Chapter 0020
“What?” Adrian asked. “If you don’t want to the ”
She quickly opened the door and hopped in, saying, “Thanks.”
+25 BONUS
Adrian did not respond. Instead, he drove in the direction of the university.
They did not speak to each other during the drive and the silence was killing Riley. So, she looked around Adrian’s car. She noticed a woman’s picture mounted above the touch screen of his car. She asked, “Your mom?”
Adrian looked at the picture briefly and replied, “Yes.
“She is pretty,” Riley complimented.
“Thank you. She meant everything to me,” Adrian said.
“Meant?” Riley inquired.
“She passed away when I was in high school,” Adrian revealed.
Riley fell silent. She softly said, “I’m sorry.
While watching the road, Adrian answered, “It’s okay. It was a long time. I have coped.”
Then, they rode in silence again until they arrived at Halliport University. Adrian pulled over at the school’s entrance. Before opening the door for her, he grabbed his sports jacket from behind and gave it to Riley. He said, Cover yourself with this.”
Riley accepted the jacket reluctantly. Then she asked, “Aren’t you getting off?”
“My class is not until after lunch. I’m going to meet my dad at the Plaza Hotel,” Adrian revealed.
Riley’s mouth fell open in shock. The Plaza Hotel was in the opposite direction of the school! She asked, “Then why did you drop me off?”
Adrian looked at Riley strangely. He lazily replied, “Because I saw the panic in your face and knew you were running late for school.”
He looked at the door and said, “Go.”
Riley held his jacket just before opening the car door. She said, “Thank you, Adrian. You aren’t such a bad after all.”
person
“Contrary to whatever you think of me, Riley, I am actually a good guy,” Adrian said, and even after Riley shut the door behind her, his words lingered in her head.
### END OF FLASHBACK ###
“And that was how it started,” Riley said to Linda. “When we saw each other next, I returned his jacket, and we talked. I initially thought he was a snob and all, but as it turned out, he was a good person.”
“He really is, Riley,” Linda said. “Sometimes, he is just misunderstood.”
Riley fell silent. Then, she thought about Brian, “Wonder why he and Brian became estranged.
“Yes, Brian,” Linda said with a sigh. “When you see him, why don’t you ask him?”
Riley was taken aback to hear Linda say those words. She pondered before replying, “I actually did, but Brian never gave me a straight answer. If I see him, I might ask again, but I probably don’t want to see him.”
+25 BONUS
Charter 0020
Linda laughed and said, “That’s fine, dear.” She held Riley’s hand and said, “It’s probably best you move on. Forget about Brian.”
It no longer surprised Riley that Linda knew about Brian. Perhaps Adrian had mentioned her divorce too. But as Adrian said, Linda was like family to him, so Riley supposed she was someone she could open up to about her failed marriage.
“I know some people would say that everybody deserves a second chance, but I say, why would I risk getting stabbed in the back again!” Linda exclaimed.
Riley chuckled. She answered, “That’s a very reasonable point because I did give Brian a second chance and only got stabbed again.”
“Oh, you gave him a second chance?” Linda asked before pulling Riley into a hug. She caressed Riley’s back and said, “I wish I was there to tell you not to give him a chance Riley, but either way, it’s over now. You have a whole new life ahead of you…”
Linda smiled before she resumed, “With Adrian.”
Riley did not know why, but she felt her cheeks burned at Linda’s suggestion.
LiLhyz Author
May 16, 2024. Chapter 1-2.
