Chapter 11
“Mr. Norwood asked me to show you around campus.” Caleb intended to take the sketchboard from Lena’s hands, but she instinctively pulled away.
“I really don’t want to trouble you. If you’ve got other things to do, please go ahead. I’m fine on my own.” Lena politely declined.
Caleb could sense her resistance, but he still took the sketchboard from her. “I’ve just wrapped up the experiment. The next phase hasn’t started yet, so I’ve got time to take you around the campus.”
Lena saw his eagerness and assumed he was just doing a favor at her father’s request. “I won’t say anything to my dad. You really don’t have to stay with me if you’ve got other plans.”
Caleb stopped in his tracks and looked at her. “Why do you think I’m only doing this because of your dad?”
Lena didn’t quite understand what he meant, so she simply quietly followed him.
Caleb patiently showed her around the spots oil painting students frequented, and when she looked tired, he brought her to rest at a quiet cafe or on a grassy lawn.
“Thank you for today…” Lena hadn’t even finished her sentence when Caleb shouted, “Watch out!”
There were many clubs on campus, and someone just happened to be at the skateboarding club’s practice area.
Lena momentarily froze as she saw an out–of–control skateboard flying straight toward her.
“Careful!” Caleb pulled her into his arms and shielded her with his own body as the skater collided into them.
The student immediately apologized to them.
“Are you alright? Did you get hurt?” The concern in Caleb’s eyes felt real.
Lena couldn’t understand why he had thrown himself in harm’s way for her. “I… I’m fine. What about you?”
Caleb breathed a sigh of relief when he heard that she was okay. However, just as he was about to get up, the movement tugged at the wound on his foot, and he hissed in pain.
Lena heard this and immediately asked, “What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”
Caleb had slammed his lower leg against a nearby pillar. The sharp edge of the square column had left a gash on his leg.
Lena noticed the skater who had been apologizing had already disappeared. So, she had no choice but to turn to him and said, “Let me take you to the clinic. It looks serious.”
Caleb wanted to brush it off. However, he immediately nodded when he saw the concern in her eyes. “Sorry to trouble you,” he simply said.
With that, Lena brought him to the campus clinic.
“Don’t worry. It’s just a cut. It’s not that serious. No stitches are needed. It’ll be fine after disinfecting and bandaging it.” Caleb tried to reassure her when he saw how anxious she looked.
The doctor couldn’t help but tease while cleaning the wound, “So, we’ve got a case of the prince saving the damsel.”
Caleb smiled without denying it while Lena shyly looked down.
“You’ll need to come in daily to change the dressing and for disinfection,” the doctor then said.
After that, Lena wanted to pay, but Caleb stopped her. “You need a campus card to pay, and you haven’t gotten yours yet. Here, use mine.”
Lena took the card–still warm from his touch—and walked over to the counter to pay.
After Lena walked off, the doctor looked at Caleb and asked, “Is she your girlfriend?”
He smirked. “Not yet. But maybe one day.”
Lena took the medicine and helped Caleb outside. She couldn’t help but ask, “Why did you protect me like that?” After all, this was only their second meeting.
Caleb looked over at her and said something that left her puzzled. “You really don’t remember me?”
Lena was slightly confused. “What?”
He shook his head. “It’s nothing. I wanted to save you, so I did.”
But Lena couldn’t shake his words out of her mind even after he limped away.
“You really don’t remember me?” she mumbled his words to herself. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t recall ever having met him.
