Chapter 4
Edwin was changing right before my eyes.
I started seeing him constantly hanging around the teachers' lounge during office hours, hovering by desks to ask questions. After lunch, he'd sit next to me, working through practice papers.
"Everything else you do is fine, so why does your Literature suck so much?" I asked.
I stared at the "48" circled in red ink at the top of the page. It was painful to look at.
Edwin scratched his head and said, a little sheepishly, "I guess Literature just isn't for me."
"Cut the crap. Take these two reading comprehension sets and drill through them. Make sure you finish within the time limit. And every day, break down two grammar passages for me," I said.
Edwin let out a dramatic groan. "Please, have mercy. Literature analysis is pure torture. I'm a lost cause anyway."
With that, he collapsed like a lifeless puddle on the desk, as if he might just ooze off the edge any second.
I was so annoyed that I cupped his face and said, enunciating every word, "If I say you can do it, then you can. Even if you don't believe in yourself, you have to believe in me."
Edwin's face turned bright red.
"What's wrong? Are you feeling sick?" I asked.
"This is the first time you've ever touched my face," he mumbled, flustered.
I was speechless. What nonsense was he talking about? I tried to pull my hand away, but he wouldn't let go.
Edwin tilted his head, pressing my hand between his cheek and his palm.
My heart was about to leap out of my chest.
"You..." I stammered.
"If I do better next time, will you let me pat my face every day?" Edwin asked, his voice soft and full of hope.
His lashes flickered against my fingertips, and it was like a spark shot right through me.
Before I knew it, I'd already said yes.
It was the annual school sports day, and seniors usually only got to attend the opening ceremony.
No one knew who wrote to the principal's inbox, but for the first time ever, he actually let us sign up for the events.
With the classroom empty, it was finally nice and quiet.
I put on my headphones.
Little did I know, someone not far away was watching me like a hawk.
It wasn't until I was heading to the restroom that I started to feel like something was off.
With a click, the restroom door was blocked from the outside. No matter how hard I pushed, it wouldn't budge.
"Judith, you really think you can take Edwin away from me? Well, just stay here and reflect on your actions," a voice sneered.
I recognized that voice. It was Jane York, Edwin's childhood friend.
Two years ago, it was common knowledge that Jane had a huge crush on Edwin.
Even after he turned her down, she just wouldn't let up.
Once Edwin and I started dating, she kept sabotaging me, sometimes in plain sight, sometimes behind my back.
My practice papers would mysteriously disappear, dead bugs would randomly show up, a screw would go missing from my chair, and my water would be spiked with red ink...
Then, out of nowhere, she suddenly stopped. I figured she'd finally given up.
Once I was sure she was gone, I climbed out over the top of the door. I didn't have time to mess around with her.
To get some real work done, I grabbed some practice papers from the office and headed straight for the library.
"Someone saw you following her, and you still try to play innocent? I can't believe you're still up to your old tricks. Tell me, where did you hide Judith?" Edwin snarled, his eyes blazing red.
He was choking Jane, veins bulging on his arms and neck.
Jane was nearly out of breath, but Edwin still wouldn't let up.
This was what I saw when I walked back into the classroom.
"What are you doing?" I yelled.
As soon as I spoke, Edwin flinched, and then crept over to me, looking nervous.
"Are you alright? What did she do to you? I kept texting you, but you never replied," Edwin asked, his voice tight with worry.
"I'm fine. She just locked me in the restroom. After I climbed out, I went straight to the library and kept working on practice papers. My phone was in my drawer the whole time, so I didn't see your messages," I replied.
Edwin pulled me into a hug, right there in front of a bunch of classmates.
"Thank God you're fine," he said.
My heart was beating out of my chest.
"Edwin, how could you do this to me? Just wait, I'm telling your folks everything. You're so done for!" Jane yelled as she dashed away.
"Are you... really sure you'll be okay when you get home? And seriously, how could you just choke someone like that?" I said.
"I was losing my mind when I couldn't find you. Then I heard she was creeping after you, and I was terrified she'd do something crazy. I just... My head snapped," Edwin said.
"I'm sorry. Did I scare you? I promise I won't lose it like that again. Please don't leave me..." he pleaded, his voice trembling.
"What are you even thinking? Why would I ever leave you?" I said.
After that, Edwin was glued to my side, except for class.
My home was pretty far from school, and I didn't stay in the dorms.
Before, after night study hall, I could still make it onto the last bus home.
But now, I had to carve out extra time during the day to walk Edwin through his questions.
After night study hall, I'd hang back for another half hour just to let everything I'd learned that day really sink in.
When Edwin found out, he thought it was way too dangerous for me to walk home alone at night, so he bought a little electric scooter.
On countless nights, we'd ride that scooter together down deserted streets, quizzing each other on vocabulary words.
We didn't feel like a couple but more like comrades-in-arms, fighting the good fight together.