Chapter 65

Allison froze for a moment, her gaze falling on Jack's deep eyes.

"I believe you."

After a brief pause, Allison spoke up.

Her tone was very firm.

"Really?"

Jack's interest was immediately piqued.

"Why?"

I mean, they barely knew each other. Why would she be so certain he'd have a solution?

Still, he could tell Allison thought well of him.

But... why?

As far as he remembered, they’d never really been close.

Back in high school, he was just a nobody, while Allison was the most beautiful girl in school, the cheerleading captain with a hot, sexy figure. Lots of guys were after her. He couldn't understand why Allison would think of him that way.

"No particular reason, I just believe you." Allison's voice was light, but there was no hesitation in it.

Jack frowned slightly.

His gaze swept across her delicate face.

"Do you like me?"

The next moment, Jack suddenly asked.

Faced with Jack's sudden question, Allison was stunned, clearly not expecting him to be so direct.

She froze for a few seconds, then a barely noticeable blush appeared on her cheeks, but she didn't avoid Jack's gaze. Instead, she openly met his eyes.

"What if I said yes?"

She lifted her chin slightly, a playful smile curving her lips. "Would you be my boyfriend?"

Jack didn't answer Allison's question.

Instead, he looked at her and asked, "Why? We barely know each other, don't we?"

"That's just what you think."

"I've been noticing you for a long time."

Allison looked at Jack with a quiet warmth in her eyes.

"You probably don't remember."

Allison suddenly said, "First semester of freshman year."

Allison's voice was soft. She lowered her eyes slightly, her long lashes casting a faint shadow below her eyelids. "One day, I stayed late at school practicing dance. To take a shortcut home, I walked through an old alley that was under construction."

"There were no streetlights on that road; it was pitch black. As I was walking, I suddenly heard footsteps behind me. At first, I thought it was just other people, so I didn't pay attention. But then I realized they were deliberately following me." At this point, Allison's body trembled almost imperceptibly, her shoulders giving the tiniest shake, as if the fear from that night still hadn't completely left her. "They surrounded me and started tearing at my clothes. I thought I was done for. That's when you appeared."

As she spoke, Allison lifted her head, looking at Jack with burning eyes.

"You didn't say a single word. You just started fighting them. Even though you were alone, you beat them bloody."

"After you drove them away, you reached out and pulled me up. After making sure I was okay, you just turned around and left without even leaving your name."

"Then how did you know it was me who saved you?" Jack asked.

Allison paused, a helpless yet nostalgic smile appearing on her lips. "Because the next day, you came to class wrapped in bandages. And I found a pair of glasses at the scene, the kind you wore. So I was sure the person who saved me was you."

"From that day on, I started paying attention to you."

At this point, Allison looked back at Jack, her eyes sparkling with tiny lights. "Later, I noticed you were always alone, always sitting in the corner. Everyone thought you were an insignificant nobody, but in my eyes, you were brighter than anyone else."

Jack fell silent.

There really was such an incident. That night, he had gone out to buy something and ran into some guys harassing a girl in the alley, so he stepped in.

That fight broke his hand.

Back then, Jack hadn't had the kind of build he did now.

He never expected that the girl was Allison.

Jack also never imagined that that one impulsive act of kindness had planted such a deep seed in this woman's heart.

It turned out that in all those years when he hadn't even noticed her, he had been watched by someone for so long.

"Oh, right."

Allison suddenly showed a mischievous expression.

She asked Jack, "Do you remember the chocolates in your desk?"

"Chocolates?"

Jack was stunned, then realized.

He looked at Allison with some shock. "The chocolates in my desk were from you?"

Jack remembered that starting in the second semester of high school, a piece of chocolate would appear in his desk every day.

Allison looked at Jack's shocked expression and couldn't help but laugh softly, her eyes crinkling like a cat who'd successfully stolen a treat.

"Who else?" She blinked, her tone carrying a hint of playful reproach. "Who did you think it was?"

Jack was truly stunned.

During that time, he'd been in a terrible mood because of bullying at school, gloomy and irritable.

Every day when he opened his desk and saw that chocolate, he just thought it was weird, even suspecting it was some bored person playing a prank.

He never once thought of the popular Allison.

"Back then, seeing you always with that cold expression, I thought... maybe giving you some sugar would make you feel a bit better." Allison's voice grew softer and softer, as if remembering how carefully and secretly she'd cared for him back then.

Jack looked at her, his heart a jumble of emotions.

It turned out that during his darkest time, when he felt most worthless, someone had been clumsily, quietly caring for him.

"Allison." Jack suddenly spoke, his voice much lower and softer than before.

"What is it?" Allison looked up.

"Thank you."

Allison's eyes reddened slightly, but she smiled brilliantly. She moved closer to Jack, her warm breath brushing against his neck, her voice soft but carrying an undeniable tone. "So, can you answer my question from before now?"

"Jack, I like you. Will you be my boyfriend?"

"I..."

Before Jack could answer—

"Mr. Loomis."

Someone in the crowd suddenly cried out.

Jack looked toward the sound.

He saw Delbert suddenly curled up on the ground, his face full of pain.

Jack and Allison immediately ran over.

"Mr. Loomis, what's wrong?" Allison asked Delbert.

Delbert opened his mouth, trying to speak, but could only make painful hissing sounds, his body curled up, his forehead covered in cold sweat.

Jack frowned slightly.

It must be from that drink just now. Delbert had drunk with everyone to liven up the atmosphere, which must have set off complications from his cancer.

"It must be his cancer acting up. Quick, get Mr. Loomis to the hospital."

Jack said.

Hearing this, everyone immediately scrambled to get Delbert to the hospital.