Xavier looked terrible, but he still grabbed me and said, “We’ll talk about our issues later. Right now, you’re coming with me to the hospital to apologize to Sophia.”
“I should apologize to her? What about you? Are you going to apologize to me?”
“Didn’t I say we’d talk about our stuff later?”
I shook off his hand again.
“There is no later!”
“Xavier, now you’re playing the righteous hero, but where were you when I was being bullied, when I was locked in the bathroom? Do you remember what you said to me back then? Do you?”
Xavier was stunned: “When were you locked in the bathroom?”
“The night you stayed up all night at the internet cafe, chatting with your girlfriend on the phone!”
“Oh, no, I forgot, you have so many nights like that, you probably don’t remember which one it was anymore.”
“But I remember, Xavier. I’ll never forget how I spent a whole night in that bathroom, cold, dark, and terrified. Your phone was always unreachable. When my phone died, do you know how desperate I felt? Do you think I would let another girl experience that kind of desperation? Am I such a vicious woman in your eyes?”
I couldn’t hear Xavier’s response anymore.
Because the teacher came in.
Telling us to return to our seats, get ready for class, and not make any noise.
Xavier only hurriedly threw me a sentence: “I’m going to the hospital to be with Sophia. I’ll investigate what you said. If they really bullied you, I won’t let them off. But if they didn’t, you must apologize to Sophia.”
He ran off.
The teacher couldn’t do anything about him, so she took her anger out on me.
I packed up my things and ran too. After all, I had passed all my exams. What’s the point of studying anymore?
Xavier quieted down for a few days.
Sophia, on the other hand, kept sending me messages.
“Aria, I don’t blame you.”
“Idiot.”
I replied with two words and blocked her.
On the day I was leaving, my mom still invited Xavier over for dinner.
Xavier came, but he didn’t say a word throughout the meal.
Until my mom said, “You two should have a toast. Once you go abroad, you won’t be able to see each other often.”
Xavier’s glass shattered on the floor.
My mom was startled and called the maid to clean up.
Xavier stared at me intently, asking, “You’re going abroad?”
“When did this happen?”
“Why didn’t I know?”
I ate a piece of steak, ignoring him.
Seeing that I wasn’t responding, he fell silent too.
But after dinner, he refused to leave, lingering at my house.
Wherever I went, he followed.
“Aria, talk to me. When are you leaving? Why didn’t you tell me?”
The doorbell rang. It was my senior tutor.
He brought a cake to celebrate my successful exam.
Seeing Xavier, he paused and asked, “Your classmate?”
I took the cake: “Strawberry? How did you know I love strawberry cake the most!”
Xavier scoffed lightly: “Liar, you clearly like chocolate cake the best.”
The senior looked a bit awkward.
I said coldly, “People’s tastes change. Didn’t you change too?”
“How have I changed?”
“Didn’t you say you don’t like good girls?”
Xavier couldn’t meet my eyes and lowered his head.
I invited the senior in. We cut the cake, drank juice, and chatted.
Xavier finally couldn’t stand it anymore and said, “I’ve looked into what you told me.”
“I’ve forced those girls to drop out of school. Aria, I was wrong before. I apologize.”
“It doesn’t matter anymore.”
I ate a strawberry and said, “It’s all in the past, Xavier. I don’t care about these things anymore.”
I spoke nonchalantly, but Xavier’s reaction was intense.
“Don’t care?”
“Aria, how can you not care?”
“What’s there to care about?”
I shook off his hand: “Who hasn’t loved a few jerks in their life? Xavier, you’re already in my past.”
“What about him?”
He pointed at the innocent senior: “Is he your present? Him? Is he worthy?”
The senior adjusted his glasses and said, “Don’t misunderstand. I have a girlfriend. Aria and I…”
“Shut up. Are you even worthy of calling her name?”
The senior fell silent for a moment before standing up.
“Aria, I’ll be going. See you at school.”
“Okay, senior. I’m sorry, he’s mentally ill. Don’t mind him.”
After seeing the senior off, Xavier went crazy again.
“What do you mean ‘see you at school’? Aria, are you going abroad for him? Didn’t you hear he already has a girlfriend? Do you like him so much that you’re willing to be the other woman?”
I waited for him to finish his outburst without saying a word.
When he was done, I calmly asked, “Xavier, are you jealous?”
“Me? Jealous of him? I…”
“If you’re not jealous, then shut your mouth. Please respect me and my senior. Not everyone is as sex-obsessed as you, thinking everything is about love. Are you that desperate for affection?”
Xavier was stunned.
A ringtone interrupted our confrontation. It was Sophia in the hospital saying she had a nightmare and was scared, wanting to see Xavier.
Xavier looked at me and said, “Don’t be afraid. I’ll be right back.”
“Aria, we’ll talk when I get back. In any case, you’re not allowed to go abroad, and definitely not allowed to see that idiot senior!”
