Chapter 3
Three days Liter was the reunion for the Computer Science Department’s Class of 2021.
Clara walked in and immediately spotted Damon. He was right in the middle of a crowd, but the second he saw her, he made his way over and sat down
next to her.
The whole mood in the private room shifted the moment they sat together. Everything was awkward and tense.
Clara knew she was the reason. To her former classmates, she had only married Damon to climb the social ladder. None of them had ever thought much
But she didn’t bother correcting their assumptions
just sat there and stayed quiet and unreadable.
The class representative showed up late and walked in carrying a big cardboard box. Addressing everyone, the cless representative said, “I wanted to get everyone together today partly to catch up and partly because it’s finally time to open those letters to our future selves in five years‘ we wrote. I thought it’d be fun to read them together.”
In an instant, the room buzzed with excitement as everyone crowded around.
“Let’s make this interesting. Let’s have everyone pick a random letter and read it out loud!”
“Great idea! I’m going first!” One of the most outgoing guys in the class elbowed his way into the crowd and grabbed an envelope
Egged on by a few curious classmates who had no idea what he was about to read, he ripped it open, cleared his throat, and began, “Clara, how are you five years from now? I’m writing this under the sunlight.
“Though I have no clue where you’ll be or how you’ll feel when you finally read this, I w
want to s
to share w what’s on my mind right now,
The room went quiet the moment they heard the first line. Every eye shifted to Clara Even Damon, who had been focused on his phone, loolood at her in surprise
Clara, who was usually calm and collected, felt her stomach drop. She knew exactly what she had written in that letter.
The guy reading it shot her a mischievous grin before continuing, “This year, you’re 19, a sophomore, and you’ve fallen for Damon Croft–even though be has no clue. And even if he did, it wouldn’t make a difference, because he likes someone else.
“Your feelings were never going to lead anywhere. You might wonder why not move on if it was hopeless. Well, here’s why.
“I love him for that fire in his eyes when the crowd cheers him on, for the small but unthinking kindness he showed me one night when he shielded me from a stray basketball, and for the way he’s always unfailingly polite, even when turning someone down.
“I was the one craning my neck every week at the morning assembly just to sneak a glance at him. I was the one who heard he got burt playing basketball and, despite the storm, slipped medicine into his desic. I was the one who filled an entire page in my diary with his name.
“He might never remember me for the rest of his life, but that’s fine. A crush is chaos, but only in one person’s head.“”
When the letter ended, the room was completely silent.
Damon froze. Out of nowhere, memories of that wedding the one he’d rather forget–came rushing back. He remembered how Clara had stood there, facing all the skeptical stares as she walked straight to his side without hesitation.
And just like that, it all clicked. She hadn’t married him for money or status, like everyone thought. She had loved him for years.
Damon’s chest tightened. The walls he’d lept up for so long suddenly felt like they were cracking. His heartbeat was unsteady for reasons he couldn’t
explain.
On a whim, he had the urge to ask her everything–the things he’d kept buried for so long. But before he had the chance, Giselle’s call came through.
“Damon, I’m stuck outside the club! Some thugs cornered me
She didn’t even get to finish before Damon’s expression darkened. He took off and sprinted downstairs. The second he spotted the group of bleach- haired punks, his fists flew.
Furled by rage, he didn’t hold back. His punches landed hard and fast, leaving them coughing up blood within seconds.
A crowd quickly formed. Some people rushed in to protect Giselle. She was in tears, saying one of the tattooed guys had grabbed her hand.
Hearing that, Damon seized an iron rod and swing it down onto the guy’s hand. Then, a scream of excruciating pain cur through the night.
Clara hurried downstairs just in time to see it happen. She stopped dead in her tracks. Her eyes were locked on that hand. Blood was spilling out of it, es
was barely held together.
as he led Giselle away
while shielding her.
On Instinct, she looked up at Damon–only to see his back as he
The same Damon who had been brutal just moments ago now wore a gentle expression. His voice was soft as he comforted Giselle. It was a tenderness Clara had never known from him.
iselle. It was a kind of
en, without a word, she turned and loaded home
She dropped her gaze, masking the emotions in her eyes, and let out a quiet, self–mocking laugh. Then,
alone.
Damon didn’t come back until after midnight. Seeing Clara sitting quietly on the couch, he remembered he owed her an explanation.
www
“Clara, about tonight.. we’re all classmates. I couldn’t just ignore what happened to Giselle,” he said.
Clara couldn’t be bothered to call him out. She let out a quiet hum, grabbed her pajamas, and headed into the bathroom. Half an hour later, she walked out with her hair still damp. Danon was holding her phone. His expression was slightly puzzled. “Clara, why did you buy a plane ticket?” he asked.
