(2)
The next day, after class, Felix cornered me.
He looked at me, exasperated, as if I was being unreasonable. “Claire, what’s your problem?”
I admit, it’s impossible to forget someone you’ve loved for so long overnight. Seeing him again, my heart still ached a little.
I pretended nothing was wrong and acted like I hadn’t heard him.
He was clearly getting impatient. “You’re making Mia really uncomfortable. She thinks she’s the reason we’re not getting along.”
I looked at him, feeling a bitter taste in my mouth, unable to say a word.
I could only quicken my pace to leave.
Felix cursed behind me, “Damn it, Claire, are you getting too full of yourself? Making such a fuss just because your bro is dating someone. Mia was right, you’re acting like a possessive bitch. Don’t tell me you actually like me?”
I stopped in my tracks and turned to look at him. Suddenly, I had the urge to lay it all out.
“What if I said yes?”
“Huh?” Felix awkwardly rubbed his fingers, seemingly caught off guard by my response. “I was just kidding. Uh, I gotta go. We’ll talk later, okay?”
For the next two months, Felix didn’t contact me, and I didn’t reach out to him either.
I heard he’d been getting pretty serious with his girlfriend. They even signed up for a travel group, planning to go on a trip during summer
break.
My friends were indignant about this and messaged me to complain: “Doesn’t Felix have a heart? How can he be worry about hurting you?”
I paused for a moment before replying: “Let him be.”
SO
public about it? Doesn’t he
It would get better slowly. While Felix was flaunting his relationship, I cried silently in pain several nights. But I forced myself not to think
about it, not to ask about it.
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Later, I truly stopped thinking about it.
I started focusing on my studies, keeping myself busy every day. Then one day, my roommate informed me that I was featured on the university’s confession wall.
The confession was simple: “Claire Bennett from second–year Economics, I, Mason Callahan, have decided you’re the one for me?
Well…
To be honest, it was a bit underwhelming.
Who still uses these cheesy, domineering pickup lines these days?
I didn’t take it seriously at all, thinking it was just someone’s prank.
But what I didn’t expect was that Mason Callahan really did start pursuing me aggressively. Because of what happened with Felix, I was extremely averse to the idea of dating, so I was very cold towards him.
But he never got discouraged. In fact, he seemed to become more determined with each rejection. At first, every time I came out of the library, I’d see him waiting there, always holding a cup of my favorite cheese grape tea.
He’d hand it to me as soon as I came out.
At first, I refused to accept it, but he didn’t get upset. He just smiled and said, “But senior, I’ve already bought it. It’d be such a waste”
“If you really don’t want it, why don’t you just transfer me the money?”
And just like that, he successfully got my SnapChat contact.
I thought giving him my contact might be troublesome, but he was very considerate. He’d only occasionally like or comment on my posts, rarely actively disturbing my life.
Gradually, I even started to get used to it.
After a while, when I tried to transfer him money for the milk tea again, he refused, giving a very reasonable explanation: “We’re so familiar now. Treating you to a cup of milk tea is just what I should do.”
Reading this message, I found myself sprawled on my bed, laughing uncontrollably.
I never thought this kid would be so good at pursuing girls. He handled the boundaries between men and women just right.
I started to enjoy interacting with him. After all, who doesn’t like a good–looking guy who knows how to treat a girl right?
As I got to know him better, I found out that Mason’s college entrance exam score was actually over 30 points higher than our university’s admission line.
I couldn’t understand it: “Then why did you come here?”
He seemed a bit embarrassed for once, scratching his head: “Because the person I like is here.”
The atmosphere suddenly became a bit awkward.
I coughed uncomfortably: “With 600 points, you don’t seem like someone who’d write that kind of confession.”
This time, he was even more embarrassed, a blush quickly spreading across his face. “That was posted by my roommates. They were just messing around.”
Mason is very good–looking, a bit more than just conventionally attractive.
Growing up, the most handsome person I’d ever seen was Felix.
But looking closely Mason seemed no less attractive than Felix As I stared at him for a while I suddenly realized that I hadn’t thought about
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But looking closely, Mason seemed no less attractive than Felix. As I stared at him for a while, I suddenly realized that I hadn’t thought about Felix for quite some time.
He seemed to have really disappeared from my life.
Mason started to occupy my time. Every day, he’d find new ways to cater to my preferences. I didn’t like eating breakfast in the cafeteria, so he’d wake up two hours early to buy me breakfast from my favorite store.
It wasn’t just me; even my roommates benefited. Every time he brought something to my dorm, he’d bring a portion for my roommates too, making sure everyone got a share while ensuring mine was always the best.
If I posted on social media in the morning saying I wanted to go out, by afternoon he’d be dressed up ready to take me on a suburban outing.
When I casually mentioned wanting to eat a strawberry cake, that evening I received a strawberry cake he’d bought.
It had the logo of “South Family Rice Shop” on it.
This shop was near my home.
I looked at him in surprise: “When did you go buy this?”
Mason looked a bit embarrassed, still catching his breath: “I went as soon as I saw your post. I was playing ball with my roommates in the afternoon and saw it a bit late. I almost didn’t make it in time.”
This shop had always been popular. It had been there since I was little, but the owner was someone who really knew how to live. Every day, without fail, he’d close shop at 5 PM, regardless of whether there were still customers or not.
The reason I knew this so well was because I’d passed by their shop countless times, but never bought anything.
Their prices were about a third higher than other places. Even my mom only bought me one on my birthday each year. I couldn’t bring myself to buy one, but I always craved it.
Every time Felix saw me looking, he’d pat my head and comfort me like a child: “Don’t look anymore, little one. Big bro Felix will buy you one
next time.”
But I waited year after year, and it never happened.
Every time, he had an excuse. He’d spent all his allowance, or he didn’t have time to go buy it, and so on.
Back then, I believed him.
Now, looking at the small 6–inch strawberry cake in Mason’s hands, I suddenly felt my eyes getting warm.
So, if someone really wanted to buy it, it only took two hours.
So this is what it feels like to be cherished.
I couldn’t help but cry. Mason immediately panicked, “Don’t cry! I really was playing ball and didn’t see your message, or I would have brought
it earlier?
“When I got there, the owner was about to close. I had to beg him for a while before he agreed to make one for me”
“Claire, please don’t cry.”
He looked so pitiful, seeming like he wanted to wipe my tears but didn’t dare. He was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.
His reaction made me laugh. I took the strawberry cake and asked him: “Mason, you really like me, don’t you?”
“Of course!” He rolled his eyes, exasperated. “I wouldn’t spend two hours buying a cake for a girl I didn’t like.”
Hearing this, I smiled slowly: “Then remember this. From today on, you have a girlfriend”
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