Chapter 423 Obedience
I said goodbye to my parents, who were pretty bummed to see me go. I felt a little bad that I didn't get to cook for them, but with my small backpack, I was off again, the day before my birthday.
I was supposed to meet up with Elliot at school, and then we'd head to Silverbrook City together.
When I got to school, I found out it wasn't just us two. Professor Evans, Louis, and Mindy were tagging along too.
I was a bit confused by this, but Elliot explained that Professor Evans had a reunion to attend, and Louis was taking Mindy to check out their family business.
At first, I thought it might be awkward with just Elliot and me, but having three more familiar faces made me feel a lot better. Plus, with Mindy around, I'd have someone to chat with, making the trip less lonely.
When we got to Silverbrook City, the five of us checked into a fancy five-star hotel that had been booked in advance.
Elliot and I had talked about finding a clean and safe place to save some cash. It was not like we couldn't afford a five-star hotel, but I didn't want to blow all my money. The cost of the experiment was still up in the air, and who knew if we'd get anything back, so saving money was key.
But Professor Evans and Louis were loaded and often stayed in five-star hotels. They booked the rooms for us and insisted we stay there. I couldn't argue with them, so I went along with it.
I got my own room, with Professor Evans and Elliot on either side, and Louis and Mindy across the hall. They kind of surrounded me, putting me in the middle.
We got to Silverbrook City around noon.
As soon as I stepped into the city, it felt like my senses went into overdrive, like the air was buzzing with Brad's presence, and I got super excited.
Back home and at school, I was always hoping Brad would post something on his News Feed. Here in Silverbrook City, I was hoping to bump into him.
'Brad, I'm in your city now. Can you feel it? This time, I won't fall asleep!' I vowed silently to myself.
The airplane food was awful, so we skipped it. After dropping our stuff in our rooms, we went out to eat and then came back to rest.
I called my parents and then called Rachel to let her know I had left and to thank her for preparing a birthday gift for me, even though I couldn't celebrate with them. Rachel was a bit upset until I promised to celebrate her birthday next time, and she let it go.
While I was talking to Rachel, I heard Daniel talking softly to her. His voice was different, gentle, a tone I hadn't heard even when he was with Zoe.
Different people got different sides of us. Maybe Rachel was Daniel's true match, the one he'd love forever.
Thinking about how everyone would find their own happiness, I smiled.
Everyone was doing well, and Brad and I would be okay too.
With nothing else to do, I stood by the hotel's big, bright window, taking in the view. The tall building across the way was one of Silverbrook City's landmarks.
I had checked the map, and this place was just a few miles from the hotel I stayed at last year. Brad had mentioned that Jenny's company was nearby too. Maybe running into Brad wasn't just a dream.
I pulled out my phone and snapped a pic of the towering landmark building in Silverbrook City. I posted it on Facebook, but made sure only Brad could see it, and then turned on location sharing. This way, no matter where I went, he could find me, creating a chance for us to meet.
As long as Brad saw this, he'd know I was here. He was smart; he'd definitely get what I was trying to do.
Whether he was worried or it caused him some trouble, I was here, really close to him. Even if we couldn't meet, we could still enjoy the same blue sky and breathe the same city's air, like we were together in a way, which was nice.
During dinner, Elliot mentioned that we'd rest for a day tomorrow and then go looking for minerals the day after.
I had no objections. Since the lab was set up, Elliot had done way more than I had, showing just how important he was. So, I naturally had to follow his lead.
When Professor Evans heard I was free, he asked me to go with him to his reunion tomorrow. I awkwardly declined. What would I do at Professor Evans' reunion? I heard reunions had a lot of secrets, and I didn't want to know too much.
Professor Evans, a bit annoyed, poked my head with his finger. He said the people he was meeting were top leaders in the industry, not just anyone could meet them. Refusing to go was just ungrateful.
Out of respect for my teacher and admiration for the leaders, I agreed to go with Professor Evans.
Having Professor Evans as a teacher was one of the best things that ever happened to me.
The reunion was at a nearby high-end club, a members-only place.
If it weren't for Professor Evans bringing me here, I would never have set foot in a place like this. On my own, I didn't know when I would be able to work my way up to become a member of such a place. Luckily, I had no desire for such luxuries, or I might have been jealous.
We got there in the early afternoon, around two or three o'clock, and a lot of people hadn't arrived yet. Professor Evans said the real gathering would be in the evening, and now was free time, so I could find something to do while he had coffee with the early arrivals.
The club's scenery was beautiful. Handsome guys and pretty girls in uniform walked around with smiles, creating a picturesque scene.
I wandered aimlessly around the club, holding my small bag, when a scene before me left me stunned.
It was a transparent wall from top to bottom, shaped like an aquarium, housing exotic ornamental fish.
When I was in middle school, Ronan was obsessed with fish for a while and set up two five-foot aquariums at home, beautifully decorated and filled with supposedly valuable fish.
Many neighbors came to our house to admire the fish, their eyes filled with envy. Especially Hugh, who was always excited to see the fish. Ronan suggested Hugh get a tank and share half the fish with him.
Hugh always declined, saying he didn't have the spare money for such things.
I was young then and also loved the fish. When I got tired of drawing, I would sit on a small stool in front of the aquarium, watching the fish's every move. The fish and water were always in motion, but I often found a rare sense of tranquility in them.
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