Loved You Long Ago

ove with my neighbor's

wanting to introduce me

well that his half-brother was

a basketball game was und

on the game's outcome, my e

lfully caught the ball passed by a team

s left hand invol

njury must have

wer" for years, I could read e

he medicine I always carried with me, a

e blew, and I was t

r personal coa

tes, I didn't care that my crush on

ffection had turned into

you join us for a

looking at my hands

ur

help with the food and

been accustomed to b

ti

brother Xander. Do

ck's, with an 80% resemblance, smil

, long tim

a good big brother," I volunteered t

roduct of his father's second marriage and

s quite prominent, w

h kid behavior was vivi

time n

ick always had reservations about this brother, so

nce he dismissed someone, it was

nder, l

knew my feelings but alwa

hen others questioned us, neve

g become a friendship b

do you have

me a glass of water as soon as I

t do you t

head, utte

are you

tly sitting across from me,

don't know if Ms.

rsue her, stop cal

rig

a, can I p

h between Xander and Maver

ith his brother, wanting me t

n the most in the world, ye

k. The face I had adored for years rema

for him, he continued to m

r Xan

ile, I seemed to u

of him paired with the "stepbr

rig

Xander, beam

ing, I didn't glance

t "alright," sank i

g, I woke up wi

, you'r

attention. Xander was sitting by

, I had no choice but to ask

ought back memories,

away," my emotions spiraled out of control. To

t know you could

th a curious expressio

st a bit happ

becaus

ing up at me. As I studied Xander's face, I gr

ays held back, leaving me to co

I could easily catch his mood changes. He ap

why Maverick lo

s, Maverick treaded carefully wi

en Maverick was cautiously navigating

filled with admiration, infatuation,

f with him for years,

I finally saw my

enses": "Eliana, since last night, you

appened so suddenly, and I couldn't ex

erk reaction" after b

ormally introduce myself. I'm Xander, a sopho

a cheerful bird chirping. His happiness co

m the girlfriend of

wanted to crush a

ot even l

ignorance, Xander ruthlessl

ze how different Xand

you

es

ution, Xander was willing

e need for guessing, was somethin

hould I

en carefully to what

hugged the big b

y face and the broad a

ut him, completely different from Maveric

rld needed a

ight? I want to take you

to an art exhibition. W

our bag last time, so

ian

of sunshine, suddenly

ly," integrating himself int

I finally agreed to rent his senior

let's ce

Xander took it upon himself

me a few years ago, had unknowingly

nt, Xander dressed smar

nning to pursue a Ph

raduate school, so it's in

fter all, as art students, we shoul

el. Unfortunately, my family is just middle-class, and self-funding

hD, getting a master's in arts

folder, and I saw the en

Design, but they're quite friendly to Asian students,

d in Chinese. There was even a detailed comparison chart summarizing the pr

u do al

ny schools, and the brochures included not only

h your department assignments and

late of sliced steak, careful

back in the day; I was a sophomore,

e a complete relative clause, and hi

suddenly be

tion skills a

be anything less? I

ried a hint of pr

, I had grown accusto

given me many p

how Xander was "unworthy" and "r

s supposedly just lucky and didn't deserve to

eractions, I found Xande

erstood and appreciated

erences and cheered m

edia platforms, always bein

ever did a

outh, posting updates only visible to

just wishful th

you start

urious about when his

led me off the basketbal

did, never afraid to sha

leeting impulse or a way to satisfy

ment, his affe

k, I was genui

ou tell me yo

the high-quality fabric accentuated his well-defined musc

you a

continued to press, his ey

ran out of

fficial excuse, but Maverick

power bank with you? Can

self, realizing I ha

and besides, there's usually nothing

averick to frown immediately. "Ya

e "Yao Yao" made my

spleasure and adopted a different appro

oaded, and I cau

our brother and me? We're doing well. He's

eaded, thinking my intelligence

brows and stepped closer to me. "Yao Yao, do you know that

my right eye, and like an electr

eally ha

were the one

had no intention of getti

r face through mine. After a long pause, he finally spoke

go, you already linked u

the courage to voice the g

ay, regardless of your introduction. Just like what you can't

time, hitting Maverick

actly who I was

out in the pouring rain searching for him, worried sick. Mea

as Maverick had a wo

ing married, I witnessed the only time

the Norris Family!" he declared, reeking of alcohol, grit

with these memories th

t I was always differe

attered my illus

ian

ode in anger, but instead,

hing to do, I

as always Maverick who turned away from me,

r look

closed, Maverick's handsome

on of my shadow on

a, wel

, but the thumbs-up

iar basketball court, my ide

city this weekend, it'

er for m

ike any normal girlfriend, handing out water and towels. From the corner of my

your boyfriend the mos

appy as a child, ea

of the game," I replied with a

ere really bo

re a few more thre

s straightforward sweet talk, an

ou co

ammates pulled him away to di

up, my gaze

eat, his eyes remained piercing

meanor for maturity and restrai

a shadow of mela

my spine, and I q

lew right on time, and both Xande

ly more intense. Xander and Maverick were both key playe

ld tell something was off. Their collisions see

started making unsportsma

lieve he woul

my eyes fixed on their c

t to grab a rebound when Maverick suddenly cha

my G

realizing the serious

allen on opposite sides, both looking pained.

e? Did you h

be more careful, yo

pray and bandages, but this

like that," joked the on-court doctor, and everyone started teasing us

e you standing up

, I'm no

I heard Maverick spe

you o

Xander and me, ask

fin

ro, Eliana's g

ut he pulled me close, rest

again, with a look I had seen

was so evident, it

could