Evelyn was uneasy for two whole days. She never got a call from Alexander. Slowly, she started to relax.
Luckily, Owen hadn’t gone so far as to report to Alexander. Otherwise, she’d be in serious trouble. So Evelyn let herself breathe. She went back to her usual routine.
The final exams were coming up fast. She had to focus on reviewing. She didn’t have the energy to dwell on other things.
That day, Evelyn got a call from Noah. She was on her way to the library to study. Truth be told, she hadn’t spoken to Noah since he and Charlotte came to visit her at school. So when his name flashed on her screen, she was a little surprised.
She answered. “Evelyn, it’s Noah!” “Noah, hi!” She paused for a second, then replied politely. “Hi!” His voice was warm on the other end. “Are you free tonight?” “What’s up?” Evelyn hesitated. If he needed something, she had to study. If not, she could skip the evening review session.
“I’m flying out tomorrow afternoon.” Evelyn blurted out, “That soon!” “Yeah, time flies. A month went by in a flash. Can you come out?” “Sure. Where should we meet?” she asked. “I’m at the south gate of your school right now.” “Wait for me. I’ll be there in about ten minutes.” Evelyn was surprised he was already waiting. “Okay, take your time. No rush.” “See you soon.”
After hanging up, Evelyn put her phone away. She felt a strange sense of melancholy. It was like looking back and realizing her youth had slipped away. But she had to go. He was still a classmate.
She gave up on studying and turned toward the south gate. She spotted Noah standing under a sycamore tree. He wore a white sweater and gray trousers. He looked youthful, just like the handsome boy from years ago.
Noah saw her coming. He didn’t rush over. He just stood there, watching her quietly. A gentle smile spread across his face.
It reminded her of middle school. The head teacher had called them to the office for “puppy love.” He had stood in the hallway like this, waiting for her to come out of the classroom. She had been wearing her school uniform, just like all the other girls. But he had picked her out instantly. It seemed like he could never mistake her for anyone else.
Evelyn walked up to him. “Have you been waiting long?” “Just got here. Were you heading to the library?” He glanced at the bag on her back. “Yeah, I was about to go.” She didn’t deny it. “Then skip class for once,” he said. Evelyn laughed. It felt like being back in her teenage years.
“Give me your bag. Let’s find a place to sit.” Noah reached out his hand. “It’s fine. There are only two books in here. It’s not heavy. There’s a coffee shop near campus. The atmosphere is decent. Let’s go there.” Evelyn suggested. “If you don’t mind, let’s go back to our old school. We can take a walk around.” Noah said. Evelyn turned to look at him. Finally, she agreed. “Okay.”
She hadn’t been back to their middle school in a long time. Most class reunions were held outside. Even when she had meals with teachers she still kept in touch with, they never went back to the campus. Besides, the school was far from her home. It was actually the midpoint between her house and the school.
Noah led Evelyn to a white car. He opened the door for her. Evelyn got into the passenger seat and sat quietly. Noah drove steadily, without any rush. Evelyn liked that pace.
It took about twenty minutes to drive from the college to the high school. They chatted along the way. “After you go abroad this time, will it be a long time before you come back?” Evelyn asked. Noah didn’t answer right away. He stopped the car at a red light. He turned his head and looked at her quietly.
Evelyn felt a little awkward under his gaze. She was about to ask if she had said something wrong. Then Noah spoke. “Evelyn, would you wait for me for another six months?” Evelyn was stunned. She couldn’t react.
“In six months, I’ll graduate and come back. If I can, I still want to return here to live and work.” As he said this, his eyes never left her face. There was a flicker of anxiety in them. He was waiting for her answer.
“Noah, I—” “You don’t have to answer me now. There’s still half a year. You can tell me your decision anytime.” Noah cut her off gently.
The light turned green. He started driving again. Evelyn twisted her fingers together. She felt uneasy.
She had no right to promise him anything now. No matter what her marriage to Alexander was like. She was married. She couldn’t deny that she had once felt something for Noah. He fit everything she had ever wanted in a partner. But there was a word for that: missed opportunity.
If this had happened six months ago, everything might have been different. But the situation had changed. Whatever feelings she had once had, she had to stop them now. She had to hold back.
Neither of them spoke for the rest of the drive. The car moved with the traffic toward the middle school. Noah found a parking spot near the school gate. It was nighttime, so the gate was locked. The students were in their evening study sessions. The campus was completely quiet.
Evelyn got out of the car with Noah. They looked at each other and smiled. Almost instinctively, they both looked in the same direction. Back in the day, they used to sneak out during evening study sessions. They would climb over the wall using a big tree.
“Do you think that tree is still there?” Evelyn asked with a smile. “I don’t know. I hope so.” Noah said. “You would know better than me.” “I haven’t been back here in a long time. Last time I came, it was still there. But I heard the school was planning to cut it down. They said it was a safety hazard.” “What kind of safety hazard?” Noah turned to her. “They were afraid students would keep using it to sneak out of school.” Evelyn laughed.
They walked to the familiar spot. But the tree was gone. It had been chopped down. No matter how much people cherished it, the school had weighed the pros and cons and made a choice.
Neither of them spoke. Maybe the tree held too many memories from their school days. “Can you climb over without the tree?” Noah asked Evelyn. Evelyn looked up at the height of the wall. She shook her head. “I don’t think I can.” “Do you remember the games we used to play in elementary school?” Noah asked with a smile.