“What?” Noah asked, confused.
“Piggyback ride! I’m the horse, you climb on!”
“Huh?” Evelyn stared at him, stunned.
“I haven’t climbed a wall in ages. Tonight’s a rare chance!” he said with a grin.
He rolled up his sleeves and bent over, forming a step with his hands.
“No, no way!” Evelyn shook her head, her face red.
“Want me to lift you instead?” Noah looked up at her.
Evelyn shook her head again, hesitating. “Maybe we shouldn’t go in.”
“I came back to our old school. I don’t want to leave with regrets,” he said quietly, his eyes on her.
“Fine. I’ll climb myself,” Evelyn finally gave in.
She walked to the wall and tried to push herself up.
But her skills were rusty. She couldn’t get a grip.
“Sorry,” Noah said.
Before Evelyn could react, he grabbed her waist and lifted her up.
Her face flushed instantly. But she didn’t have time to think. She scrambled up the wall with her hands and feet.
Sitting on top, she turned to look at Noah.
He stood below, smiling up at her.
“Can you make it?” Evelyn asked awkwardly.
“Yeah,” Noah said. “Just sit tight.”
He stepped back a few paces, then sprinted forward and scaled the wall in one smooth motion.
Evelyn barely saw how he did it. He was already sitting beside her.
“Time flies. We’ve been graduated for years,” he said, looking out at the campus.
“Yeah. I’m almost done with college. You’re about to graduate too,” Evelyn said with a smile.
“Abroad, it’s all work and study. Barely any time for fun.”
“You’ve started working?” Evelyn asked, puzzled.
“I picked up a part-time job my second year overseas. Want to sit here and chat?” Noah laughed.
“Better not. Someone might see us,” Evelyn smiled back.
Climbing the wall was hard. Getting down was easier.
Evelyn dusted off her hands, already dreading the climb out later.
They walked quietly through the campus. The teaching building wasn’t far.
The lit classrooms were all for self-study.
It felt like stepping back years ago. The same hardworking days.
“The school has changed a lot,” Evelyn said softly.
Back when they studied here, it wasn’t this beautiful. The campus wasn’t this big either.
“Yeah, so much has changed. I barely recognize it,” Noah agreed. “But you haven’t changed much.”
“Me? How? We haven’t seen each other in years!” Evelyn laughed.
Four years had passed in the blink of an eye. So much had shifted.
“Yeah, years,” Noah nodded. “But I recognized you right away.”
Evelyn turned to look at him. The streetlight was dim. She couldn’t read his expression.
But when he met her gaze, her cheeks grew warm.
She quickly changed the subject.
They walked quietly through the middle school campus, chatting aimlessly.
They recalled old memories. They sighed about how fast time flew.
Later, evening self-study ended. Students poured out of the classrooms. Some headed to the dorms. Others went home.
Evelyn and Noah left the alma mater through the main gate, blending into the crowd.
When would they come back next?
Outside the school, Noah turned to her. “Want to grab something to eat?”
“Sure,” Evelyn nodded.
She was feeling a bit hungry.
They ended up at a Chinese restaurant.
Noah said he’d been craving Chinese food ever since he got back. He felt starved for it.
Evelyn smiled. “Haven’t gotten used to the local food all these years?”
“Probably never will,” Noah replied.
Evelyn nodded.
Some habits really did last a lifetime. They couldn’t be changed.
They walked slowly, eating skewers as they strolled.
From the second floor of a restaurant across the street, Owen spotted them. His eyes lit up like he’d found gold. He turned to Alexander. “Hey, isn’t that your Evelyn?”
Alexander, who was drinking, set down his glass. He glanced over. “Yeah,” he said flatly.
“Who’s the guy next to her? Are they on a date?” Owen asked, his gossip radar buzzing.
Ever since he learned Evelyn thought Alexander was gay, his curiosity had skyrocketed.
“Her classmate. Normal interaction,” Alexander replied calmly.
“Aren’t you worried about your wife being with another man?”
“She has her own circle of friends.”
Owen looked back at Alexander and grinned. “So why did you agree to marry her?”
As Evelyn walked, she felt a strange itch. Like someone was watching her.
Her phone rang. Noah took the skewer from her hand. She wiped her fingers and pulled the phone from her bag.
It was Owen.
She wondered why he was calling so late. Maybe he wanted to hang out or invite her to eat.
“Hello?” Evelyn answered hesitantly.
“Evelyn, are you busy?” Owen’s voice came through.
“Not really. What’s up?” Evelyn wanted to say she was out shopping, but she was afraid Owen would ask where and then show up.
“Nothing much. Just wanted to take you out for a snack.”
“Thanks, but I’m already eating. I’m full.”
“I’m with Alexander. Want to join us?” Owen asked with a smile.
“Is he back from his business trip?”
“Not yet. His flight is tomorrow.”
“Oh,” Evelyn replied.
“Where are you now?”
“Out. Shopping with a classmate. I’m not heading back yet.”
“Get home early. Don’t stay out too late. Especially when Alexander isn’t around.”
“Okay,” Evelyn said.
She hung up and put her phone away.
Taking the half-eaten skewer from Noah, she said, “I need to get back to school. It’s late. The dorm will lock up.”
“Finish eating first. I’ll walk you back,” Noah nodded.
Evelyn nodded too.
There was one thing she didn’t want to hide from Noah.
When he had asked her—
Would you wait for me for half a year?
She knew then that she couldn’t communicate with him like an ordinary friend.
Noah had been a dream from her youth.
And now, she wasn’t qualified to dream anymore.
After finishing the skewers, they headed back.
Owen watched Alexander, who still looked indifferent. He smiled. “Evelyn is a good kid.”
When he called her earlier, Owen almost felt like a school dean talking to a model student.
“She’s not the kind of girl you think,” Alexander said lightly.