Heather got into the car, her soft scarf wrapped snugly around her neck. The warmth wasn’t just physical; it seeped into her heart as well.
All her life, she had been like an unnoticed little stone by the roadside, kicked around by passersby and ignored by others-until she met Aurora.
It was Aurora who found her, picked her up from the dirt, and polished her until she became what she was today. Aurora had given her a new life, transformed her into someone who finally caught the world’s attention. She was no longer the forgotten pebble left in a corner.
Ian had confessed his feelings to her. They shared similar backgrounds and pasts, and she genuinely liked him. Receiving her first gift from him-a scarf-brought her joy that lasted for days.
At the bottom right corner of the scarf, there was a cute little deer embroidered on it. Heather kept touching the small deer over and over again. This Christmas Eve was the happiest she had ever experienced.
Gemma, watching Heather’s blissful, almost girlish demeanor, felt a storm brewing in her chest. Her voice was laced with sarcasm as she said, “After all these years, Ian’s still using the same tricks to chase girls. I remember back in our freshman year, he gave me a scarf for Christmas too.”
It wasn’t a lie. Back then, Ian had mistakenly taken Gemma for a sweet, innocent girl and had gone out of his way to pick out a scarf for her from a store.
That Christmas Eve, it had been snowing. Ian called Gemma to let her know he had a gift for her. Gemma wasn’t expecting an expensive Louis Vuitton bag, but at least a bottle of Chanel or Dior perfume would have been nice.
Even if it wasn’t 50ml, surely 30ml would suffice. After all, it wasn’t that expensive-just a few hundred dollars.
Excited, she ran downstairs to meet him. Ian stood in the snow, holding a boutique bag. The moment Gemma saw the bag, her heart sank.
As expected, he pulled out a scarf, explaining that it was to keep her warm in the cold weather. Gemma awkwardly thanked him.
“Do you like it?” Ian’s face lit up with hope as he asked.
Gemma forced a smile and replied, “I really like it.” But inside, she was fuming. Her friends were all receiving jewelry, perfumes, coats, or handbags as gifts, while she got a scarf.
How could she tell anyone about this without being laughed at? She felt miserable, even a little resentful. Was Ian just clueless, or was he deliberately being cheap? Did he really think a scarf was enough to make her his girlfriend?
Still, for the sake of having him do her assignments in the future, Gemma pretended to like the gift. When Ian hesitantly asked, “Can I help you put it on?” she instinctively stepped back.
“No need,” she said hurriedly. “I’m heading back to the dorm soon, and I’ll have to take it off anyway. I’ll take it back and wash it first.”
“Alright, then. I’ll head off now,” Ian replied, not suspecting a thing.
Gemma smiled and turned to leave. But the moment she entered the building, she unceremoniously tossed the scarf into the hallway trash can.
What she didn’t know was that Ian had turned back, reluctant to part from her, and saw her throw the scarf away.
He froze in the snow, staring at her action. To Gemma, it was just a scarf. But to Ian, she had just discarded his burning heart. The gesture pierced him deeply.
The snow that night was heavy, but Ian felt colder. That was the first time he saw the two-faced nature of Gemma.
Of course, he also reflected on himself. Was his taste really that bad? Was the scarf so ugly that she couldn’t bear to wear it?
It wasn’t until much later that Ian finally understood the truth. The problem wasn’t the scarf-it was the price.
One day, Ian spotted Gemma on a backstreet, hanging onto the arm of a middle-aged man as they walked toward an Audi A4.
Gemma’s smile was radiant as she clung to the man’s arm and said sweetly, “Tom Ford just released a new dress. I think it’d look perfect on me. Will you buy it for me?”
“Oh? Is it short?” the man asked.
“It goes to the thighs.”
“Perfect. Let’s go get it. You’ll wear it for me tonight.”
“Ugh, you’re so naughty…” Gemma giggled and kissed the man’s wrinkled cheek.
Ian stepped out from behind a pillar, watching the scene unfold. He knew that brand; many girls in his class talked about it. It wasn’t cheap.
That’s when he realized it wasn’t that Gemma disliked the scarf-it was that it was too inexpensive for her taste.
Gemma had hurt Ian deeply. So this time, before giving Heather her gift, Ian thought carefully. He wasn’t the same freshman anymore. He had saved a few months’ worth of wages and could afford to buy something more luxurious for Heather.
But then he reminded himself: Heather wasn’t Gemma. She wasn’t materialistic.
So Ian chose a scarf again. When he saw Heather’s shy, elated reaction, he knew he had finally found the right person.
At one point, Ian had been infatuated with Aurora. But after Aurora left, he realized they belonged to different worlds. Besides, Aurora had Julian-a warm, doting man who was always by her side. Slowly, Ian moved on and found his way to Heather.
Now, sitting in the car, Heather heard Gemma mention the scarf Ian had given her years ago. She knew Gemma was just trying to make her feel small.
What Gemma didn’t know was that Ian had told Heather everything, including the story of the scarf.
“Oh, I know,” Heather said calmly. “Ian told me you threw it away.”
Gemma had always thought Ian was clueless. She never imagined he had seen her act. No wonder he had been so distant with her afterward.
“That was an accident…” Gemma stammered.
“You don’t have to explain to me,” Heather replied. “Gemma, when someone gives me a gift, whether I like it or not, I treasure it because it represents their thoughtfulness.
“You didn’t throw away a scarf. You threw away all of Ian’s feelings for you.”
Heather’s tone was sincere, and Gemma’s expression darkened. She hadn’t expected to be lectured by Heather. Her gaze fell on the scarf around Heather’s neck. The little embroidered deer seemed mockingly childish.
“What an immature scarf. Even elementary school kids wouldn’t wear something like that,” Gemma sneered.
“I like it,” Heather said with a genuine smile. “It’s warm.”
Her earnestness left no room for doubt.
Gemma turned her eyes to the passing scenery outside the window. She thought to herself, if only she hadn’t thrown that scarf away that day, maybe it would be her growing up alongside that pure-hearted boy.
But life doesn’t offer what-ifs. No one can foresee the future.