Chapter 3
I got home.
After saying hi to my parents, I went upstairs to my room.
As soon as I opened the door, I instinctively walked over to the window.
Through the white sheer curtains, I looked down at the street below.
Ryan's car was still parked there.
He leaned against the car door, his black coat making him look lean and distinguished.
The streetlights scattered flecks of light across him, like a dusting of stars.
The night wind was sharp.
He stood there, hands buried in his coat pockets, letting the wind whip around him.
With his head bowed, he looked like he was lost in thought.
Without thinking, I gripped the curtain tighter, uncertain if or when his promise might change.
That night, I slept restlessly, lost in a haze of confusion and worry.
The next morning.
My driver dropped me off at school.
I'd barely stepped out of the car when I suddenly saw Ava and Ryan standing there together.
Ava's face lit up with a bright smile as she handed a delicate paper bag to Ryan.
Ava said, "Ryan, I got up early and made these sandwiches myself."
As if to prove her point, she pointed at Lucas standing nearby.
She added, "Lucas and the others have some too. You should try one."
Lucas nodded eagerly, munching on his sandwich as he praised her.
He said, "Ava's not just pretty, she's talented too.
"Ryan, you gotta try one. They taste great!"
Ryan kept his hands in his coat pockets, not even bothering to glance at the paper bag.
He just gave Ava an impatient look, his voice cold and clearly annoyed.
"No," he said.
Ava's smile faltered, but she stubbornly pushed the bag forward again.
"Ryan, this is my way of showing I care," she said.
"Move," Ryan said, his face darkening, clearly out of patience.
Ava's face went pale, her eyes rimmed with tears.
"Ryan," she whispered.
She seemed about to say something more, but Ryan just walked right past her and headed straight for me.
He spotted me the moment I stepped out of the car.
But Ava didn't see me.
She caught up to him and stood in his way, arms outstretched, trying to be brave, but you could see she was nervous.
The students passing by slowed down, heads down, murmuring to each other.
Ava took a deep breath, her eyes fixed on Ryan.
She asked, "Ryan.
"Why won't you accept my sandwich?
"Do you have something against me, or do you just really hate me?"
Ryan's eyes were completely cold. He didn't even want to say anything else.
Ryan said, "Yes."
His blunt, no-nonsense answer made Ava's face flush bright red, her knuckles turning white as she gripped the sandwich bag.
The students nearby were watching the drama, whispering among themselves.
Tears welled up in Ava's eyes.
She bit her lip, stubbornly staring at Ryan as she pressed him.
She asked, "Why?
"Ryan, did I do something to upset you?
"I just wanted to thank you, so I made these sandwiches for you for breakfast.
"You're not the only one. I made some for Lucas and the others too."
Ryan lowered his gaze and shot Ava a cold, indifferent look.
"Thank me for what?" he asked.
Ava paused, her boldness wavering as she lost some of her earlier courage.
She stammered, "Thank you for saving me."
Ryan said coldly, "I already told you yesterday. You got the wrong guy."
Ava's arms trembled, but she still held her ground, stubbornly explaining.
She said, "Since you were there yesterday, I just made an extra one for you. It really wasn't a big deal."
"Oh, really?" Ryan shot back, his eyes sharp as he stared at Ava.
Ryan stared at Ava, his eyes sharp.
Ryan asked, "My girlfriend was there too. Why didn't you make one for her?"
Ava froze, her face turning ghostly pale.
She opened her mouth, struggling to find the words.
"I," Ava managed, her voice barely above a whisper.
But Ryan didn't spare her another glance. He just walked right past her and strode straight toward me.
*****
The north wind howled, whipping through the air.
Dead leaves drifted down from the branches.
Ryan walked straight over to me, ignoring the cold wind.
He pulled open his coat and wrapped me up in his arms, like it was the most natural thing in the world.
"You've been waiting so long. Are you cold?" he asked.
His warmth enveloped me, soothing and tender.
I should've felt blissful, like everything was perfect.
Yet somehow, a trace of bitterness quietly slipped into my heart.
"Ryan," I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper.
My nose prickled, and I could feel tears welling up.
Ryan caught the change in my voice and quickly looked down at me.
"What's wrong, Grace?" he asked.
My tears suddenly broke free, falling one after another.
"In my dream, you accepted her breakfast," I whispered, my voice trembling.
Ryan froze for a moment, and his voice took on a hint of panic.
"Grace," he called softly, sounding a bit panicked.
For once, his voice was nervous and unsettled, something you almost never heard from him.
He kept patting my back, comforting me with anxious urgency and gentle warmth.
He said, "Grace, that was just a dream. It was only a dream.
"See? I didn't take it in real life, did I?"
Tears blurred my vision.
I closed my eyes, wanting to nod, but somehow I just couldn't make myself do it.
Everything felt almost surreal, like I was drifting through a dream.
It was as if I was caught between sleep and waking, never fully awake, never fully asleep.
Once I finally pulled myself together, I headed into campus with Ryan by my side.
Ava was still there, crouched down with her arms wrapped tightly around herself, her quiet sobs carried away by the wind.
Lucas was crouched beside her, doing his best to comfort her, looking both worried and heartbroken.
Somehow.
It was as if something had quietly changed, and I couldn't quite put my finger on it.
Days slipped by, gentle and unhurried.
Ava hardly ever showed up around us anymore.
Sometimes, if we ran into her at school, she'd stare at Ryan, and her eyes would get all teary.
Ryan never looked at her. He'd just grab my hand and pull me away.
That changed on Ryan's birthday, when a bunch of us gathered at a private club to celebrate.
Halfway through, Ava turned up unexpectedly.
When she walked in, Ryan was putting peeled shrimp onto my plate.
Ava paused, looking a little heartbroken.
A moment later.
She forced a smile and handed Ryan a beautifully wrapped gift box.
"Happy birthday, Ryan," she said.