Oops, My Boyfriend

第26章

With the tissue in my hands twisted like the convoluted story James had just told, I felt as if I had won a lottery years ago only to find out today that it was already expired. His words left me surprised, regretful, yet somewhat pleased, but without the zeal to respond."I'm sorry, James," I said after a long, tense pause during which my heart seemed to hang in my throat.James sighed and said, "You're too straightforward.""Is there really no chance at all?" he asked.I looked down and replied softly, "I'm sorry."James smiled wryly, "Hey, don't feel guilty. I anticipated rejection, but I had to try to be content. I didn't expect your attitude to be so final though."I hurriedly added, "James, you're such a good person, so you'll definitely find someone great. I'm not good enough. If you were with me, you'd probably end up cheating eventually."Laughing, James shook his head, "That's a novel way to console someone."I said, "I'm not trying to console you; I'm just being honest."He rested his chin on his hands, his tone full of regret, "I've rehearsed several drafts of this story, trying to create a melancholic and beautiful atmosphere, thinking it would touch any girl. Didn't you feel anything?"I scratched my head, "I haven't read much since college, only 'Story Club' magazines. I've lost all sensitivity to literature."We both laughed awkwardly.The wind howled against the windows outside, and James noted, "It looks like it's going to rain soon. I should probably get you back home early."I nodded in agreement.As we walked, James asked, "If there was no Caleb, would you choose me?""Absolutely," I replied.James smiled, "That's all I needed to hear today."A moment later, he added thoughtfully, "This isn't to stir things up, but I find Caleb a bit shady. Being with him might mean you'll always end up at a disadvantage."I outwardly disagreed, but internally I thought, 'That's true, I'm already running at a loss.'"When are you leaving?" I asked. "Let me know, so I can come see you off."James replied that he'd be leaving in a few days and would send me the details.When we reached the building entrance, I asked him to wait a moment while I went up to fetch an umbrella for him.After sending James off and returning to my room, I pondered on the mysterious nature of fate. Once, I had liked him, and he was unaware; then, he had liked me, and I was unaware.Now that we both knew, the situation had evolved into this complicated mess. Indeed, the greatest fear about fate is missing it—a moment's miss can lead to a lifetime of what-ifs.Looking into the mirror, I told my reflection, "Though you're not very beautiful, you're still quite popular. Such a sin."With James's matter resolved, the thorny issue of dealing with Caleb remained. I couldn't directly address the issue with James now, as I was in the wrong and it would only give Caleb leverage over me in the future.It was time for a more indirect approach.Taking advantage of the heavy rain outside, I ran downstairs to drench myself in the downpour. After getting thoroughly soaked, I cranked up the fan to its highest setting once back upstairs—surely, I thought, this must lead to a cold.When Tess and the others returned, I was already blow-dried to a crisp.Persistence pays off.Finally, my efforts were rewarded, and I did manage to catch a cold—not just a minor one with sniffles and sneezes, but a full-blown fever, thanks to my overzealous attempt to attract Caleb's sympathy.