Campus Love Pursuit

ed, and I got into

or, and I was

n, he issued a stern warning to hi

date my sister will h

anyone who dared to even glance

hose who weren't afraid

agree or not. I'll

en someone suddenly pulled ou

thony, Jack

oice. I looked around the empty l

to a late-nigh

, he opened his laptop and star

epartment. They became friends through

s, frequently discussed in late-night dor

ally gifted, acing exams without much effort. He was multi-talented, the head of the student council's p

eavy, a prelude to a storm. I frow

ap

just as I reached the

hings and picked up my bag too

to eat?" he asked,

re before, and I'm not hungry.

. Enjoy yourself. You won'

of logic

oday. Before this, I had on

e the table was filled with all my f

flavors and what Jack mentioned.

d me a bottle of plum juice across t

." I said, struggling t

s serious and smiling demeanor. When serious, he seemed aloof and

alking about you for y

on the role of my primary caretaker. He constantly treated me as if I were

u ever need anything, just let me know." H

pretending to clink glasses, a

h it didn't rain, t

er how late I go back. You'

to my dorm, waving goodbye

l. I lay in bed, pl

request on WhatsApp. The mes

s of thanks in the chat box, but I felt it was too wordy and deleted t

sending a message, "Go

hank you." I q

traightf

breakfast tomorrow and bring some back. I w

for treating me, but decided against it. What i

g deal, but small thin

ts surroundings, even though I told him Jack had already done so. He sai

hat he picked them up during a trip to the supermarket. He wa

ny would prepare my dipping sauce and cook my favorite chees

alled me li

ics, student council duties, and internship

his weekend, and the ancient city is accessible. Let's t

with four or five from Jack's side,

interest in food and gossip, and that was how

ry followed a popular tourist m

re quite similar. But for girls, shopping w

rom the start. Jack, Carl Sullivan, and Anthony initially enthusiasticall

a breakup, was the first to give up, finding a place t

he river, with quaint bridges and corridors connecting it. The weeken

, but she got lost in a shop selling tradition

he stones a

d me as I was about to step on

e's J

photos. Let's go, I'll follow

never gave me a chance to refuse bu

l, he would insist on paying. When I thought of giving him a gift, I couldn't figure out what was appropriate or

y, with him patiently following. Occasionally, when some

, while others played in the water. Although

en

d he was holding up his p

ng candid s

urning back, unsure of what strange

owd by the river thinned out, and

nthony." There w

e everyone was, a tour group surged across the bridge. I quic

e squeezed in front of me, shielding me from the flowing crowd. He placed his hands on the

did y

u notice?" His head lowered, hi

est, my heart raced, a

I quickly slipped out

a boat for tonight to

nvite ev

cour

w was it? Did i

nt, and before we even sat down, Fio

s of them in trad

n one of those wa