Chapter 61: You Promise?
“You must not tell anyone else! I am only telling you because I trust you.” Hazel ordered them to secrecy.
Before Ariel and Summer could say anything, they had already felt very disappointed.
“What? Hazel? Are you going to have a secret affair?” they asked in astonishment.
“What do you think I should do? Continue to be a campus celebrity?” Hazel was helpless.
“What’s wrong with being a campus celebrity? Your boyfriend is Joshua Denmark, enough to be envied and hated!” Ariel said delightedly.
“... I just want to get my diploma in peace.” Hazel was speechless.
“Alright, alright.” The two girls waved their hands with disappointment. “Rest assured. We’ll never publicize it. But remember, let Prince Charming invite us to dinner again!”
Hazel agreed to it, not knowing whether to cry or laugh.
She was still the hot topic in the school, so she thought for a while, finally decided not to go to class, and stayed in the dormitory to study to avoid being surrounded by onlookers.
Summer and Ariel did have away. They had an alternative account on the school forum, they would simply send a few posts questioning and leave it to others to add fuel to the fire.
Karla was so anxious to make this something big. Wasn’t she the guilty one?
Others were now skeptical, so they started following and questioning for themselves. Karla seemed to be more anxious and wanting to argue with them, but her arguments only increased their suspicions.
Many of the members who attended the student council activity that day testified directly. It was Karla who first proposed that Hazel should invite Joshua.
Suddenly, the direction of the comments changed, everyone changed from reprimanding the President of Student Council to everyone reprimanding him and Karla, more so Karla.
A comment left was, “They made their bed, and now they need to lay in it!”
Ariel was deep in thought, then out of the blue, she turned to Hazel and said, “Thanksgiving Day is coming up. Have you decided what to give to your Prince?”
Hazel was stunned.
***
Thanksgiving Day was no different to her than an ordinary day, but now that she had a boyfriend, she would have to think about these things more.
After all, she really did like him.
“I don’t know what he likes.” Hazel frowned. “Should I ask him?”
“Why?” Summer couldn’t resist rolling her eyes. “If you ask in advance, would there have been any surprises on Thanksgiving Day?”
“Mmm.” Hazel agreed. Then she said miserably. “Let me think about it carefully.”
She thought about it for a while but could not come up with a good idea. Finally, she decided to ask Joshua.
She could not ask him directly, but she could find an opportunity to bring it up in conversation.
From time to time, there were girls from other dorms knocking on doors, and Hazel was well aware that they were all there to see her. Summer and Ariel simply escaped out of the dorm without them noticing, but Hazel was not taking a chance, so she hid. When they knocked she did not answer and when her phone rang she ignored it.
A few hours later her phone rang again, she was getting ready to throw it out the window but noticed it was Joshua. Hazel answered the phone with a little surprise.
“Hazel, let’s have dinner tonight,” Joshua whispered.
“Oh?” she said expressionlessly, “Didn’t we have breakfast together this morning?
“How can breakfast be the same as dinner?” He smiled a little and laughed. “I’m already outside your school. Are you coming out, or am I coming in to pick you up?”
“... I am on my way out.” She became a wuss instantly.
If Joshua came here, it was very likely going to cause another disturbance.
At dinner, she could casually bring up gifts to find out what he would like.
Hazel snuck out of the dormitory wearing a baseball hat and scarf, looking like a burglar rather than a woman in love just to hide her identity.
When she saw Joshua sitting in the car, she could not wait to get in. Her heart was pounding.
There was a flash of surprise in his eyes. "Why are you looking so stealthy?"
“I’m hiding from people.” Hazel fretted. “I didn’t want you to know, but there are times when I feel like a panda at the zoo. People are always looking at me.”
Joshua cocked his brows. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“It isn’t that bad, is it?” she said, “I am hoping people will forget me after two days.”
His eyes dimmed; he had neglected this. She had always had the characteristic trait of not bothering others and not worrying about things.
As her boyfriend, he should take the initiative to help her solve these problems.
“By the way, I have something to tell you,” she said suddenly.
“Huh?” he looked at her.
“Can my job as your secretary be on hold?” she asked.
“Are you unwilling to do it?” He looked at her quietly.
Facing his deep eyes, she only felt her heartbeat pounding harder. Looking directly at him, she felt it seemed she couldn’t refuse any of his requests at all.
“I'm not unwilling…” she blushed a little. “The final exam is in two weeks. I want to study as much as possible.”
“But when you finish your final exam, it’s time for winter vacation.” There was a little sadness in his eyes. “Can you stay with me then?”
“... Mmm,” she said in a low voice.
“What?” He looked at her in astonishment. The next moment, He put his hand around her waist, and there was incredible joy in his eyes. “Hazel, say it again.”
“I meant to tell you about it.” Her cheeks turned a little red. “I’ve called my parents and told them I’d be home later this winter vacation. I haven’t found a place to live... yet.”
“Why do you want to find a place? Live with me.” He chuckled.
“You?” She watched him vigilantly.
“Hazel, you don’t believe me?” His eyes were sad.
In an instant, her heart leaped. It felt like she was completely different from herself when she faced Joshua.
No, no, you can’t be seduced by a honey trap.
“It’s not that I don’t believe you, it’s that I haven't liked you to the point that I want to live with you,” she said after she thought for a bit.
He was considerate, and he felt this was the same thing as not believing.
“I assure you that I will do nothing to you unless you agree,” he whispered. “It’s hard to find a house now, so tell your parents you will be living in a classmate’s house.”
Hazel’s heart leaped.
At that moment, she believed Joshua’s promise. What’s more, he had always had a good reputation.
“You promise?” She reconfirmed.