Chapter 9 Lucy

Author's Preface

[6 Years Ago]

[Annie]

"Hi."

A sweet voice drifts into my ears as I sit buried in my novel, a cup of hot ginger tea warming my hands.

I look up to find a girl standing beside my table.

She's dressed in blue jeans and a white off-shoulder top, a coffee cup balanced in one hand.

"Can I sit here?"

For a moment, I search my memory.

I think I've seen her once during a university event, but I can't quite seem to place her.

There are so many people in the other sections, and I barely even know five people from my own.

"Yeah, sure." I gesture to the empty chair. It's the university cafeteria, after all.

I watch as she places a tiny handbag on the chair beside her before settling across from me.

Interesting choice for attending classes , I think to myself.

As she reaches for her coffee, a delicate diamond pendant catches the light, followed by an expensive looking bracelet wrapped around her wrist.

The cafeteria is almost empty and there are plenty of vacant tables.

So why sit next to me?

She unlocks her phone, types a quick message, then looks up at me.

I try returning to my book, but before I can read another line, she is already speaking.

"I'm Lucy." She smiles. "...You're Annie, right?" She continues before I have the chance to respond.

"Do I know you?" I ask, unable to hide my confusion.

"No," she says casually, taking a sip of her coffee. "But I know you."

I search my memory again. And nothing.

"I'm from Section G, " she seems to catch my daze." Finance."

"...Okay?" If anything, I'm even more confused now.

She simply watches me over the rim of her cup, almost as if she's waiting for something.

I try to get back to my novel but she's not done yet.

"Do you have something going on with Kai?"

The question is so abrupt that I stare at her for a second.

I scoff at this sheer audacity.

First, I don't even know this girl.

And second, why would I have anything going on with Kai?

I close my book and meet her stare. "Who are you to ask me something like this?"

"I'm dating him." She shrugs as if this is the most ordinary conversation in the world. "I just need to make sure he's not going behind my back."

I've heard enough stories about Kai's reputation and his flings to know he isn't exactly known for commitment.

Even so...I don't believe her.

"If you have to question a complete stranger this way," I say evenly. "Maybe you should reconsider your choice. Pick a better man."

She stays quiet so I continue. "Kai is nothing more than a junior I'm helping out. And even that's only because my friend asked me to."

"Your friend Henry?" She slightly tilts her head.

I let out a slow sigh.

This is getting absurd.

"If you've cared to look into me enough to know that much," I reply. "Then you should already know whether there's anything between Kai and me...don't you agree?"

A tense silence falls between us.

Somewhere across the cafeteria, a glass crashes onto the floor, breaking the tension.

My phone lights up on the table.

" I'm on the way. "

Talk about perfect timing.

I hold up the screen for Lucy to see. "He's coming here for our routine study session," I tell her. "If you really have doubts, you can stay and ask him yourself."

For the first time, I sense her confidence falter.

"It's fine." She says while standing and picking up her bag. "I'll talk to him later."

Without another word, she is hurriedly strutting out of the cafeteria.

[ *** ]

It's only been fifteen minutes since Kai arrived, but I haven't managed to focus on a single word.

The conversation with Lucy keeps replaying in my head, every sentence finding a new way to irritate me.

I'm so caught up in my thoughts that I don't even realize Kai has been watching me from across the table, my leg bouncing beneath.

"Are you okay?" Kai's voice manages to pull me out of my thoughts.

I blink and look up at him, slightly caught off guard.

"Yeah," I reply.

He doesn't say anything right away and instead, is quietly studying my face, as though trying to figure me out and for some reason, it is annoying me even more.

Now I am pissed at him as well.

"Can we end today's session early?", I mumble. "I've got a lot on my plate."

"Sure", He nods at me, "Just give me ten minutes."

"No." The word comes out sharper than I intend, "Let's just leave early today."

I am already stuffing my books into my bag before he can argue.

As I stand, my eyes move towards him.

He's sitting there quietly, dressed in a plain white T-shirt that somehow still looks expensive on him.

His movements seem mechanical, almost absent minded.

There's always something about him when he goes quiet.

Something unexpectedly....sad.

"Are you dating Lucy?", I question.

He visibly freezes at the mention of her name.

His eyes snap up to mine, confusion flashing across his face and he looks like he is about to say something but I cut him off.

"I don't care who you date or what you do in your personal life," I say. "...But whatever it is, please don't drag me into it. I don't want people making assumptions or getting any sort of wrong idea about us."

I sling my bag over my shoulder. "At the end of the day, I'm just a senior helping you out."

I pause. "Please remember that."

For a long moment, he says nothing but a quiet okay finally leaves his lips.

His voice is calm. "I'll keep that in mind."

I give him a small nod before turning away.

As I walk out, I can't shake the image of his face.

There was something in his expression that made me pause.

He looked defeated. Disappointed even?

As though I'd said something he wasn't expecting to hear.

The thought lingers for only a fraction before I push it aside.

Maybe I'm reading too much into it.

Either way, he's beginning to occupy more space in my thoughts than he should.