After the college entrance exams that year, my parents planned for me to study abroad in the UK.
I didn’t want to be separated from Larry Tate.
We even had a huge argument about it, and I locked myself in my room, refusing to eat.
At two in the morning, a message popped up on my phone.
“Look outside.”
I peeked out and saw Larry Tate standing there with two bags of snacks. The moment he saw me, he smiled, his eyes sparkling.
“Summer Cooper, I don’t want you to change your life’s path just for me.”
“Go abroad, I’ll be waiting for you here.”
I still remember the scene of our farewell vividly; that burning gaze of his is something I will never forget.
But only today, from Katie Baker’s mouth, did I learn that they went to the same university.
Did he ever love me?
Maybe.
Suddenly, a video call popped up on my phone. It was from Kevin Branch.
Thinking it might be about Anders, but realizing how drenched and disheveled I looked, I wanted to hang up and switch to voice.
But my phone, soaked from the rain, malfunctioned, and the video call connected directly.
Kevin Branch’s smiling face quickly turned to a frown the moment he saw me.
Feeling a bit like a child caught misbehaving, I smiled awkwardly.
“I was in such a rush, I forgot to check the weather.”
“Where are you?”
“Huh?”
I hesitated for a moment before finding a landmark and sending it to him.
I thought he’d just help me call a car, so I stood under the nearby bus stop to wait out the rain.
But to my surprise, Kevin Branch was standing in front of me just ten minutes later.
“Senior, I’ll mess up your car,” I said, worried about getting it dirty.
“It’s fine.”
I intended to sit in the back seat, but Kevin Branch pulled me into the front passenger seat instead.
“It’s warmer up front. Don’t catch a cold.”
What kind of logic is that?
But since I was already receiving his help, I couldn’t refuse, so I agreed.
Once seated, I noticed there was hot tea and some snacks beside me.
Noticing my glance, Kevin Branch started the car and said, “I was worried you’d catch a cold. If Anders found out, he’d be upset with me.”
For no particular reason, I suddenly asked him, “Don’t you find this troublesome?”
“Why would I?”
“On the contrary, I’m thankful I can help you.”
That made me think back to the day I returned to China. It was also raining that day, even harder than today.
Larry Tate didn’t come to pick me up.
Because Katie Baker had made a mistake at work and had been complained about by a patient’s family, he was comforting her.
I had to take a taxi home in the rain with Anders, and later, Anders ended up with a fever for days.
In his sleep, he even mumbled deliriously.
He said he hated his dad.
“Summer Cooper.”
“Huh?”
Realizing I had been lost in thought, I felt a bit embarrassed.
“Thank you, Senior. If you ever need my help in the future, don’t hesitate to ask.”
“Can you stop calling me Senior? Just call me Kevin.”
I was stunned for a moment. Meeting his eyes, I smiled softly.
“Alright.”