Chapter 202: The Grand Show
I was just about to holler at Mia to come over when I saw this tall dude bolting out of the building, yelling something. He was in such a rush he almost ate it on the stairs.
Mia stopped and turned around, waiting for the guy to catch up.
The tall dude bent over a bit and said something to her. Mia just smiled, shook her head, and kept walking.
The guy, still grinning, kept trailing her, no matter what Mia said. He was on a mission, sticking to her like glue without a hint of impatience.
Mia looked kinda annoyed, her face showing she was getting fed up, but the dude didn’t care and kept his genuine smile.
I suddenly felt like crying. It was so obvious; I didn’t even have to guess. He must have a thing for my Mia.
Well, duh, my Mia was awesome.
The guy looked a bit younger than Mia, tall and lanky, with short hair, standing in the sunlight, just oozing youthful energy.
His crush was so obvious even I could see it. I couldn’t believe Mia didn’t catch on.
And a guy who’d only known her for a little over a month showing his love could at least make her believe she was indeed amazing, worth cherishing and liking.
Mia walked towards the apartment as she left the gate, with the guy following her, not bothered by her coldness, keeping a respectful distance but never taking his eyes off her.
“I’m going home now. Can you stop following me?” Mia suddenly stopped and half-turned, raising her voice more than usual.
Yeah, that’s how it should be. If you want something, say it out loud. If you don’t, say it even louder. That’s the straightforward attitude Mia should have.
The guy’s clean face was still smiling, his eyes filled with unbreakable tenderness and affection, his gaze as intense as wine, just like how Brad looked at me.
I was stunned.
Even Benjamin, who was head over heels for Mia back then, never looked at her like that. Benjamin’s gaze was possessive, with a bit of swagger and a sense of pride that no one else could have her.
Which kind of gaze was more suitable for a lover and husband? The answer was clear.
“I’m going home too. The road isn’t yours alone. Can’t I walk?” The guy put his hands in his pockets and walked forward, matching Mia’s pace, occasionally glancing at her flushed face.
I was hiding behind, enjoying the show, and accidentally laughed out loud, startling Mia.
“Jane, how long are you gonna watch?” Mia stomped her foot, her face red with embarrassment and anger.
I awkwardly came out, rubbing my nose while my eyes scanned the guy like a searchlight. “What’s your name, and why are you following Mia?”
The guy coughed lightly, a charming pink rising on his ears, but he didn’t back down. “My name is Yancy Bailey, and I’m Mia’s suitor.”
"A suitor, huh? So, what's your game plan? Just gonna follow her around on foot? Where are the flowers, the breakfast deliveries? Do you pick her up and drop her off? Man, your pursuit is way too basic," I said, laying it on thick to give Mia a hard time.
It’s not like I was being mean, but Mia had already split with Benjamin. She had to move on eventually. I knew how much she cared for Benjamin and how tough it would be to take this step.
As her bestie, I wanted her to get over her heartbreak ASAP. I read somewhere that the best way to get over someone is to start seeing someone new.
Now that she had a new suitor, I had to help things along.
"Thanks for the tips. But I need to know what kind of flowers Mia likes, what she likes for breakfast, and if she prefers walking or driving. Otherwise, I might mess up. I heard that to win a girl over, you gotta start by understanding her preferences."
I was pretty pleased with that response.
"Yancy, shut up. Stop talking nonsense." Mia’s face turned red, but she couldn’t do anything to Yancy, so she rushed over to cover my mouth.
Yancy didn’t say a word, just looked at her with that indulgent, tender gaze.
I had a feeling that no matter what Mia did, she was perfect in his eyes.
Despite the banter, Mia, still embarrassed and annoyed, dragged me home quickly, but Yancy followed us persistently, always smiling, his eyes never leaving Mia.
At the entrance of the community, Mia swiped her card and dragged me inside. I struggled to free a hand and waved goodbye to Yancy. "Come over at 8:30 tomorrow morning. There’s only one entrance to the community."
Yancy’s smile grew even brighter. "Thanks. Mia, I’ll come to pick you up tomorrow morning. Goodbye."
When we got home, Mia pushed me onto the couch and started hitting me. "Jane, have you had enough? You don’t want me to stay here? You just want to push me out, don’t you?"
"Nonsense, I’d be happy if you stayed forever." I easily turned the tables, pinning Mia against the couch, and seriously told her, "Mia, Yancy is nice and sincere. You should give him a shot."
"Give him a shot? Do you know Yancy is just starting his senior year and is only working part-time here? He’s three years younger than me."
"Don’t be so old-fashioned. What’s wrong with three years? Age is just a number."
"Anyway, it’s impossible. Yancy and I can’t be together."
"Why not? Unless you still can’t let go of Benjamin."
I regretted it as soon as I said it.
It’s been almost two months, and neither of us has mentioned Benjamin’s name. Even in group chats with Isabella, we avoided talking about Benjamin or love. Today, I suddenly brought it up, and a flash of pain quickly crossed Mia’s eyes, disappearing in an instant, as if nothing had happened.
But I saw it, clear as day.
I couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. Mia and Benjamin had been in love for so many years. How could she forget him in just two months?