Chapter 3

Chapter 3

That night, I received a call from Caden.

"Sharon?"

Hearing his voice brought back all the emotions I had been trying to suppress. My heart raced, and I struggled to form a coherent sentence, stammering through my words.

Caden was my childhood friend. We had grown up together, practically since we were toddlers. Later, his father became successful in business and sent him to a private elite school in the city. Though we hadn't been in the same school for three years, our bond was so strong that I never felt the need to hide my feelings from him.

He sounded a bit panicked. "Hey, don't cry, Sharon! How about we go out for a late-night snack? I'll come pick you up."

While waiting for the car by the roadside, Caden kept sneaking glances at me. Finally, I couldn't stand it anymore and playfully kicked him.

"Are you teasing me again?"

Caden exaggeratedly grabbed his leg, grinning cheekily. "I'm just thinking about how to help you save face! Look, I'm such a handsome guy. If I pretend to be your boyfriend, Liam would be instantly overshadowed, and you'd get your dignity back!"

"Do you think you're handsome?"

My impression of Caden was still stuck in our childhood days when he used to get into trouble. When our eyes met, I noticed the warmth and affection in his gaze. He really had grown up to be quite handsome.

Actually, Caden's good looks were well-known. In high school, he was the most popular guy in school, and he excelled academically. But being so close to him, I had never really paid attention to his appearance. For the first time, I examined him from a girl's perspective, and a blush crept onto my face.

The atmosphere grew a bit awkward, and I cleared my throat. He leaned in closer. "Sharon, I'm the most popular guy in school. Take a good look!"

The car arrived, and I quickly got in to hide my embarrassment. We sat in the back seat, and I looked out the window. The buildings zipped past, and the wind dried my tears.

He leaned closer, and the scent of soap from his clothes filled my nose. "Liam is such a jerk. He's not worth your time. But Sharon, not all men are jerks. You need to be more discerning."

All the way to the restaurant, Caden kept badmouthing Liam. Just hearing Liam's name made me nauseous. I quickly interrupted him.

"Shut up! I don't like Liam anymore!"

I turned to Caden and confessed in a muffled voice. In high school, I had called Caden more than once, excitedly telling him every detail about Liam. He always scolded me for my poor taste.

Hearing my words, he looked at me in surprise, then a smile curved his lips as he eagerly ordered several dishes. "The sweet and sour salmon here is amazing. You have to try it. There's an English speech contest in a few days. You've been practicing your speaking skills, right? Let's partner up."

"Ah!" I waved my hand to refuse. I have stage fright and could never imagine myself standing on stage, shining. But how did Caden know I was practicing my speaking skills? I glanced at him suspiciously. He cleared his throat, and his ears turned red.

A bold thought crossed my mind. Caden liked me! This realization hit me like a thunderbolt. Thinking back, I had always assumed he was nice to me because we were childhood friends. But now, it seemed he was overly nice. He knew my tastes, my love for sweets, and my dislike for cilantro. He put up with all my mood swings when I was unhappy.

When I looked at him again, my gaze had changed. Caden walked me to the dormitory building, handed me my bag, and stuffed me with snacks. "Sharon, you better not cry anymore, or your eyes will be all puffy tomorrow."

When we were kids, I lost a fight with him and cried all night. The next morning, my eyes were so swollen I could barely open them. He had teased me about it for years. I glared at him. I wouldn't cry anymore. Liam was now firmly in the jerk category for me.

I noticed a senior in a plaid shirt going in and out of the building six times, her eyes unconsciously drifting towards Caden. I muttered, "Handsome guy."

He heard me and laughed, his eyes twinkling. "Wow, you finally realize I'm handsome."

He watched me go upstairs before he left with his backpack.