.

“Why did you throw away all the things I gave you?”

“What’s it to you?”

I stared at him coldly.

I didn’t flinch. Not this time.

The mark from that morning’s slap was still on my face. Derek hadn’t held back—my cheek was swollen, with finger marks clearly visible. Instead of fading, it had gotten worse.

Derek’s expression shifted. He stared at the mark on my face, dazed.

After a while, he said softly,

“…How did it get so bad?”

He reached out to touch me, but I stepped back, face blank.

I rarely got hurt. Whenever I bumped into something, I’d always run to Derek, crying for comfort.

The truth was, I wasn’t afraid of pain. I was pretty thick-skinned—sometimes I wouldn’t notice a scratch for days. I just wanted to act spoiled in front of the person I liked.

But the Derek who always said I was weak and delicate actually loved being relied on by me.

But now, I refused to play along anymore.

Derek had never seen me this cold before. For a moment, he was at a loss.

“I didn’t mean it, Natalie. You cursed like that, and I just got mad in the moment…”

I cut him off.

“Since you’re here, let’s be clear. From today on, let’s act like strangers.”

“From now on, call me by my full name. If we see each other at school, don’t talk to me. Don’t ever come knocking on my door at night again.”

I finished and was about to close the door.

Derek grabbed my hand, staring at me. His face flickered between guilt, anger, and confusion.

“Is this really necessary, Natalie? If you’re mad because I hit you, I’ll apologize. Don’t you think you’re being too extreme?”

“Haven’t you thought about what if you regret this in the future?”

“I won’t regret it.”

“…Why?” he asked, trying to keep his anger in check. “Just because I accidentally slapped you?”

“Yes. Just because of a slap.”

I said it with absolute seriousness.

The door clicked shut between us. For the first time, it felt like freedom—not loss.

As I closed the door, the hallway light flickered, casting a long shadow across the carpet. I could feel his eyes on the other side, searching for the girl who’d always followed him, always forgiven him. But that girl was gone. In her place was someone who finally knew her own worth.