Helen’s POV
In the evening.
I arrived at the appointed restaurant at the designated time, but neither Cece nor Kendal showed up.
At that moment.George was sitting opposite me.He stared at me the whole time with his deep eyes,
without saying a word, The atmosphere was becoming more and more tense.
I felt really awkward and prayed that those two would come early.I sent several messages to Cece, and
she finally replied, "Sorry, I’m on my way back to Philly.I’ll see you the next time I come to New York."
This woman… Why didn’t she tell me earlier? What was wrong with her? I had been waiting here for so
long, hoping to dine with her and Kendal.Since the protagonist wasn’t coming, there was no need for me
to stay.I picked up my bag and was about to leave.
But George stood up and stopped me.
"Helen."
"What do you want?"
I tilted my head upwards and looked at him icily.
"Can we have dinner first?"
George blocked my way with his tall and slender figure.He was extremely close to me.When he spoke,
he lowered his head and I got a whiff of his fresh, minty breath I took a step back to keep my distance
from him.He was now no different from a total stranger to me.
"I’m sorry.I have something else to do.Maybe some other time."
"Then let me give you a ride."He followed me with no intention of giving up.
"No, thanks."
I left without looking back and walked quickly to the subway station.
George followed me six feet behind and got onto the subway with me.He was in the same car as me and
I could sense that he was determined to talk to me.I asked impatiently, "George, are you stalking me?"
"No! It’s so late.It’s not safe for you to go home alone."
It was Friday night and the subway was crowded with people.The tall figure of George stood beside me
and protected me from colliding with other passengers.
I frowned and turned around to ignore him.
Why? Why did he pretend to be so humble and caring in front of me? The moment he grabbed my hand
and allowed Jane to slap me, was a jarring moment for me I was so deeply hurt that it would take a
lifetime to recover from that incident I lived in the suburb in half an hour we had reached George
continued to follow me like a S puppy.
"Anything else?"
I stopped and turned to look at him.I was emotionless Was he going to follow me all the way home?
George, who had been silent all the way, suddenly said, "Helen, I called you when we graduated from
high school.The third day after the graduation party that Kendal had organized."
High school graduation party? That was years earlier.Why was he bringing that up? I stopped walking
when I heard him talking about the past.
The third day after the party was my father’s funeral.That day was registered in my mind as clear as
crystal.But I didn’t know why he suddenly brought it up.
"In fact, I should have said something to you at the party that night.But you were a good distance away
from me and there was a big group of people between us.I slowly managed to change seats with them
and finally came to your side, but you had fallen asleep.You slept soundly.Your head was on my shoulder
and later you just hugged me like I was a stuffed animal or something.I didn’t dare to move for fear of
disturbing your restful sleep.I just stared at you for the whole night."
I was stunned.I thought I had held him to sleep for the whole night, and he knew nothing about it.
George kept saying, "I just sat there motionless for the whole night, gazing at you.Later, I was so tired
that I fell asleep too.It was almost dawn.When I woke up, you had already left.I had called you for three
consecutive days, but you didn’t answer.Then when you finally did…"
I stood under the street lamp and listened quietly.
The more I listened, the more I felt that this was probably not going to go well.
"You finally answered the phone on the third day.I was so happy that I wanted to express my love to you,
but you just lashed out at me so boisterously.Maybe you were really annoyed with me."
George smiled with self-mockery and looked so sad.
The George I knew had always been proud and relentless.He seldom showed such a forlorn expression
What he said brought ine back to our high school graduation.
In fact, I had no recollection of any call from George.
At that time, I had just learnt about my father’s affair and I was suming.
The appearance of Libby and Jane had thrown me into a dark pit. My whole world was shrouded in
despair and darkness.
Al that time, there was only sadness and indignation in my heart I was in a terrible space.
bitterness and hatred were surging in my heart.
So when George’s call cane, I must have reacted with an angry outburst.
No matter who called, my reaction would be the same I looked at him with mixed feelings and explained
in a whimper, "Sorry, I didn’t mean to be so rude.Something terrible had happened to my family during
that time."
In fact, as far as I could remember, George and I didn’t know each other very well when we were in high
school.If it weren’t for the reunion organized by Kendal and Cece, I would have probably forgotten that
this man existed.
After all, there was almost no interaction between us.
Maybe George and I were never meant to be together.
We weren’t able to be with each other in high school. Although we met again when we grew up in the
end, we still couldn’t escape the fate of being separated "It doesn’t matter now.It’s all over.My only regret
is that I didn’t get a chance to express my love to you earlier When I came back from abroad, I wanted to
meet you again.I wanted to pursue you step by step in the most romantic way I could.But when we finally
met, we ended up having a one night stand and you said you just wanted us to be friends with
benefits.That kind of ruined all my plans.I couldn’t find a chance to explain to you later, because no
matter what I said, you would probably think that it was an excuse for me to keep a sexual relationship
with you"
I was dumbfounded by what he said.I couldn’t reply to him.
Many things started to make sense now Why did George offer to drive me to my hotel that night? Why
did he get angry when I said we were just in a casual sexual relationship? Why was he so considerate
that no matter how busy he was, he would cook for me? And why did he even know about my favorite
dishes? Turned out it was all because he liked me! George stepped forward and his deep eyes pierced
into my soul.
He looked at me seriously and said, "I don’t know if it will make any difference to tell you now, but I had a
crush on you from our school days and I still have a crush on you till today.I also know that I tend to be
arrogant and self-righteous and didn’t make a concerted effort to get to know the real you.Therefore our
relationship is at a crossroads.Helen, can you please give me one more chance to make everything
right?"
My eyes widened with shock.I couldn’t believe what I had just heard.
Did he really mean that he had had a crush on me since high school? George said, "Do you still
remember the song you played at the freshmen welcome party? from that moment on, your face has
been deeply engraved in my heart and I can never forgelil"
It was the first time that George had confided so much in me.
He had always been cold and different except during sex And now he even looked at me with such
affectionate and gentle eyes My face was trafretert in that part of soulful eyes of his under the street
lamp Perhaps no one in the world could refuse his confession He sounded go giricate and But it was too
late.
If he had spoken these words to me earlier, even if it was just a week earlier, I might have been moved
and would have given him another chance.
But now it was too late.
Everything was meaningless.
Too much had happened in the interim.I took a step back and kept a distance from him.
"Thank you; that was a beautiful speech I have to admit that I am flattered and grateful to you for loving
me for so long.
But it just doesn’t change anything, and your declaration now only makes me feel sick.I think you and
Jane are perfectly matched for each other.
You see, you have known each other for so many years, and you are also business partners.
You’re just made for each other.
Maybe you like Jane, but you haven’t realized it yet.
Love will follow.
Remember when you grabbed my wrist and let Jane hit me? That was really manly of you!"
I was not as forgiving as I thought.I’d been depressed alone for so long.
Now I seized the opportunity to satirize him.
After saying what I had to, I turned around and continued to walk away.
As soon as I took two steps forward, George suddenly caught my wrist.
"Helen, Jane and I are just friends.And I didn’t know that she would slap you that day."
I stopped, looked back at him and smiled with relief.
"It doesn’t matter anymore."
Whether he did it on purpose or not, from that moment on, George and his stories were no longer
important to me..
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