Chapter 221: Delight
"Jane, chill out. Don't start with me. I'm running on fumes here. We'll hang out this morning, grab some grub, hit the mall, and then I'll drop you at the airport.
When you get back, keep it cool. Don't be chatting up boys too much, especially Adam. I don't like the way he eyeballs you. That dude's got some serious game, so steer clear.
And hey, make sure you rake in some cash when you get back and put taking care of me on your to-do list. I ain't waiting forever. I can hold out, but my, uh, needs can't."
Bringing up that again, like not being able to control his urges was something to brag about.
I was ticked off, but what could I do? I had stuff waiting for me at school.
Brad took me to breakfast first, then we hit the leisure square to feed the birds, caught some shrimp at Seabreeze Cove, and then went shopping at the mall.
Fall clothes were everywhere. Brad said he'd get a fat bonus from this exchange program and wanted to buy me some dresses, saying I looked all clean and pure in blue, but I turned him down.
Brad asked why I didn't want his gift, and I said I didn't like it. Truth is, I was just holding a grudge, not wanting him to give me stuff now, thinking it was some kind of payback.
Brad saw I was bummed and didn't push it. He said he'd save the money to buy me a wedding dress later and then grabbed two big bags of snacks for me at the supermarket.
All morning, Brad looked wiped out a few times, which made me both sad and mad. I wanted to tell him to go rest, but I bit my tongue.
'Cause I knew if I told Brad to go back, he'd probably end up at the hospital. Since he couldn't rest anyway, better to have him with me. Maybe I was being selfish, but love's kinda selfish, right?
After lunch, we got to the airport. Larry and the gang were already there, waiting.
"Jane, be good. Once things are sorted here, I'll come back, and then we can be together every day. Take care of yourself when you get back. I'll video call you every day and take care of myself, don't worry." Brad said softly, making promises in that gentle way of his.
I wasn't as hopeful as Brad. I didn't know why, but I just couldn't feel happy. My chest felt tight and uncomfortable, like something was stuck inside.
But no matter how much I didn't want to, I had to go back. No matter how much it sucked, we had to part.
"Take care of her, and yourself too. Don't get sick; I'll worry. Brad, come back soon, don't make me wait too long."
Brad gave my cheek a playful pinch, and I awkwardly dodged. He switched to ruffling my hair. "Be good, I'll come back as soon as I can. Wait for me, go on."
Feeling all kinds of sad, I turned and walked away without a word. Brad called out to me twice, but I pretended not to hear and didn't look back.
It wasn't until I got through security that I turned around, but the faces behind me were all strangers. Brad had already disappeared into the crowd.
On the plane, I put on an eye mask to sleep, but I couldn't. I just kept regretting not looking back when Brad called me. Now, even if I wanted to, I couldn't.
The more I thought about it, the worse I felt. Before long, my eye mask was soaked.
The plane landed in Regalia after 7 PM. Hugh and Daniel were waiting to transfer to Sunhaven, and Larry took us on the school bus back to campus.
I was dragging my small suitcase and lugging two massive bags of snacks. These bags were so big and heavy, there was no way I could carry them and walk at the same time. Frustrated, I kicked the air a couple of times and dumped the bags on the ground. The more I looked at them, the angrier I got. I stepped forward and gave them a good kick. "Why the hell did you buy so much junk? Are you nuts?"
It's not like I couldn't buy stuff myself. They were just so damn heavy.
Adam strolled over with a grin, picked up the snacks, and stretched his neck since he'd been sitting for too long. "Don't take it out on the snacks. I'll help you get home."
Remembering Brad's words, I didn't want to bother Adam, but those bags were seriously heavy. Since he offered with a smile, it was hard to say no. So, I let him.
We chatted casually on the way to the neighborhood entrance, and I immediately spotted two familiar faces under the tree: Yancy and Benjamin.
These past few days, my mind had been a mess because of Brad, and I had completely forgotten about Benjamin.
Actually, I hadn't forgotten. I just thought that someone with Benjamin's background, after Mia had made things so clear, would know he had messed up and wouldn't come back to bother Mia.
But feelings are the hardest to shake. Benjamin probably hadn't found a way out yet. Almost five years of feelings aren't easy to let go of for anyone. Unfortunately, what he did was too hurtful. No matter how much he didn't want to let go, it was beyond repair.
I handed my suitcase to Adam and walked over to greet them.
Seeing me return, Yancy's eyes lit up. He craned his neck to look behind me and asked curiously, "Where's Brad? Didn't he come back with you? Who's that handsome guy?"
Benjamin glanced back at Adam then turned to me with a probing gaze. I thought he probably saw me as someone like him.
I ignored him and directly asked Yancy, "What are you doing here?"
Before Yancy could answer, Benjamin spoke first. His voice was low and hoarse, like he was seriously ill. Looking at his thin body, the depression and pain in his eyes, it was clear he was suffering from some incurable lovesickness.
Seeing Benjamin's desolate appearance, I felt an indescribable satisfaction.
He deserved it!
"I came to talk to Yancy about Mia," Benjamin said.
"You and Mia have broken up. Mia's matters have nothing to do with you. What's there to talk about?" I bluntly rejected Benjamin.
When Mia loved him, he was fickle and flirted with other women. Now that she didn't love him, he came pretending to be deeply in love. Who was he trying to fool?
No one cared about Benjamin anymore.
I don't remember which book said it, but it went something like this: Because I loved you, I treated you like a treasure and tolerated your whims. But if I didn't love you anymore, then you meant nothing to me, not even as much as a grain of sand under my feet.
That was exactly how Benjamin was now.
"But I didn't agree, and I won't agree. I truly love Mia. And five years of feelings, how can she just stop loving? I don't believe it, and I can't let go. I'll never stop loving her." Benjamin wiped his face forcefully, his eyes filled with confusion and uncertainty.
Maybe he still couldn't believe that the Mia, who loved him so much, the Mia he thought would never leave him no matter what, had left so decisively and would never look back.
Maybe only now did he realize that the girl he had neglected and mistreated actually held a significant place in his heart.
But he realized it too late.
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