4Our time as Grade 10 students seemed inexplicably short. We moved on to high school unprepared and hurriedly adapted to it. While we were still at a loss, it was already time for us to choose between the arts and science tracks.That day, during the recess of our last chemistry tutorial class, Josiah had his chin propped in the palm of his hand as he asked me, "Are you going to choose the arts or science track?""Of course, I'm choosing the arts track."Seeing that he was staring at me without any response, I was stunned for a while."Don't tell me that you've decided to choose the science track. If that's the case, you have my respect," I said."No."Josiah sat upright and stretched his body. He had such long legs that I sometimes wondered whether he would feel miserable sitting in a chair like this."I'm also choosing the arts track. It'd be great if we could be in the same class," he uttered.It'd be great if we could be in the same class.His eyes were as calm as the se
6As such, everyone thought we were dating.In fact, this was not the case. We abided by a set of rules. I could stay with him and accompany him.Moreover, we had lunch and classes together. Occasionally, we also hung out, but we were not a couple.Josiah was a thoughtful person. Whenever we hung out, he would arrive early. In addition, he would pick the best seats when we went to the cinema and remember my favorite food and drinks. Plus, he would keep his distance from other girls.It was just that his thoughtfulness was originally reserved for another girl.I was unsure whether it was because I felt guilty about taking over the role of Tianna, but I could never become close to Josiah.Josiah did not care, either. Perhaps the mere sight of me satisfied him.Soon, the summer break was over. When school started again, I was already in the arts track.As I was the class monitor, the head teacher often made me run errands. After delivering the class schedule, I was ordered by the
9The enforcement of rules was laxer during the evening self-study session in our school.The teachers would generally not care if one wanted to change seats just to ask questions. After all, most of the teachers would stay in the teachers' lounge and rarely enter the class as long as the class was not particularly noisy.At that time, Josiah would move a few seats to the one behind me.I was happy when he did that; for one, I could chat with him, and two, he was really good at math.I took out the math paper from this morning and turned around."Can you look into this question for me?"Josiah was solving his math questions, as well. His tongue could be pushing against the inside of his cheek since his right cheek was bulging. He glanced up at me after I asked him. Looking at him carefully, I realized he had pretty long eyelashes."Hmm?" he hummed with a tone tinted with laziness."This question."He took it, scribbled something with his pencil, and threw it back."I don't k
13The news that Tianna was back caused a sensation in the school. According to the wall of love, Tianna, Josiah, and I became the talk of the town.After spring began, summer seemed to follow quickly. The PE class happened when the sun was most intense. Since the teacher probably also wanted a break, he asked us to disband after doing some exercises.The boys in the class wanted to play ball with Josiah. However, the latter slipped away, citing not wanting to get all sweaty as an excuse. Then, he accompanied me as I leaned against the railing and chatted in the shade of the corridor.It wasn't actually that hot. A cool breeze would occasionally blow. His eyes were narrowed like a lazy and tired cat.The two of us were aimlessly chatting when I saw a group of girls walking down the stairs behind him.I had not expected Tianna, a Grade 10 student, to get along with the girls in the class so quickly.The girls were talking and laughing, but when they passed by us, they suddenly we
15I hadn't seen Josiah in a while.Everything I'd learned about him was hearsay, just like in old times.The practice exam questions on the table suddenly increased, and there was lesser time for me to look up from my work. A countdown to the college entrance exam had appeared in the upper right corner of the blackboard out of the blue, and the rounds of examinations were like an endless baptism.I was going through the list of top scorers in the monthly exam that the school released when Josiah's name popped up.He was brilliant.I also heard that Tianna always went looking for him. Caleb told me on Messenger that he saw Josiah walking with Tianna one day. As I feared it was true, I never dared to look for him.Neither did he come looking for me.Time flew by. There weren't any summer holidays in Grade 11, while the first examination in Grade 12 determined the class I went to.From then onwards, the class we were assigned to would be determined by the results.In an instant
Author: Xiao Yu E 1Harvey Dunn was my stepfather's son. He hated me very much.Whenever he interacted with me, he spoke sarcastically. He never said anything nice to me.He always looked at me with ridicule and disdain as if I was the dirtiest creature in the world.The more he acted like that, the more I tried to disgust him. I followed him around every day, calling him by his nickname, Harv, in a sweet and intimate manner.The roaring darkness within his eyes would intensify visibly. Still, I swallowed light-heartedly and continued approaching him eagerly like a puppy.I did not believe a social butterfly like me could not handle Harvey.Finally, after my constant efforts to change him, his attitude improved slightly.When we were alone, his expression seemed quite gentle. His clear eyes and the smile that hung on his lips made it difficult for one to take their eyes off of him.I thought I could coexist with him peacefully until I read the diary he had left on the table.
4The school was indeed a land for gossip. In just a few days, all the girls in the school knew that Harvey was, as I had told them, my neighbor.Suddenly, I became popular. Every day, I was stopped by different girls, asking for my help to deliver love letters.Yvonne wanted to make up for the immense humiliation that the unsigned love letter had caused me, and we became inseparable since.After the evening class ended, I was in a rush to go home, but Yvonne refused to let me go.I grabbed her by the shoulder impatiently. "If you have something to say, tell me now. I have to go home.""Evelyn, I have an autographed photograph of Calum Scott with me. Since it's your birthday today, I want to give it to you."I accepted the gift happily. Only then did I realize a love letter was attached to the autographed photograph.I was speechless. The misunderstanding had just happened a few days ago. I couldn't believe she was attempting to give Harvey a love letter again.I pressed the v
6When I woke up, I found myself lying in the hospital with a thick cast on my right leg and my head wrapped in gauze. Harvey was leaning against the hospital bed to rest with a frown.I subconsciously moved, grimaced in pain in the next second, and hissed.Harvey's eyelids twitched. When he opened his eyes, his eyes were bloodshot. "Evelyn."He took a deep breath, crouched down in front of the bed, and carefully stretched out his hand to hold my back. "Do you feel uncomfortable?""I feel uncomfortable everywhere." I couldn't help but feel wronged.His voice was trembling. "I'm sorry."It was the first time I saw self-blame on Harvey's face.Seeing him like that made me feel uncomfortable. While I was at a loss, the ward door was pushed open.It was my mother.I looked at her eagerly. The pain intensified when I saw her.She looked at me with a gloomy face, full of grievances. "Evelyn, what do you want me to say? How could you get a concussion and fracture by riding a bicycl