Chapter 113 Gradually Distant
Daniel stayed silent, not even glancing at Brad. His eyes were locked on me with a gentle look that felt out of place, making me uneasy.
Since his last injury, Daniel had been cold and distant, acting like he didn't care about anything. But I always felt he was secretly watching everything, waiting for the right moment, like a predator ready to pounce.
'Maybe I'm wrong,' I thought.
"If you like it, great. I'm heading back." Brad raised his hand, maybe to ruffle my hair, but then pointed to the candy wrapper I was holding. "Don't eat it at night, or you'll get cavities."
"Brad, wait up! I'll go with you. Where were you last night? Did you just drive back? You must be tired. Let's grab some barbecue tonight, okay?" I put down my bag, grabbed a small box to use as a step, and tried to jump out the window.
Brad's face changed when he saw me about to jump. He reached out to stop me, looking stern.
Before he could say anything, Daniel stepped in, grabbed my shoulders, lifted me off the stool, and flicked my forehead. "How old are you? Still so naughty." He tried to look stern, but his eyes sparkled with a mix of reproach and affection.
This kind of closeness felt wrong between us.
I didn't expect it. His unfamiliar scent made my heart race, and I instinctively stepped back, putting distance between us.
"What are you doing? Don't get so close to me." I took a few more steps back, wary.
Daniel's face darkened, his eyes cold, and he smirked.
"Afraid Brad will see us close?" He sat down heavily and strummed the guitar strings harshly, making a jarring sound.
I didn't get why he was angry. He was the one who touched me. Why was he giving me attitude?
"Don't bring Brad into this. You and I shouldn't interact anymore." I felt irritated.
"Then who do you want to interact with?" Daniel raised an eyebrow, his voice cold.
Was that the point?
Daniel was twisting my words.
I didn't want to deal with his nonsense, so I turned to tell Brad to wait for me.
But when I turned back, Brad was already gone.
My heart tightened. 'When did Brad leave? Why didn't he wait for me?'
He looked exhausted, probably came straight to see me after getting out of the car, just to give me the candy.
I stood on the stool, craning my neck to look for Brad. His tall figure was disappearing behind the bushes.
But why did his back look so lonely and sad?
Worried about Brad, I lost interest in practicing the guitar. I decided to tell Rachel I was leaving early.
I opened the door from the terrace to the room and saw everyone busy rehearsing. A boy was passionately reciting a poem, his gestures perfectly matching his words, completely immersed in his performance.
Seeing their dedication, I couldn't bring myself to leave early. As a senior, I should set an example.
Reluctantly, I turned back to practice the guitar. Daniel, sitting on the bench, turned around as the sound filled the air.
I practiced until six in the evening, getting more familiar with the piece. My arms, unused to the exercise, started to feel sore and swollen.
To avoid overdoing it, I told Daniel we should call it a day and took out my phone to call Brad for dinner.
But Brad didn't answer.
As I stood there, staring at my phone, Rachel rushed in, saying a few of them were going out for a barbecue buffet.
Rachel stood next to Daniel, her face full of anticipation, waiting for his response.
Daniel seemed indifferent, showing no reaction to Rachel's obvious advances.
I couldn't tell if he was pretending or genuinely didn't notice, or maybe he was so used to being pursued that he didn't take Rachel's enthusiasm seriously.
Unable to refuse Rachel's persistent invitations, I was dragged to the barbecue buffet.
The barbecue restaurant was creative. A long rectangular room, over 100 feet, was divided into three sections. The middle part was for receiving guests, with a bar directly opposite for service. The central area had deep gray fabric sofas, giving a stable and grand feel, though slightly dull.
The left side was the themed barbecue area. From the entrance, you could see the exotic decor and a small corner of the performance stage, with striking color contrasts.
The right side was a casual bar. The dim lighting and unique decor gave each booth its own character, yet the overall design remained harmonious, especially the elegant classical-style murals glimpsed when the light was just right.
It was still early, and only a few tables were occupied in the bar, with the lights flickering mysteriously.
A few boys had already rushed into the restaurant. Rachel and a group of girls walked in the middle, while Daniel, whether intentionally or not, walked half a step to my right.
If I didn't know he had been indifferent to everything in the past few years, it would have been easy to mistake him for protecting me.
Rachel and the others, being young, were full of enthusiasm for everything, even eating barbecue with great passion.
I didn't pay attention to Daniel, but he seemed to be sitting with Rachel, and a slightly chubby boy had a few drinks with him. By the end, his cheeks were flushed, and his eyes were a bit hazy, indicating he had drunk a bit too much.
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