Chapter 81 The Chasm
After getting through airport security, I spotted Louis waving like crazy. "Jane, over here!"
Daniel and Zoe grabbed a cab back to school, but Louis convinced me to grab a bite with him. Zoe kept trying to join, but Louis ignored her, leaving Daniel to drag her away, looking embarrassed.
Poor Daniel, dealing with such a persistent girlfriend.
As soon as we entered the private room, Louis hugged me tightly from behind.
A strange smell hit me, and I instinctively tried to break free.
Louis's grip was firm, and my fear grew.
He buried his face in my neck, his breath hot on my skin.
"Jane, I miss you so much. How much longer do I have to wait? It's been so hard. Do you really need this long to decide to be my girlfriend?" Louis whispered, his words burning.
I was trapped, terrified, and every part of me wanted to escape.
It was just the two of us in the room. What if Louis had bad intentions? I wasn't doubting his character, just scared.
The unfamiliar scent and my unpreparedness made his closeness unbearable.
Raised strictly, I was cautious about relationships. I wouldn't give myself away without deep love.
I was open to exploring things with Louis, but we hadn't even started yet.
"Louis, stop. Let's sit and talk," I said, my voice shaking.
"No, Jane, please. Be my girlfriend, and I'll give you everything," Louis pleaded.
His body grew hotter.
"Louis, I need more time," I replied.
"What's making you hesitate? I'll change," Louis's voice was desperate.
He didn't get that my hesitation wasn't about him, but the huge class gap between us.
The world is divided by class, and our gap was too big.
Louis, with his youthful courage, dreamed of a future with me. But when faced with family pressure, would he choose me?
"Louis, stop, I'm scared," I said.
He paused, loosening his grip slightly.
I tried to escape, but he held me tighter. "Don't move, just let me hold you for a bit."
After about ten minutes, he relaxed and let go. I quickly stepped back, putting distance between us.
Louis sat down, looking defeated. "Jane, I'm scared I'll never win your heart."
After our last confrontation, Mindy stopped mocking me and became more civil. Sometimes, we even chatted.
Besides Louis, we had complementary personalities and could become friends.
For the past three years, I always celebrated Brad's birthday with him. This year, I couldn't be there, so I needed to pick out a gift.
I hoped he'd like it.
With nothing to do on Saturday afternoon, I decided to go gift shopping for Brad. Mindy called and invited me to go shopping. Shopping with someone else is always better, so I agreed.
When Mindy heard I was buying a birthday gift, she took me to high-end brand stores.
After two hours, I hadn't bought anything, but she had several bags of clothes and shoes.
I did the math—she spent fifty thousand dollars in two hours and still complained about the lack of new items and how boring shopping was.
Fifty thousand dollars! I couldn't imagine spending that much. My family was well-off, but I couldn't accept that kind of spending. This was the difference between regular folks and the wealthy.
I couldn't even fit into Mindy's world, let alone the Anderson family, which was even more powerful than the Flores family!
Maybe I should tell Louis I couldn't be his girlfriend and that he shouldn't waste his time on me. But since he had always been good to me, I needed to find the right moment to break the news.
An incident soon after made me even more certain.
On Sunday, I went out alone again but still didn't find anything suitable. On the way back, I passed a craft store where a couple was making clay figurines.
Brad was a successful painter. Even I could earn millions in four years, so for Brad, making a few million was easy.
With his financial capability, he didn't lack anything. Instead of buying something he didn't need, I decided to make him a handmade gift.
Maybe a clay figurine wasn't worth much, but it was something I made myself. I thought Brad would appreciate it.
The shop owner was very helpful. When they learned I was making a birthday gift, they provided several high-success-rate plans and sample drawings to choose from.
After looking through the plans, none seemed right for Brad and me. I decided to make a pair of cups, one for Brad and one for me, with my hand-drawn illustrations.
By the time I finished and handed it over to the owner, the sun was almost setting.
Since the finished product needed more processing, it wouldn't be ready until the next day.
I left Brad's address with the owner and asked them to package and send it directly to him. I'd pick up my cup myself.
On Monday afternoon, I got a message from the owner that the gift had been sent to the Northern Institute of the Arts.
I called Brad, who was having lunch in the cafeteria, and we had a pleasant conversation.
"What's wrong? Why are you so down?" Brad's deep voice had a calming effect, and I shared my worries with him.
After thinking for a moment, he said, "What you said could happen, but it's not certain. Look at Benjamin and Mia; they went through the same thing and turned out fine. No one can predict the future. Jane, I just want to ask you, if you don't give it a try, will you regret it later?"
"Brad, I don't know," I answered.
"Not knowing means you might regret it, so give it a try. Just remember, don't give yourself away easily, and follow your heart," Brad said.
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