Leanna-Chapter 227: [Resolve] [Crashing In]

[Emery’s POV]

[Resolve]

"Well, here we are . . . See you when I see you."

"Wait!"

I seized his shirt when he was about to run towards Artem towering gates.

Now that the breeze and the walks made me somewhat sober –– I wanted to know his answer.

"You did not reply. Why not me?"

My voice was at the edge of dominance and arrogance, demanding a satisfactory answer from him.

Crying and letting the negative emotions poured out of my system worked wonders.

Lance looked at me before he heaved a heavy sigh.

"Em . . . I just . . . I just don’t like you that way . . . I’m sorry."

. . .

. . .

I don’t like you . . .

I don’t like you . . .

My hands quivered. Strength was draining from me, and I released his shirt, which he took the opportunity to go inside the university.

My eyes followed him until I could no longer see even his shadow.

I knew he did not like me. But hearing it from his mouth hurts –– it hurts a lot!

. . .

. . .

The next thing I knew, I was sitting on a bench under an oak tree in a park near the school.

"What is the matter, dear?"

I did not spare a glance at the old woman beside me, who was busy feeding breadcrumbs to the birds.

"I got . . . rejected . . ."

"Hmmm . . . Do you love him?"

"Yes . . . but he does not love me . . ."

I smiled bitterly. Tears welled at the bottom of my eyes. Honestly, I was not this weak. I could count the times I cried in one hand since I developed my brain.

"So?"

The old woman’s nonchalant tone made my head snapped at her.

Then I blinked. Beside me was a granny with white hair that was tightly raised in a tight bun. She was hunch and plump. Her face was covered in wrinkles, and her eyes were all squinty.

All cute and lovable.

But what caught my attention was a beautiful, stunning brooch with an intricate letter ’J ’ carved from a rare stone.

"I . . . cannot trouble him . . . He . . . he already likes someone else . . ." My voice cracked as my tears fell.

"And?"

My brows twitched, and my tone snapped. "And . . . I cannot force my feelings on him. He does not like me," I said with an edge to my tone.

"Do you love him? Or . . ." The grandma’s eye opened, and she shot me a grin. "Are you just infatuated?"

". . ."

Infatuated?

I did not know . . . I never fell in love with someone before or even like someone that was not a family or a friend.

Maybe I was really just infatuated with him, and his rejection only challenged me. That was why I could not accept it?

My heart slammed against my chest, refusing my way of thought.

As I was lost in my internal struggles, the old lady continued, "If you love him, you will continue to love him without waiting for anything in return."

"But . . . he will hate me if I force my feelings on him," I said, sighing in helplessness.

"Showing your love openly is not the only way to love him, you know."

I look at her with questioning eyes when she spoke in riddles.

"You can also love him by supporting and helping him from the side," she said and laugh.

I blinked, wiping away the tears in my eyes as I smiled in mockery. "You want me to watch over him while he loves someone else?"

Even the idea pained me.

"You cannot?" The old woman grabbed her cane as she stood to her shaky legs.

"Ah . . . , youngsters these days. Just a little pain, and they will back away. That just shows the extent of your love."

". . ."

"I wish I can go back in time when I was your age and made that decision . . ." The old woman glanced over the sky as she murmured, "Then maybe I was happy even if I was hurt . . ."

She then walked away.

My eyes must have played tricks on me for I saw smoke and . . .

Fog?

Fog in summer?

When everything cleared, the old woman was gone.

I should have been scared, but I did not believe in ghosts. And I have many emotions fighting inside me at the moment that it did not have any room for fear for the supernatural.

Is this it?

I could sense this was the major fork in my life. Whatever decision I make now will seal my fate.

Should I give up?

Is that the extent of your love?

. . .

. . .

I wanted to continue loving and supporting him.

. . .

. . .

I took a sharp intake of air and gradually released it from my mouth.

Be ready me . . .

This is going to be a long, painful, painful road we are going to walk.

----

[Emery’s POV]

[Crashing In]

"You’re late. Your class was supposed to end ten minutes ago!"

Jennifer stared daggers at the approaching man.

"I’m sorry. The professor spoke to me about something. He said if I wanted to attend a seminar this Saturday––"

"You can’t! You already promised me we’ll go golfing with my friends this Saturday!" Jennifer hissed, not letting the man back off.

Lance sat in front of her, looking all hopeful.

Currently, they were taking their lunch in the school cafeteria.

"Well, the thing is, the seminar starts at four. Maybe after the golf, I can go there––"

"No!"

Realizing that her tone was harsh, Jennifer forced a smile that was a bit askew as she made her voice soft. "Lance, baby. After that, we’ll have lunch and go shopping, remember?"

"Maybe we can postpone the shopping and do it on the Sunday?"

"Lance, you know it’s my pampered day every Sunday. I have a scheduled skincare and hair treatment that day. You already gave me your word." Jennifer crossed her arms and pursed her lips, looking all upset.

At the sight of her who was about to cry, Lance was overcome with guilt. "You’re right . . . I already gave my word . . . I’m sorry."

. . .

. . .

"Hey, I’m sorry . . . alright . . . ?" he coaxed, but Jennifer continued to ignore him.

After a minute, Jennifer peeked at Lance, who was in a pleading state, and her lips quirked in a smile until he reached for his bag and brought out lunch boxes.

"I cooked your favorites today."

Lance was all smiles as he prepared the lunch boxes on the table. He didn’t notice his girlfriend’s face was turning darker and darker.

"Lance, what are you doing?" Jennifer whispered with an edgy tone as she glanced left and right. Her face was red with embarrassment.

"What?"

Lance paused and looked bewildered at Jennifer’s behavior.

"I told you not to bring lunch boxes," Jennifer hissed and snapped, "It’s embarrassing!"

Lance didn’t forget, but he thought it was a while that they ate his home cook meals. "I thought that . . . since today is your cheat day, I could cook your favorite meals."

Lance ignored his girlfriend and opened the lunch boxes containing all of Jennifer’s favorite food.

Jennifer’s perfectly shaped eyebrows burrowed in one line.

"What is this? Are you trying to infuriate me more?"

Lance look over at Jennifer when he didn’t understand why she was so angry.

Jennifer rolled her eyes at Lance’s oblivious face. "I gained four pounds, Lance. Four freakin’ pounds in a month. Do you think I have the right for a cheat day?"

Jennifer gave him a face and gaped at him like he was an idiot.

Sighing, Lance didn’t know why gaining four pounds was a bad thing like she was about to die. He didn’t like Jennifer going on about diets because the girl was already skinny enough. He was afraid she’d get sick from too much dieting. Thus, he woke up early to prepare healthy meals for her with meat, fish, vegetables, and fruits.

Too worn up to argue with her, he conceded. "I’ll order a salad for you then."

"No need. I won’t be eating lunch starting today." Jennifer shifted her head in a stubborn stance, not looking at the hateful man.

Lance took a deep sigh. He knew that Jennifer was only angry at the moment.

I’ll buy her something later.

He pulled the boxes and was about to cover it to place it back in his bag when a loud crash startled them.

----

I heard Lance and Jennifer’s entire conversation.

The two did not notice I was sitting at a table behind theirs since the backrest of the couch covered all the way to the nape.

No one noticed me.

I contacted Violet for information about the seminar Lance wanted to attend while refraining from grabbing something sharp to murder the ungrateful girl when she brushed Lance’s homemade meals.

Then an idea popped in my head. I stood from my chair. Holding my tray of untouched food, I walked towards their table and ’accidentally’ tripped, and the food flew all over in the air before it scattered on the ground.

Clatter!

"Em! Are you alright?"

I did not expect that Lance would be the first to come to my side.

Honestly, I thought he did not care.

"Y-yeah . . . b-but my food . . ."

I bit my lower lip, looking all dejected at the scattered foods on the floor. Then with slow, yet deliberate movement, I looked at a specific target with longing in my eyes.

Lance noticed the direction to where I was staring, and with a somewhat reluctant voice, he offered, "You can have mine. I made to mu––!"

He did not finish his sentence when I went to their table and sat on the same chair as him, ignoring the plastic smile on Jennifer’s face.

Lance did not expect me to act so brazen as he stood frozen on his spot –– unsure of what to do. Maybe he thought I would just accept his lunch boxes and scurry off. Not exactly eat together with them. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Thinking it would be awkward to shoo me away in front of the onlookers’ curios gazes, he sat next to Jennifer after he called for a janitor to clean my mess. He was clearly avoiding sitting beside me.

I maintained my professional smile even though all I wanted to do was grab a knife and stabbed it on Jennifer’s smug face.