Moment of Heartbeat

Chapter 2

Thanksgiving falls at the end of November, and just three weeks later, it'll be Christmas vacation. The damp and chilly weather lingers, with temperatures never rising above fifteen degrees.

A familiar thick fog envelops the entire campus, and as people leave early to head home for the holidays, it's not as busy as one might expect.

Jake Carter strolls through the Berkeley campus. Although he's not a student here, he's fairly familiar with the area—thanks to his slightly eccentric sister! Every now and then, he has to drive over from their home in the suburbs of Miami to deliver things for her.

Every time Mia Carter calls the family, she whines, begs, and even threatens, and in the end, it's always him, her brother, who bears the brunt. He drives over to bring her notes, books, clothes, her "makeup bag without which I can't go out," and CDs of songs she "really wants to hear, or else she can't sleep," not to mention her wallet, driver's license, and credit cards.

This time, her excuse was: "We really want to eat homemade soy milk and sticky rice..."

"Why didn't you mention it when you were back a few weeks ago?" If she had, their home cook would have whipped something up in no time for her to take back to the dorm. But Mia wouldn't cooperate; she insists on calling home in the middle of the night with urgent demands!

"At that time, I didn't feel like eating it," Mia defends herself, sounding quite resolute. "Come on, it's just an hour's drive. I'll treat you to lunch! And could you bring back some clothes for me?"

Faced with a sister spoiled beyond reason, Jake Carter could very well hang up the phone coldly and ignore her. But the conditions Mia offers next are too tempting for him to resist.

"Sophia will join us for lunch, but her class runs until twelve-thirty. We'll wait for her and eat a bit later. Is that okay with you?"

How could that be a problem? Of course not. Jake Carter suppresses his excitement, deliberately feigning reluctance as he agrees.

When Sophia Anderson visited for Thanksgiving last year, they asked if she would come to the Carter family for Christmas as well, but she politely declined, saying her father would probably come to Miami to see her.

Jake remembers the way she explained with gentle eyes, the flicker of suppressed hope within them.

How could anyone not love her, leaving her all alone, only occasionally remembering to check in? He doesn't understand at all.

Compared to his extremely spoiled sister, Mia, Sophia Anderson is not only more refined and graceful, but her demeanor is also warm and polite. She is the epitome of a young lady, beloved by everyone in the Carter family.

Of course, that includes Jake.

While there are many Australians on campus, Jake's tall stature and handsome face still draw some attention, though he's oblivious to his own appeal, solely focused on seeing that special someone.

Without difficulty, as he passes the school's iconic statue—the golden bear—he spots Sophia Anderson immediately.

In the cold, she stands out with effortless grace. Her lustrous, straight black hair falls over her shoulders, damp at the ends; her porcelain-like face is bare of makeup yet possesses a natural beauty, with delicate features and soft pink lips slightly pursed, making one imagine the sweet curve of her smile.

Dressed in a cream-colored belted coat, her slim waist and graceful figure catch the eyes of passersby, regardless of race or gender, drawing glances toward this porcelain-doll beauty.

Jake is captivated, unable to tear his gaze away. He stands still, watching her as she approaches, seemingly lost in thought.

It seems like she has something on her mind; her elegant brows are slightly furrowed, her exquisite face expressionless, almost indifferent. She walks closer until she's right in front of Jake, completely unaware of his presence.