Graduation day arrived dressed in beauty.
The sky was clear.
The school grounds were decorated with white and gold ribbons.
Parents smiled. Cameras flashed. Laughter filled the air.
But to Oliver, it felt like a funeral.
He sat among his classmates in his graduation gown, hands folded on his lap, staring straight ahead. His heart felt heavy, like it had been filled with stones. Every cheer felt distant. Every smile around him felt unreal.
Beside him, Liam sat stiff and cold.
His face showed nothing.
No smile.
No excitement.
No pride.
Just a calm that scared Oliver more than anger ever could.
Tommy noticed.
As they stood up to receive their certificates, Tommy lightly tapped Liam's shoulder once, then twice — a quiet gesture of comfort. Liam didn't look at him, but Tommy knew he felt it. Tommy already knew something was wrong. He had known for days.
When the ceremony ended, students rushed into their parents' arms. Friends took pictures. Teachers gave last hugs.
Oliver didn't move.
Liam didn't either.
They drifted apart naturally, like strangers following different paths, until Liam suddenly turned away from the crowd.
"Oliver."
The voice was low. Tight.
Oliver froze.
"Behind the auditorium," Liam said. "Now."
Oliver followed.
Behind the auditorium, it was quiet. Empty. The sounds of celebration were muffled, like they belonged to another world.
Liam turned to face him.
Up close, Oliver saw it — the cracks. The redness in Liam's eyes. The clenched jaw. The hands shaking just slightly at his sides.
"You're lying to me," Liam said.
Oliver swallowed. "About what?"
"You don't just wake up and stop loving someone," Liam snapped. "I know you. You can't just leave like this."
Oliver forced his shoulders to relax. He forced his voice to stay flat.
"I'm not lying."
Liam stepped closer. "Then say it again. Look at me and say it."
Oliver lifted his head.
His face was calm. Too calm.
"I want a normal life," he said casually.
"This—" he gestured vaguely between them, "—was a mistake."
The words landed like a slap.
Liam laughed once, sharp and broken. "A mistake?"
"Yes."
"Everything?" Liam asked. "The field? The nights? The promises?"
Oliver nodded. "Yes."
Liam's face changed.
Anger rushed in, fast and wild, covering the hurt.
"So that's it?" he said bitterly. "You used me, got bored, and now you're done?"
Oliver didn't react.
"Say something," Liam demanded. "Defend yourself."
Oliver stayed silent.
Because if Liam hated him, this would be easier.
"You know what?" Liam continued, voice rising.
"I should've known. Someone like you would always choose safety over truth."
Oliver's fingers dug into his gown.
"I gave you everything," Liam said. "And you throw it away like trash."
Oliver nodded once. "I'm sorry."
That was all.
Liam stared at him, eyes burning.
Then he stepped back.
His voice dropped, cold and distant. "Don't ever come looking for me."
Oliver met his eyes one last time. "I won't."
No kiss.
No promise.
No I'll wait for you.
Just silence.
Liam turned and walked away.
Oliver stayed where he was, standing behind the auditorium, graduation gown fluttering lightly in the breeze, feeling like something inside him had finally died.
The celebration continued.
And just like that, they were over.
Oliver packed his things few months after graduation.
The house was quiet.
Just the soft hum of the old fan and the sound of his own breathing.
Mrs Snider had been reluctant to part with Oliver, she had took him as a son and friend.
He could even see the tears that was threatening to fall from her eyes as she passed an envelope into his hands. Oliver had quickly returned it when he saw the content of the envelope.
A huge amount of money.
But Mrs Snider shook her head, pressing it tight against Oliver's palms. Saying...
"Let me give you a parting gift." before pulling him into a hug.
Oliver sighed.
Mrs Adrien had also kept her word. His mother was now in a private unit at the hospital, surrounded by machines Oliver barely understood, attended to by specialists who spoke in calm, confident voices. She was stable. She was alive.
That was what mattered.
Oliver stood in the middle of his room, hands on his hips, staring at the space like he was seeing it for the first time. The walls were bare. The bed looked smaller. Everything felt temporary now, like it already belonged to the past.
He didn't have many things to pack.
Some shirts. A few pairs of jeans. His school books. A folder with documents neatly arranged—admission letter, housing agreement, job applications. Oliver had planned everything down to the smallest detail. Planning was the only thing keeping him steady.
The university he had chosen was Northbridge State University.
It wasn't famous. It wasn't flashy. But it was known for being affordable, quiet, and serious about academics. A place where students minded their business and studied hard. A place where no one would know his name. That was exactly what he wanted.
His course was Computer Science with a focus on Cryptography and Information Security.
It was the closest path to what he truly wanted—quantum cryptography—without drawing attention to himself. It was logical. Related to physics. Safe. Numbers and codes didn't ask questions. They didn't judge. They didn't leave.
The university was located in Greyhaven City.
Far. Very far.
Far from Golden Crest.
Far from the hospital.
Far from Liam.
Greyhaven represented distance and safety. A place where his past couldn't follow him easily. Where rumors would die before they could grow. Where he could exist quietly.
Oliver opened his wardrobe and pulled out a small travel bag. He folded his clothes carefully, placing them inside with care, like he was afraid they might break. At the bottom of the bag, his hand paused.
The Newton's cradle.
Oliver held it for a moment, his fingers tightening around the smooth metal balls. He remembered the way Liam had smiled when he gave it to him, like it wasn't just a gift but a promise.
Oliver swallowed.
After hesitating for some seconds,he placed it gently into the bag and zipped it halfway, like he wasn't ready to seal it away completely.
He had already rented a small apartment near the university. It wasn't much. A narrow two-bedroom place with peeling paint and thin walls. He would be sharing it with another student he met online—a quiet guy who studied engineering and liked to keep to himself. They agreed to split rent, electricity, water. No friendship promised. Just coexistence.
Oliver liked that.
He also had already applied for jobs.
A restaurant two streets away from the apartment.
A supermarket near the bus stop.
A small café close to campus.
He had experience. He knew how to work long hours. He knew how to smile when he was tired. He knew how to survive.
Oliver zipped his bag and sat down on the edge of his bed. The mattress dipped under his weight, familiar and cruel. He looked around one last time.
This was the room where he had cried quietly at night.
The room where he and Liam did things they'll never forget for a lifetime.
The room where he had convinced himself that leaving was the right thing.
He lay back and stared at the ceiling.
Liam would survive without him.
His mother wouldn't.
Oliver closed his eyes, pressed the heel of his palm against them, and breathed in slowly.
"This is fine," he whispered to the empty room.
"I'm doing the right thing."
The room didn't answer.
And somehow, that silence hurt the most...