"Go on, go on. I'll have the cook make your favorite porridge tomorrow morning!" Amelia said with a warm smile.
Evelyn answered and headed upstairs.
After two afternoon classes, Evelyn still couldn't decide what to do. Go straight back to the dorm? Eat dinner first and then go back? Or hit the library after eating?
It was a tough decision, really.
Her mood had been rock bottom lately because of the marriage. She couldn't muster the energy for anything.
Then her phone buzzed in her bag.
Evelyn pulled it out. The caller was Charlie.
Charlie's full name was Charlotte Moore. They'd been classmates in elementary and middle school, and deskmates for three years.
Back then, everyone made fun of her name. They said it sounded like a nun's name. Charlie went home and protested, demanding her parents change it.
Her mom shot back with a few words that killed the idea completely.
Charlie's mom said,
"Actually, we had two choices when we named you.
One was Charlotte Hope, which means 'no hope.'
The other was Charlotte Moore, which just means you're your brother's sister.
Pick one!"
Charlie was defeated instantly. Compared to those two options, her name was perfectly normal.
So Charlie dropped the name-change idea.
After that, she made everyone call her by her nickname, Charlie. Never her full name.
Everyone got used to it.
Even after all these years since middle school, and her moving abroad right after graduation, they still kept in touch.
Anyway, Evelyn had plenty of friends and classmates with weird names. Maybe birds of a feather really did flock together!
"Charlie, why are you calling me now?" Evelyn asked, concerned.
It was 4:10 PM here, but for Charlie, it was 4:00 in the middle of the night!
Who makes an overseas call in the dead of night?
"Hey, which school gate is closest to your dorm?" Charlie asked excitedly on the other end.
"Our school?" Evelyn was confused.
"No kidding! I'm on my way from the airport to your school right now!"
"You're back home!" Evelyn exclaimed in surprise.
"Yep, yep. I came back just for you!"
"No wonder. When did you ever treat me this well?"
"Oh, I've never done anything that moved you to tears?"
"Yeah, you used to steal my chicken drumsticks and make me cry!"
"Shut up. Can't you remember something good?"
"Haha, you're really back home!" Evelyn still couldn't believe it.
"As real as it gets! Are you going to pretend you don't know me?"
"What kind of person do you think I am?
Come on, come on. I'll wait for you at the South Gate.
I'll take you around the whole student street.
But you're paying!" Evelyn said with a laugh.
"It's rare for me to invite you back home!" Charlie complained indignantly.
"Then lend me some money, and I'll pay.
I've been so broke lately." Evelyn backed off and asked sheepishly.
"You're inhuman, absolutely inhuman!
I traveled across mountains and oceans just to see you.
And you have no conscience, treating me like this—blah, blah, blah..."