Jealousy
Despite the charm of his actions, Jared still carried a youthful innocence in every move he made.
I found myself caught in a dilemma.
Gathering my courage, I looked him in the eyes and said, "Jared, I don't know what you think you're doing, but I hope you understand the implications. If this was just a moment of impulse, I'm willing to pretend it never happened."
A shadow passed over his eyes when he heard that. He looked away and withdrew his hand, seeming suddenly lost.
"Also, I can't afford to take care of you right now," I added.
His once imposing presence seemed to shrink.
"Go and wash up, Yvette. I'm sorry about this," he murmured.
After Jared left, I was calmer, but I couldn't help but wonder if what I said was too harsh. Truthfully, I didn't want to hurt him.
By 8:30AM, Rachel and I were on our way to work.
We shared everything, and part of me felt I should confess the entire incident to her. But before doing so, there was something I needed to know.
On the bus, I asked Rachel, "What did you do last night?"
She laughed in response, and in that instant, I realized she had orchestrated the whole thing.
"Didn't you say Jared is handsome? I thought this would give you a chance to get close to him," Rachel said.
"Come on, you must have been too hot at night and pushed me into the middle. I know you well enough."
"I knew it. I knew you would understand me."
I gave her a pointed look. However, I knew she would probably send Jared home immediately if she knew what had just happened.
"I'm sorry. If it bothers you, I can have them go home right away."
We were on the same wavelength, but I hadn't seen enough of him yet. There was no way I would let them go home this early.
"It's fine. I don't mind. But tell me, are there really a lot of girls crazy about Jared? Is he really that handsome?" I asked, feigning nonchalance.
"I can't deny it. Last semester, a new music teacher came to their class, and she's about our age. He always told me how good she looked. Such a little brat," Rachel shared.
She was right. At my age, I could be his teacher.
"That's just how kids are. They easily crush on younger teachers," I replied, trying to keep the conversation light, but inside, I felt a storm of emotions.
After years of waiting, I finally met someone who made my heart race.
However, he was someone I shouldn't have feelings for.
Despite this, I couldn't help but hope he felt the same way about me, too.
First Meeting With Jared
Having four people crammed into one room was definitely crowded.
After work, Rachel and I decided to take them for a stroll around town. Then, Rachel suggested they head back home by tomorrow morning.
Jared seemed indifferent to the morning's incident; he hardly spoke to me and just stood quietly behind me.
Perhaps it was our group's dynamic, with me feeling like the odd one out, but our combined height and looks drew quite a bit of attention as we walked.
As passersby glanced our way, I noticed that the girls we passed seemed unable to take their eyes off Jared.
Even after we moved on, they continued chatting excitedly, their gazes fixed on him. It was frustrating.
We eventually stopped at a dessert shop and settled down.
The girls at the next table kept glancing over, which only added to my discomfort. I had to remind myself that it was just because Jared was exceptionally attractive.
I knew I was being irrational. After all, there couldn't be anything between Jared and me, but still, I felt an inexplicable unease.
Needing a break, I excused myself to the restroom, and Rachel came along.
"Did you see that just now?" she whispered.
I knew exactly what she was referring to and responded with a gossipy tone, "Jared really is something else. He caught everyone's eye wherever we went. It's unbelievable."
"Want to bet? Now that we've left, they'll probably ask for his number."
And sure enough, from where I stood, out of Jared's line of sight, I saw two girls strike up a conversation with him.
Moments later, he pulled out his phone, and the girls walked away with satisfied smiles.
A wave of disappointment swept over me. Despite this, I relayed the scene to Rachel with feigned excitement.
Sometimes, I couldn't fathom why I kept pretending, making things harder on myself.
At that moment, I didn't feel like engaging with Jared anymore, so I made up an excuse and told Rachel to go ahead while I touched up my makeup.
I began to feel like a fool. The sting of tears threatened me as I thought about the whole situation.
As I lingered in front of the mirror, I suddenly saw a man in the mirror.
At first, I assumed he just needed to wash his hands, so I moved aside to give him space. But the next moment, his hand landed on my waist.
Startled, my first instinct was to scream, but a buzzing in my head drowned out all sounds except for a muffled countdown.
Before I knew what was happening, I was dragged into a small space while the door closed behind us.
The last thing I remember was the sound of a heavy door slam.
Then, everything that happened after that was a blur.
It felt like I was caught in a long dream. I dreamt of the first time I met Jared, back when he was still the same height as me.
It was my first visit to Rachel's house.
Unexpectedly, she had to rush out to meet her ex-boyfriend. With her parents often away and her brother usually out late, I found myself alone in her room.
Just as I was about to fall asleep, a loud knocking jolted me awake.
"Rachel, help me!"
The sound terrified me, but the knocking gradually softened. I called Rachel, and she guessed it was probably her brother at the door.
When I opened the door, I found Jared curled up on the ground. It shocked me because he was the most handsome boy I had ever seen.
Though he looked a little confused when he saw me, he seemed very weak as he clutched his stomach and groaned for help.
In the end, I took him to a nearby clinic.
The journey was exhausting, but I persevered for his sake.
At the hospital, the doctor diagnosed Jared with acute gastroenteritis, likely caused by something he ate. Yet, after receiving an IV drip, he felt significantly better.
