Chapter 459 Memory from High School
"What? What do you mean?" Francis, usually the guy with all the right words, was totally speechless, more shocked than anything else!
Did Harper just say she liked him? And for ten freakin' years?
Harper felt super awkward; she was always the shy type, keeping her feelings locked up tight. If he hadn't risked his neck to save her and spilled his guts, this secret would've stayed buried forever.
Harper looked down, fiddling with her fingers, and just blurted it out. "I like you. Francis, I've been crushing on you for ten years. There's never been anyone else."
Time seemed to freeze, and the air was buzzing with this weird, drawn-out silence.
Harper liked him. For years.
Francis forgot all about his injuries and tried to sit up, but pain shot through him, making him gasp.
Harper freaked out and gently pushed him back down. "Don't move! Does it hurt? Should I call a doctor?"
Worry and panic were all over Harper's face, but Francis grabbed her hand tight.
"Harper." Francis didn't care about his injuries now; his mind was blown.
"Are you for real?" He was in shock, scared this was just some crazy dream.
"Pinch me. Is this a dream?" Francis was so hyped, he grabbed Harper's hand to pinch himself.
"Of course I'm serious." Harper was amused by Francis's reaction but felt all warm and fuzzy inside.
Francis, usually so chill, now looked totally lost and adorable.
Her voice was soft and sweet. "Francis, I've liked you for a really, really long time!"
Francis's face was a mix of surprise and joy, something she'd never seen before.
Francis asked, "Since when?"
Harper's face darkened as she thought back. "Do you remember when I asked if you'd ever been to Silvercrest?"
"Yeah." Francis remembered it well; it was on the way back from visiting Delaney's grave with Harper. He thought hard but said he hadn't been to Silvercrest. But since Harper brought it up again, he started to piece it together. "Did you see me there?"
Harper nodded. "I was at Silvercrest Middle School. Delaney had no income, and Thorne was useless, so to help out, I studied hard for scholarships. The school was great, giving me scholarships for three years straight, covering my tuition and boarding. But because of that, some classmates got jealous. One Friday, on my way back to Delaney's, a few classmates blocked my way. Even though they were many, I didn't back down and picked up a brick to fight them."
Harper remembered it clearly. She had one thought: if she showed weakness now, the bullying would get worse. She had to show them she wasn't someone to mess with.
Her clothes were torn, standing in the cold wind, but she didn't back down, shouting at those bullies, "If you hurt me, I won't let it go. I'll report it to the school, and if they don't handle it, I'll go to the education board. If they don't care, I'll go to court. I will make you pay!"
Bullies always pick their targets carefully. They thought Harper had no one to back her up, just an old grandma and a useless uncle, so she couldn't cause any trouble. Little did they know, Harper was no fool. She knew she couldn't count on anyone else, so she had to tough it out on her own.
Those girls got spooked and backed off. But one of them, out of spite, kicked her backpack into the river and sneered, "Oops, didn't see it there. Your backpack was in my way."
Inside that backpack were her new textbooks and a set of practice books a teacher had given her from the previous semester. Stuff that meant the world to her.
Harper remembered how much those practice books cost, a small fortune for her family. Everyone at school had a set, and they figured Harper, with all her scholarships, could afford it. But the school didn't know that Thorne had stolen the scholarship money Delaney had saved for her college.
The school was good to her, and Harper couldn't bring herself to ask for more. Delaney felt so guilty about losing the money that she got seriously ill. Even before she recovered, she went out collecting bottles to sell, saving every penny.
A teacher, seeing Harper without the practice books, didn't say much and gave her a set from a senior who didn't need them anymore. That senior wasn't exactly a model student, so many pages were blank.
Harper was thrilled, planning to show Delaney and tell her she didn't need to save anymore. She could get another scholarship next year.
But with that kick, her hope was tossed into the river.
Harper didn't hesitate. She rolled up her pants, took off her coat, and dove into the freezing water to retrieve the backpack. The water was bone-chilling for 13-year-old Harper.
The backpack was heavy and had sunk to the bottom. She had to fumble around to find it. The river was over 3 feet deep, so she used a stick to search. After what felt like forever, she hooked the backpack and struggled to pull it up. Finally, she got it.
Harper, not caring that she was only in a sweater and barefoot, opened the backpack. But the practice books were soaked beyond saving. The words were all blurred, and even if dried, they were useless.
Harper stood there, staring at the ruined books, motionless for a long time. Those practice books weren't just homework. They were the teacher' hopes, a guiding light to change her fate, and a path opened by hard work.
Harper, always sensible, knew how tough things were for Delaney. No matter how hard it got, she kept it to herself and always put on a brave face.
But at that moment, she couldn't hold it in. No matter how hard she tried, tears streamed down her face. She had worked so hard, but the more she tried, the more obstacles she faced.
Francis listened quietly. Even though Harper spoke lightly, he could feel how heartbroken and desperate she was back then. His heart ached for her.
Harper's eyes were red as she continued, "Later, while I was picking them up on the road, a car suddenly stopped in front of me. The driver got out and yelled. I didn't blame him; it was my fault. He was scared he might hit me."
"Enough." Francis's heart was breaking. The past memories flooded back.
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