HE WISHED I'D STOP LOVING HIM

Blake Cooper wished I'd stop having feelings for him. He made that wish in front of everyone on his birthday. Blake had two secrets.

One everyone knew: I'd been chasing him for six years. The other was a reckless night no one knew about. He'd given me a flippant smile afterward. “I mistook you for someone else.

Don't read anything into it.” “You and I are never going to happen.” Six years of loving him, and in that moment, I finally gave up. I closed my eyes, too.

May he get exactly what he wished for. Chapter 1 When Blake finished cutting the cake, he gave me the slice with the only candied cherry on it, just as he always did.

I sat in a corner with my slice of cake. A long time passed, and I still hadn't finished it. It wasn't the first time Blake had said something like that.

But this time, I couldn't keep lying to myself, pretending everything was fine. I'd spent six years going down the same road without a glimpse of hope.

It really was time to cut my losses. The couch dipped beside me. Blake had sat down without my noticing. He held two tickets between his fingers and offered them to me.

I looked closer. They were tickets to my favorite singer's concert. By then, even one ticket was almost impossible to find.

For no particular reason, I asked, “You're going, too?” Blake gave an exasperated laugh. “What else?

You think I have so much money I bought an extra ticket just to leave the seat empty?” For some reason, I felt no happiness.

Just a faint weariness. “Oh,” I said, handing the tickets back. “I'm not going.” Blake frowned, as though he wanted to say something, but I'd already looked away.

After I turned him down, he didn't say another word to me for the rest of the party. Normally, I would have left in Blake's car.

That night, I ignored the door he held open and turned to his friend Kevin Evans instead. “Kevin, could you drop me off on your way?” Kevin froze, instinctively looking at Blake.

Blake's expression soured. After a moment, he gave a cold snort. “What are you looking at me for? I don't enjoy being anyone's chauffeur. This works out fine.

Saves me the time.” He slammed the car door and drove off. In the car, Kevin sighed and tried to reassure me. “Melissa, don't take what Blake said today to heart.

You know how he is. All tough talk, but he's soft underneath. Besides, he treats you so much better than he treats other people.

Every birthday, you always get the biggest, best slice of his cake.” Kevin wasn't wrong. Blake remembered what I liked and gave me gifts on holidays.

When my supervisor harassed me during my internship, Blake confronted my supervisor in person, demanding an explanation and standing up for me.

Later, he used his connections to get me into a company other people fought for a chance to work at.

I'd fallen for Blake in high school, after he rescued me from some punks who'd cornered me in an alley. He'd stood in front of me, looking utterly unconcerned. “Picking on a girl.

Is that fun for you?” Falling for him had seemed only natural. As luck would have it, we ended up at the same college.

Only then did I work up the courage to approach him and become his friend.

Because of all those kindnesses, I'd naively believed that if I kept trying, we could have a future together. But the tickets were just like the candied cherry on the cake.

They meant very little to Blake, so he could give them to me without a second thought. And there was nothing precious about that.

Chapter 2 Kevin went on. “His relationships never last. Honestly, you're much better off being his friend than his girlfriend.” Blake could go through ten girlfriends in a year.

After spending so long around him, I couldn't help wondering: if all those other women got a chance, why couldn't I?

Even that day, I'd secretly bought a pair of rings, planning to tell him how I felt one more time.

All I'd gotten was, “Even if every other woman on earth died, you and I would never happen.” I rubbed the ring box in my pocket and let out a bitter little laugh, grateful I hadn't humiliated myself again. “You're right, Kevin.

Being friends is pretty good.” The place I was living in belonged to Blake, too. My old home had been too far from work.

The commute alone took up so much time, and the old apartment building was unsafe, with frequent water and power outages.

But I'd just graduated then and hadn't had any money to spare. When Blake found out, he simply let me stay in this place of his that had been sitting empty.

I stood inside and looked around. Now that I'd decided to give up on him, I needed to keep some distance, too. I started looking for a place close to the office.

I was so absorbed that I lost track of time, which was also how I happened to see Blake's message come in. [Are you upset because of the wish I made?] He unsent it just as I finished reading.

The typing indicator appeared, but I waited a long time and nothing else came. I hesitated, then decided to act as though I hadn't seen it.

Maybe I'd spent too much of the day thinking. That night, I dreamed about the past. There had been something between Blake and me, once.

During our sophomore year of college, Blake broke up with his first love. He didn't say much about it, but he was hurting, and he drank a lot that night. I took him home.

That was the night he mistook me for the woman he still wanted. He wrapped his arms around me, his voice tender and full of affection. “Please don't go.” My heart faltered.

Somehow, I didn't say no. I let myself sink into that tenderness. One reckless night. When I woke the next morning, Blake was sitting on the edge of the bed, watching me.

The corner of his mouth lifted, his voice certain. “So you have feelings for me, Melissa.” I could only stay silent.

Blake pushed his hair off his forehead and gave me a smile that was both flippant and apologetic. “I mistook you for someone else last night. Don't read anything into it.

You and I are never going to happen. Let's pretend none of this happened.

It's better for both of us that way.” I barely managed a nod. “Okay.” I scrambled up to leave, but Blake stopped me and had the butler bring up some clothes.

As he handed them over, he added, “Don't tell anyone. It'll make me look bad.” “Don't worry,” I said, my voice dry.

With my nails pressed deep into my palms, I could just barely stay calm. “There's nothing worth telling anyway.” Blake's mouth curved, but there was no amusement in it.

We weren't in touch for a long time after that. Not until my period was late, and I kept feeling dizzy, nauseated, and unwell. I was terrified. Instinctively, I called Blake.

It took him a long time to answer, and even then, he sounded hesitant. “Yeah?” Only when I tried to speak did I realize I couldn't keep the tears out of my voice.

At the hospital, waiting for the results, I was still crying, my nose running. Blake sat beside me. Watching me, he sighed.

Chapter 3 He reached over and wiped away my tears. “Stop crying. What are you so scared of?

Even if something has happened, you think I'd just do nothing?” Thankfully, the results showed it had all been a false alarm.

Too much stress had caused my late period, dizziness, and vomiting. Seeing my red, swollen eyes, the doctor gave me a stern warning. “What are you young women thinking?

Don't let a little romance go to your head.” He turned to Blake. “And you. Don't you know to take care of your girlfriend? You have to use protection!” My face went red.

I was about to explain, but Blake readily nodded. “My fault.

We will next time.” Outside the hospital, I was about to say goodbye when Blake gave me a casual look. “Aren't you hungry after all that crying?

I'll take you to get something to eat.” I stood there, stunned. I'd thought that after this, any chance of a future with Blake was truly gone.

He suddenly smiled and ruffled my hair. “Melissa, you're being silly.” From that day on, Blake and I became even closer than we'd been before.

I even became part of his circle of friends. I watched him start relationships and end them, break up and find someone new.

Every time he broke up with someone, I stubbornly told him how I felt, hoping for a chance. And every time, he turned me down without a flicker of feeling.

Eventually, even his friends couldn't help commenting. “Blake, Melissa's been by your side for so long. You've really never felt anything for her? She's pretty and sincere.

What's not to like?” Blake raised an eyebrow, unconcerned. “What makes her worth dating? Even if every other woman on earth died, I wouldn't choose her.” He seemed so good to me.

And so cruel to me, too. Once I chose a place, I moved right away. I had too much to move at once, so I only took the essentials, planning to come back for the rest when I had time.

But I was busy with a project. If it went well, I'd get the promotion. I had so much on my mind that I was even grateful to get sick on a weekend.

I'd slept through most of the day when my phone woke me. It was Kevin. “Hey, Melissa.

Are you coming to the gettogether today?” I scrolled through my messages and realized I hadn't replied to any of theirs. “Sorry, Kevin. I have something to do today.

I can't make it.” Kevin turned to speak to Blake. I faintly heard Blake sneer, “The busiest woman in the world.

Wonder how much she's actually making.” I acted as though I hadn't heard. “Have fun, Kevin.” Then Blake took the phone. “Melissa.” His voice had grown a little more serious. “What's wrong with your voice?” I said it was nothing, my tone casual, and hurriedly hung up.

Half an hour later, Blake called. It was clear he'd keep calling until I answered.

With no real choice, I picked up. “You're not home?” he asked derisively. “Too sick to eat, but you've got the energy to run around?” I couldn't respond for a moment.

Blake grew impatient. “Melissa. Say something.” “I moved. I don't live there anymore.” There were a few seconds of silence.

When Blake spoke again, he sounded angry. “Address.” “Blake…” “Address!” I listened to the dead line and gave a quiet sigh.

When Blake arrived, he was dressed too lightly for the weather, without a coat. Out of habit, I almost asked if he was cold. Chapter 4 But I held back. It wasn't really my place.

Blake's expression was icy as he held out the bag in his hand. I didn't take it. “I have medicine at home.” He lifted his gaze. “Melissa, what's this all about?

What do you mean by moving out?” His voice turned mocking. “Is this because of that wish I made? Was I wrong? I was never going to—” “You were absolutely right,” I cut in.

I took a deep breath and continued. “That's exactly why I've decided to stop having feelings for you. I won't bother you anymore.

Blake, thank you for letting me stay at your place, but I don't need it now.” “I