Chapter 121: Chapter 121

That last part was out of jest, Camille was sure. It made the corners of her lips threaten to tug upwards.

She looked down at her clothes. She was still dressed in her business attire — a fitted blouse and a pencil skirt — and she was also wearing a long coat to stave off the cold. Summer was over now, so the nights were usually chilly.

She felt around her pockets and touched the hat that she had hidden in one of them. It was a black beanie that she liked to wear whenever she wanted to hang around outside, but rarely had the occasion to do so because she was always so busy.

Her thoughts soon wandered into an uncertain territory.

Was it a good idea to have dinner with Michael so late?

What if someone saw them?

What if…

While she was still pondering over what choice to make, another message from Michael came in.

‘I thought we could go to that burger place that we used to go to back in high school. We could also get some snacks at the nearby food stalls if you want.’

Camille blinked, her fingers moving on the keyboard of her phone.

‘You mean the one near the school?’

‘Yeah, that’s the one. We could also blend in with the high school kids. What do you say?’

‘Noah, it’s late in the evening. There’d barely be any students there. Besides, we’re already in our thirties. We won’t be able to blend in.’

‘Don’t I look young for my age? I could probably pass for a teenager if I wore casual clothes and a baseball cap.’

‘Actually, no. You’d look like an old man who’s trying too hard.’

‘Ouch. Brutally honest as always, Vanilla.’

Camille couldn’t help but chuckle at his latest message.

He could be the same old Michael sometimes, and that fact made her smile. Oftentimes, being with Michael and interacting with him would remind her of the old days. He was like an anchor in her current tumultuous life that crashed raging waves against her soul.

In fact, she felt like she wanted to depend on him a lot, but she couldn’t possibly do that. Not in her current situation, anyway. That would only be foolish of her.

But a girl was allowed to dream sometimes…

‘So, are you free?’ Michael texted, asking her again.

Camille thought about it for a moment before letting out a sigh.

Just for tonight. She just wanted to indulge herself, just this once.

‘Yes, I’m free,’ she replied.

***

Camille buttoned up her long coat and let her hair down from its ponytail.

Slowly, she brushed her fingers through her blonde strands, absently noticing that they had grown longer recently. Now that she thought about it, she hadn’t even planned on going to the hairdresser for a while now.

Lips pursed in thought, she silently debated with herself whether or not to cut it off. Using the front camera of her phone, she saw that her original brown roots were already showing. If she kept bleaching her hair, it was going to be ruined.

To be honest, she didn’t really want to keep dyeing her hair anymore, but she was afraid that if she kept her natural hair color, she might get recognized somehow.

Although the possibility of that happening wasn’t very alarming, the thought of it still frightened her. She wasn’t ready yet. Revealing her true identity would only bring more trouble than it was worth, and she was already content with living as an average woman.

Well, as average as Christian Callahan’s personal secretary could be… but she digressed.

When the taxi finally arrived at the destination, Camille paid the driver, put on her beanie, and got out of the car.

And there, waiting for her at the corner of the school, was a familiar figure.

Camille approached him with steady steps, though the sound of her heartbeat wasn’t as calm as she appeared to be on the outside.

Hearing her footsteps, Michael looked up from his phone. When he peered at her closely, recognition flashed in his eyes, and his lips instinctively curved into a warm smile that sent her stomach into flip flops.

“You’re here,” he said in greeting, placing his phone inside the pocket of his jeans.

True to his words, he was indeed dressed casually. He wore a plain button-up shirt and dark pants, nothing fancy, but not too shabby, either. He also had a baseball cap on his head, making him look a few years younger.

At that moment, Camille paused in her steps, feeling a wave of nostalgia hit her like a gentle tide.

His outfit suddenly reminded her of their high school days when he would wait for her outside the main building so they could walk to the gates together.

They weren’t like the average students who went home together and taking the subway or bus. After all, she and Michael came from wealthy families, so they had chauffeurs to drive them to their respective homes.

But even though the distance from the main building to the school gates wasn’t that long, Michael still insisted on walking together with her every day, like a solid routine. It didn’t matter if she would often leave later compared to the other students due to her status as the student council president. He would still wait for her every single time.

Thinking about those days now made her feel both happy and a little sad. Truly, those were the simplest days where they had more freedom and had more fun.

She probably should’ve treasured those days more, but it was too late now. Time did not wait for anyone.

Michael approached her, the smile still lingering on his lips. “Let’s go?” he suggested.

Camille nodded. Now was not the time to reminisce memories like an old woman looking back on her younger days. She was with her old friend now. It was time to let loose a bit.

“Sure,” she said, smiling back. “I’m feeling famished now.”