Chapter 9
Christopher is genuinely a kind person. He is a friend of my friend’s–the kind of guy who is always attentive and considerate. Even in a group of a dozen people, he will never let anyone feel left out or ignored.
I first met him at a party with my friend. The food there was not really my thing, so I barely ate anything and ended up hungry the whole night.
Christopher had a German driver’s license and offered to drive me and my friend home. On the way, we stopped briefly at the villa he shared with others. He ran upstairs and came back with two soufflés–one for me and one for my friend.
He handed me the little box with a warm smile, his eyes soft and bright.
“I just baked these this afternoon. Try them,” he said. “You can eat them. in the car.”
I thanked him, and the moment I got in the car, the aroma hit me and I could not help but tear up. Days of homesickness, school stress, and barely being able to eat had built up, and that one bite of something truly delicious just broke the dam. The tears started falling before I even realized it.
My friend nudged me, startled. “What’s wrong?”
I sniffled and mumbled, “It’s nothing. It’s really good.”
She laughed and clapped her hands. “That’s it. We’re having dinner at his place tomorrow.”
“He’s amazing at cooking. He knows all kinds of cuisine!”
I did not feel comfortable going since I did not know him that well.
Chapter 9
However, the next day, my friend brought me back a packed lunch, saying she had hunted him down and “foraged” for me.
The food came in a cute ceramic lunchbox, and inside was my favorite- spaghetti and meatballs.
I wanted to return the favor, so I asked my friend about Christopher’s preferences.
She asked him and came back with, “He just wants your contact info.”
I was not sure if that counted as a gift, but I gave it to him anyway. At the same time, I also picked something else out to return to him. That was how things started between me and Christopher.
When I told Erik about him, he did not even budge.
“It’s easy to act like a nice guy,” he said flatly. “You’ve only known him for three months. He could be lying.”
Then his gaze shifted to my face, narrowing.
“Maybe he just thinks you look like someone who needs saving.”
“Someone who is gullible.”
“Erik, you always assume the worst about people.”
Sure, it has only been three months, and I do not know Christopher that well yet. However, isn’t that how all relationships begin? At the very least, I am happy when I am with him. He is always calm, kind, and never says anything to upset me.
I pushed Erik away. It caught him off guard, and he stumbled a bit. I walked around him, ran upstairs, and locked my bedroom door. There were a few more pots of plants on the balcony now–ones I did not recognize.
Chapter 9
I snapped a photo and sent it to Janine. “Janine, what are these?”
She replied, “Blue plumbagos. Your brother grew them. He asked me to bring them over so you’d see them bloom when you came home for vacation next year.
I used to like blue plumbagos.
When I first moved in, the balcony felt empty, so I wanted to grow. something. I heard blue plumbagos were easy to care for. So, I bought five pots after school, excited. However, Erik would not even let me in.
He stood in the doorway with that annoyed look only teenage boys can pull off. “I’m allergic to pollen.”
“Get rid of them.”
“You should go too. Wash up before you come back in.”
Janine said that after I left for abroad, Erik started growing flowers.
Blue plumbagos bloom for a long time, and they are still going strong in November. He even posted a photo of them on his social media. Janine liked it, and I did not. I had muted all of his posts.
He was not allergic to pollen at all.
I replied, “Give them back. I don’t like them anymore.”
