In Lizza’s world, the long-accumulated pressure and pain finally found the most vulnerable point, completely bringing her down. The moment she checked her university scores. 640 points, a score she should have been proud of, but it was not enough for her and Mike to attend the same university. This unattainable shared future shattered her hopes entirely. Coupled with the long-term bullying and attacks from her classmates, her heart was crushed. She felt that no matter how hard she tried, she could not escape it all, could not prove herself, could not keep up with Mike’s pace. This pressure pierced her like a sharp sword, ultimately defeating her.
That day, Lizza returned to the place where she had initially intended to end her life. She quietly sat on the railing, reminiscing about the times they had spent together. She took out her phone, scrolling through their photos, smiling, yet silent tears fell. She gently sent a message to Mike: “I’m sorry, I’m tired.”
Mike was at home at that time, thinking about how Lizza hadn’t contacted him all day, when he saw the message on his phone, a wave of intense panic washed over him. He immediately called Lizza, but it was always unreachable. An unsettling feeling gripped his heart, and he rushed out, suddenly recalling the railing at school. That place held the most precarious memory in his heart, the place where he had once saved Lizza. Back then, Lizza, overwhelmed by her inner pain, sat on that railing, and Mike, frantic, rushed up to pull her down, holding her tightly.
So he believed Lizza must be at school.
Mike ran fast, hoping to catch up. When he finally reached the familiar building, the scene before him was nightmarish and unacceptable. Lizza lay quietly on the ground, surrounded by the silent night.
“Lizza!” Mike rushed over, kneeling beside her, desperately shaking her shoulders, his voice filled with urgency and despair. However, Lizza did not respond. A faint smile remained on her face, as if she had been freed from long-standing pain, returning to a place that brought her peace.
He sat beneath the railing, gently cradling the lifeless Lizza, his mind replaying the scene as if she were still there, still able to be saved by him. But this time, he couldn’t catch up, or rather, Lizza hadn’t given him the chance to.
Mike refused to believe what lay before him, continuously calling her name, trying to wake her, yet she could no longer hear his voice. Tears blurred his vision. At that moment, Mike felt his world collapse with Lizza’s departure. All memories, promises, and futures were swallowed by this silent night.
A few days later, Mike sat alone in the café where they had first met, facing the spot where Lizza used to sit, his eyes dim and lifeless. On the table lay a photo of Lizza, which he gently brushed over, tears flowing uncontrollably. He spoke softly to himself, as if conversing with her:
“I still have things to tell you, can I say them now? If you don’t answer, I’ll take it as you agreeing!” Mike smiled faintly, a bitter smile filled with endless pain, “Lizza, I’ve liked you for a long time. Ever since we started playing games together, I would intentionally tease you just to get your attention. But it seemed you didn’t understand my intentions and even grew to dislike me.”
He wiped the tears from his face, continuing with a bitter smile: “But actually, I just really like you. The first time I saw you, I persuaded Chuks not to come because I was afraid you would fall in love with him at first sight. Chuks is too handsome; I can’t compete with him… But fortunately, we later lived in the same neighborhood, so even if you had difficulties, I could help you.”
Mike paused for a moment, tears once again blurring his vision: “But now, it seems you don’t need me anymore. Yet, I still need you, Lizza. What a lovely girl you are… I watched you fall from a place of brightness, and now, my world is left in darkness. My world has no light anymore, Lizza…”
Mike’s voice began to tremble; he could no longer suppress the pain within, finally breaking down in tears: “I really regret it. Why didn’t I tell you my feelings sooner? Why didn’t I notice your pain earlier?
Lizza, I’m sorry…”
Since Lizza’s departure, Mike had become much quieter. The once cheerful him gradually closed off his heart, always carrying an unshakeable sorrow. He became more focused on his studies and rarely contacted his friends. Even when joking around, his smile no longer held the sincerity it once did.
Night fell, and Lizza’s world was forever plunged into darkness. And Mike, standing in this darkness, could no longer reclaim the once-bright girl in his heart.
