Chapter 41 Love Letter
Brad, not letting go of the "charming" comment, started tickling me non-stop.
I screamed and ran around the yard, with Brad playfully chasing me, not too fast or slow.
Being with Brad always made me feel pampered, like I was still that naive little girl from years ago.
For two days straight, Brad and I explored every corner of this place. I soaked in all the beautiful scenery and took tons of photos.
I thought about how, when I got back, I wanted to paint these breathtaking views to make them last forever.
Good times always fly by. When Brad fastened my seatbelt to take me back, I looked at the stunning lakes and mountains, not wanting to leave.
I wiped away my tears, and Brad used his sleeve to dry them. "If you like it, I'll bring you back next year. But for now, we need to head back, okay?"
The trip back felt much shorter.
Brad dropped me off at the dorm, reminding me to rest up and that he'd pick me up for dinner later.
After submitting the final draft to the competition, I felt a huge weight lift off my shoulders and started focusing on creating the elderly couple's album.
I initially thought I'd use oil paints, but they wanted colored pencils.
Honestly, I had specialized in oil painting since I was young. I had some sketching experience but hadn't practiced much with colored pencils.
But I'm always determined. Brad recommended a course, and as I learned and painted, I started to enjoy it and found it easier.
I planned to use the scenes provided by the employer as the backdrop, but the scenery of Azure Meadows kept popping into my mind. I had a new idea to use the beautiful scenery of Azure Meadows as the background, letting the elderly couple, who had been in love for half a century, live forever in that splendor.
Brad shared my idea with the employer, and to my surprise, they agreed and even offered to pay extra if the paintings turned out well.
With the unexpected bonus, I was even more motivated and found myself painting with ease and joy.
Creating art always made me happy and helped me forget unhappy memories.
I thought Brad and I could keep being happy like this, but a small act of kindness on my part ended up angering Brad.
Here's what happened.
That day, I had no classes and was wandering around the empty basketball court when a beautiful senior called out to me. "You're Jane, right? I heard everyone calling you Jane, so I'll call you that too. I'm Jenny Perez, a junior in the design department. I've liked Brad for a long time and have always wanted to confess to him but couldn't find the right opportunity. They all say you're close to him. Can you give him this letter for me? Jane, you're the best, please help me out."
Jenny pouted and shook my hand like a spoiled child, looking like a cute little girl.
Dazzled by Jenny's beautiful face, I took the intricately folded lavender letter, catching a whiff of its scent.
"You like Brad? But he's hard to win over. If you don't want to be..." I suddenly felt uncomfortable and patted my chest. Not wanting to scare Jenny, I swallowed the rest of my words.
Jenny was so beautiful and gentle that Brad wouldn't reject her harshly, right? If he was as unromantic as last time, it would be a shame for Jenny.
Jenny chimed in, "Of course, I know that. Jane, just help me give the letter to Brad. I'll handle the rest. I'm confident I can make him fall in love with me."
Holding the love letter, my arm felt heavy and sore.
Worried about disappointing Jenny, I reluctantly agreed.
When Mia saw me holding up my right hand as I walked in, she asked, "Why so serious? Giving up on all the fun?"
I glared at her without responding, placed the love letter on the table, and took a deep breath.
"Wow, Jane, you got a love letter? Let me see which boy is so romantic."
"Don't touch it," I slapped her hand away. "This is Jenny's letter to Brad."
Mia's mouth dropped open in disbelief, her finger pointing at me, trembling with excitement. "Jane, are you out of your mind? You're taking a love letter for my beloved Brad? That's just..."
Mia stammered for a while without finding the right words. I unwrapped a lollipop and shoved it into her mouth. "What's the big deal? Everyone loves a decent guy. Anyone with the skills can snag him."
Mia looked at me like I was crazy, then finally gave up under my gaze and mumbled, "Fine, Jane, you're ruthless. I won't say more. Just think it over. I'm sure that if you give that letter to Brad, you'll definitely make him angry. Just wait and see."
I replied, "That's impossible. Brad has never been mad at me. I'm just helping him find love sooner. It's a good deed. Why would he be mad at me? And if Jenny is so determined, someone else would eventually give him the letter if I didn't. How am I wrong?"
Mia said, "I don't know what to say to you. Are you stupid? Fine, do whatever you want. Just don't regret it. I've never seen someone so clueless in all my years. I give up."
Mia gave me several thumbs-ups before turning and throwing herself onto the bed, ignoring me.
October 15th was Brad's birthday. I had prepared a gift and planned to give him Jenny's letter as well.
That day, Brad's friends organized a dinner party, and my two roommates joined in. About ten people gathered, making it lively and fun.
After a few rounds of drinks, it was time for the gift-giving.
Everyone presented their gifts with a few clichéd words, but Brad accepted them all with a smile.
I was scheduled to give my gift last, as the grand finale.
When it was my turn, the room fell silent, and everyone eagerly watched the small bag I had been holding, their eyes filled with anticipation like hopeful mothers.
"Brad, I have two gifts for you. One's been in the works for a while, and the other one's a bonus surprise."
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
