Chapter 35 Warm and Thoughtful!
The moment Rebecca stepped out of the building, the warmth disappeared instantly.
She stared blankly at the streetlight above her, finally snapping back to reality.
She'd just had a falling out with her three roommates. There was no way she could stay in that dorm room tonight.
But now, where should she go?
Back to Pinewood Mansion?
Frederick had suggested she come back, but she was too worried it would be awkward to share a space with him, so she declined.
Now, if she went back, he'd definitely know she had a fight with her roommates.
The bar incident was a big deal, and she was set up by Dennis. Even if Frederick knew, he wouldn't blame her.
But this time? It was like a bunch of kids squabbling, demanding the other to spit out the jellybeans they had just eaten.
So childish!
Rebecca scratched her head, turned around, and sat on a bench, scrolling through her contacts.
She could either ask Izzy to pick her up and crash at her place for the night, or see if any of her close senior friends could take her in.
Before she could decide whether to call Izzy or a senior, her phone chimed.
A message from Frederick: [What are you doing?]
She glanced at the time: just past 11 PM.
He was probably about to go to bed, checking if her injuries were hurting and wishing her good night.
Rebecca replied, [Getting ready to sleep.]
One minute.
Two minutes.
Still no "Good night." Rebecca frowned slightly.
She heard footsteps crunching on the snow and instinctively looked up.
Her eyes widened, and she slowly stood up.
A few steps away, Frederick was walking towards her, carrying a bag.
He was still wearing the black coat from earlier that evening, as if he hadn't even changed after getting home.
"Getting ready to sleep, huh?"
Frederick approached her, glancing at the bench she had been sitting on and then up at the lit dorm room on the fifth floor. A hint of amusement flickered in his eyes. "So, were you planning to sleep out here tonight?"
"Of course not."
Caught in a lie, Rebecca felt a bit embarrassed. "I said I was getting ready to sleep, not that I was going to sleep right now. I... I just needed some fresh air before going back."
Fresh air.
Frederick's gaze fell on Rebecca's red cheeks and nose, chilled from the cold. He stepped closer, placing the bag on the bench.
Then, he took off his coat and wrapped it around her, just like before. "What happened? Did you have a fight with your roommates?"
"No!"
Rebecca denied it quickly, nervously touching her nose. "It's just... I overheard them talking about my family's bankruptcy, and I didn't want to make things awkward. So, I came out for a bit."
She then looked up at Frederick and asked, "Why are you here? Is something wrong?"
"I asked around. There's no first aid kit in the dorms, only in the campus clinic."
For the second time that night, Frederick exposed Rebecca's little lie, but he acted as if he didn't notice her embarrassment. His expression was calm. "So, I brought a first aid kit for you, Rebecca."
In the cold winter night, the term "Rebecca," along with the first aid kit in the bag, made her feel like she was holding a steaming bowl of soup by a cozy fireplace.
Warm and thoughtful!
"Let's go."
Frederick picked up the bag and reached for Rebecca's hand. "Since you don't want to stay in the dorm, let's go home. I'll bring you back in the morning."
She wanted to say no, that she would go back soon.
And she wanted to say that he would have to wake up early, and it would be too much trouble for him.
But as soon as Frederick held her hand, all those words vanished.
His warm palm felt like getting closer to a source of heat.
Rebecca curled her fingers.
His grip tightened.
In the snowy night, their two figures walked further and further away.
In the room on the fifth floor, Jessica lay stiffly on her bed, staring at the dark ceiling as if it were Rebecca's face.
The thought of owing Rebecca tens of thousands of dollars made Jessica's scalp tingle.
After a long while, Jessica picked up her phone and sent a message.