Chapter 413 Intentions
I brushed Rachel off, shoving her out with the card still in her hand.
I often wondered if Daniel's life would've turned out differently if he'd met the sweet and lively Rachel before Zoe.
During the day, when I wasn't in class or covering for someone else, I was at the Singularity Exploration Center, knee-deep in paint formulas and production processes.
Elliot and I butted heads a lot over the formula. He was all about a purely chemical mix, saying it would hold color better, be simpler to make, and easier to source materials for. I was dead set on using all-natural ingredients because they were eco-friendly and better for our health, which I thought was the way to go for the future.
As society advanced, people started caring more about health and the environment once their basic needs were met.
We had our fair share of arguments, neither of us willing to budge.
With just the two of us on the team, we had to find common ground or risk falling apart.
Eventually, we found a middle ground: mostly natural ingredients with a touch of chemicals. This way, we kept it safe and healthy while making the production process easier.
I always thought natural dyes were easier to work with.
Take the green from leaves, for example. If it stained your clothes, good luck getting it out.
There were also minerals that, once ground up and processed, made great pigments.
By smartly adding some chemicals, we could boost color fastness, cut costs, and streamline production.
But that was all for later. Right now, we were still gathering materials. Knowing our stuff inside out would make our research way more efficient.
Work was my escape, letting me dive in and forget my worries for a while.
After a long day, I'd crash hard, only to wake up recharged and ready to go again.
Mia joked that I went from a good girl to a workaholic overnight, and she wasn't wrong. I was kinda proud of it.
Brad's occasional updates were my pick-me-up. On sleepless nights, I'd clutch his pillow, scrolling through his feed, kicking myself for not taking more photos when we were together. Now, I barely had any to look at.
Perhaps true lovers indeed shared an unspoken connection. Just days after I was silently griping about the lack of photos, Brad posted a bunch of selfies, looking as handsome as ever.
Sometimes he'd be sitting at a table with a glass of red wine; other times, he'd be standing under the night sky, staring up at the full moon; or he'd be by the seaside, with the sea breeze ruffling his clothes and his short hair flying wildly in the wind.
I saved those photos and, at night, I'd touch and kiss each one, holding them close as I drifted off into sweet dreams.
The days without Brad were tough but fulfilling. Our hearts were connected, giving each other strength.
I aced the written driving test and started road test training. It wouldn't be long before I could drive myself. When Brad got back, I wanted to be the one to pick him up from the airport.
Even though my martial arts skills were still pretty basic, I stuck to exercising for an hour every day. My waist and leg strength had improved a lot, and it seemed like my waistline had even shrunk. When Amelia returned, she could give me some advanced training, and maybe I'd have a chance to escape if I ever found myself in danger.
FutureVision asked if I wanted to work at their design headquarters after graduation, with the terms open for discussion. It was a huge temptation, but after thinking it over, I turned it down.
Professor Evans asked why I declined such a great offer, saying it was a rare opportunity.
I told him that FutureVision was in real estate. The project I was working on was just an experiment. Because it was new and different, it would quickly be snapped up by the public, forming a trend that would soon lose its appeal. At that point, buyers would still prioritize location, building quality, and layout. I hadn't studied architectural design; I could only draw. Working as a designer at FutureVision wouldn't let me use my strengths.
My true love had always been painting.
Professor Evans appreciated my calmness, saying I made the right choice. In our field, one had to withstand temptation and solitude. Only by settling one's heart could one create truly exceptional works.
I shared all of this with Brad. Just like when he was at National Capital University, he often replied to me right away.
His replies might be just a picture or a simple sentence that others might see as trivial, but to me, they were expressions of Brad's affection.
Brad and I were far apart. We couldn't hear each other's voices or see each other's faces, but our rare exchanges made me feel sweet and warm, always looking forward to them. I suddenly understood the anxious mindset of teenage girls in love.
I buried myself in work for a few days. One night, after working late, I was walking home. It was already dark, but the campus was buzzing. Lots of young girls, wearing shiny headbands and dressed up beautifully, were laughing and running around in groups. That was when I realized Christmas had arrived.
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