“Otherwise, let’s go to that new restaurant and eat well. Their signature tofu is amazing!” Emily Hart suggested later.
“Sounds good!” Evelyn Vance nodded.
When you don’t have a better idea, following someone else’s arrangement is a solid choice.
They walked into the new restaurant and found a table for two by the window.
After looking over the menu, they ordered three dishes.
“Why did you have time to come back to school today?” Emily asked after they placed their order.
“I had nothing to do, so I came back.”
“We have our fitness test next Thursday, you know that, right?”
“Next Thursday?”
“Yeah, didn’t the counselor tell you?”
“She did, but I forgot.”
“It’s fine if you forgot. If you don’t show up, I’ll just call you anyway.”
“True.” Evelyn nodded, then her expression turned a bit gloomy. “Next week, I might have my period.”
“Oh, that’s a pain. But it should be okay. It’s just some simple stuff. We’re about to graduate, they won’t make it too hard on us.”
“Still, it’s uncomfortable.” Evelyn frowned.
“Then what do we do?” Emily looked at her.
“Cold water.”
Emily couldn’t help but roll her eyes.
“Cheer me up.”
Evelyn laughed.
The dishes arrived one by one, and they ate with great enjoyment.
“The food here is really good.”
“I thought so the last time I came. The tofu is this place’s specialty.”
“It’s so tender and flavorful.”
“It’s a mystery you don’t get fat eating like this.” Emily rested her chin on her hand.
“Do we really need to discuss this further?”
“Forget it. If we keep talking, I’ll just end up hurting myself.” Emily shook her head.
“Honestly, I think exercise is necessary. It makes you more energetic and builds up your stamina.”
“Then why are you scared of the fitness test?”
“I’m not scared of the test. I’m scared of my period and running.”
“If your period really doesn’t come, I think you’ll just pass out on the spot.” Emily replied.
Evelyn looked at Emily and blurted out, “If your period doesn’t come, does that mean you’re pregnant?”
“Do you think you’re a virgin who can reproduce asexually?” Emily rolled her eyes. “If your period doesn’t come, it just means your cycle is off. That could be a big deal or a small one. You’d need to see a doctor.”
“Oh.” Evelyn responded quietly.
She kept eating with her head down, saying nothing.
“By the way, someone in our class is getting married. Did you know?” Emily lowered her voice.
“What… cough…” Evelyn choked on her food.
Emily handed her a napkin. “Why are you so excited about someone else getting married?”
“Who’s getting married?” Evelyn finally stopped coughing, steadied her breath, and looked up.
“Who else? Liam Brooks and his girlfriend.”
“Oh.” She was surprised. For a second, she thought her own little secret had been discovered.
“They’re really the kind of people who get their diploma and marriage certificate at the same time. It’s honestly enviable.”
“How come I never heard about them before?”
“It seems like the girl is pregnant.” Emily said in a low voice.
Evelyn almost choked again. “You know gossip like that?”
“Of course. Someone talked about it. Otherwise, who would know? It’s not like I can just walk up and ask why they’re getting married. Oh, right, right. You have to get on the bus first and then buy the ticket, right? I’m not asking for a beating.” Emily described it vividly.
“Who said that?”
“Liam. It seems he didn’t plan to get married before graduation. But now that his girlfriend is pregnant, he has no choice.”
“Oh. But he was going to get married sooner or later anyway, wasn’t he?”
“Yeah, sooner or later. But there’s a big difference between sooner and later. Maybe among our classmates, the one who gets married earliest and the one who gets married latest could be a decade or two apart.” Emily said.
Evelyn nodded. She realized something the next second and had to force an awkward smile.
She was married too. But she was afraid of being talked about, so she never made it public.
Now, hearing Emily talk about Liam and his girlfriend’s marriage, she couldn’t help but think about her own situation.
That feeling… it was like something that should be private was now being hung out in front of everyone. They could only let everyone gossip and judge. Thinking about it was a bit terrifying, let alone how the people involved must feel.
“What’s wrong with you?” Emily leaned in.
“Huh? Nothing.” Evelyn snapped back to reality, answering awkwardly.
Emily looked at her with a smile.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Evelyn put a piece of tofu in her bowl and smiled back.
“I think you’re a bit different now.”
“Different how?”
“You used to feel… boring. A bit bookish. Now you seem lively, like you have a lot more energy. I can’t really explain it. It’s just that the feeling has changed a lot.”
“Oh, really? It’s good to hear you say that. Changing for the better.” Evelyn replied with a smile.
“By the way, you’ve become prettier now.” Emily added suddenly.
“Have I?” Evelyn’s smile grew brighter.
“Yeah. You laugh happily. It makes people feel comfortable and happy.”
“Oh.” Evelyn looked at Emily and smiled.
“No wonder so many guys are chasing you now.” Emily said with a grin.
“Who’s chasing me?” Evelyn was stunned for a moment.
“Why not? You don’t live on campus anymore, so you wouldn’t know. There are several hot posts about you on our school BBS right now.”
“What do they say?” Evelyn asked curiously.
“They say you’re an ugly duckling that turned into a swan. Some say you’re a talented woman who gets a scholarship every year. Others say you’re a rich girl. Some people have seen you arrive at school in a luxury car worth tens of millions. Anyway, there’s all kinds of stuff. But overall, they’re all saying good things about you.”
She had been in a luxury car. It was that flashy sports car Owen Clarke drove.
On the other hand, Alexander Sterling’s car was always very low-key. No one could tell its value.
But she had only been in Owen’s car once.
As for her family’s car, it was a very rustic Hummer. She had never driven it to school.
“Are there… other things?”
“No. Some of them are just jealous of you. Don’t worry about it.” Emily said with a smile. “It seems like you haven’t been on the school BBS in a long time.”
“No, I rarely go online at home. But I do read some posts about office software techniques.”
“What are you usually busy with at home? I always feel like you’re busier now than you were when you lived at school.” Emily replied, resting her chin on her hand.