Love’s Cunning Ruse

Chapter 134

That night, way past bedtime.

Julie and Kieran were strolling back home, with the streetlights illuminating their path Taking advice she got online, Julie pretended to twist her ankle, then grabbed Kieran’s sleeve, shooting him a pitiful look, “I think I sprained my foot”

Kieran looked Julie up and down, and instead of pushing her away immediately, he looked at her ankle and asked, “Break a bone?”

Julie was feeling down, “No… no bones broken, but twisted. Hurts a bit. Can we sit down for a while?”

While Kieran was mulling over her request, Julie was already limping towards a bench with Kieran in tow. She clung to his sleeve as she sat down, then looked at her ankle, pretending to be in pain, muttered, “What if I can’t walk later? Can you carry me?”

Julie saw Kieran pull out his phone and dial the emergency number.

She quickly snatched his phone away, laughing. “I’m not that bad off. No need for an ambulance. Can’t waste public resources, right? I’m touched that you care so much.”

Kieran extended his hand, “My phone.”

Julie stuffed his phone into her coat pocket, then covered the pocket, looked up at Kieran and asked, “What are your thoughts on dating?”

Kieran just looked at her without a reply. The dim light made his facial features more prominent. Julie’s heart was pounding.

“Do you mind dating while in school?” Julie persisted.

no

Despite Julie’s daily efforts to get closer to Kieran, intimate moments were rare. Most of the time, she could only daydream while watching his back. Therefore, under the dim light, when Kieran looked at her, Julie couldn’t meet his gaze and quickly averted her eyes

After a while, Kieran still hadnt answered. Julie cautiously spoke again, “So… do you think you’ll date in school?”

“No, especially not with you,” Kieran responded firmly.

Julie should have focused on the latter half of Kieran’s answer, but she only registered the first half.

So she excitedly asked Kieran, “So you’ve never dated before?”

Kieran was speechless.

Is your first kiss still intact? Julie’s gaze landed on Kieran’s closed lips and she couldn’t help swallowing.

Just as Kieran was turning his head away, he turned back to look at Julie

cupped Kieran’s face, leaned in like a dragonfly skimming the water, gently pressed her lips to the corner

they had been soaked in red ink. She said to him, “Now,

she started running, completely forgetting that she had just told him she had hurt her foot. She ran faster than a rabbit. Falling plane tree leaves landed on her shoulder. She wore a flowing white school uniform, the skirt flapping in the evening breeze, leaves crunching under

face as red as

brushed Julie’s messy hair behind her ears, “Why are

“I’m in heat…”

next

me, don’t I feel like I’m burning up? Can you call in sick for me tomorrow? Just tell therm I have a

“If you want to skip class, just say so. No need

that, she still helped Julie take a day

school, afraid that he would confront her. In class, Kieran always

few minutes before dismissal, she would leave early Although she was caught by the

the teacher was still better than getting

the Abraham family hadn’t declined yet, so Julie was always surrounded by fake friends. Many people were

Even though Julie had been avoiding him for a long time, he acted as

was ready to make peace with Kieran,

dream, she was always holding those two ice creams. As the ice cream melted, the cold melted ice cream slid down her fingertips. Even though it was in a dream, Julie still felt the ice cream was heartbreakingly cold,

leaned towards a warm place,

the source of warmth. She comfortably leaned into the

in his arms, his heart ached as he gently wiped away the tears that slipped from the corner of

day, when Julie woke up,

sleeping pills last night, but she didn’t expect to sleep so

was in a fog for a few seconds before she got her bearings, then she headed off to another cabin.

door, Karl popped out of

was too preoccupied to correct Karl’s address. She asked him straight to

Hernandez is working. What would you like for

you make?” Julie

hesitated, then said, “Most things. What would you like?”

Kieran, marinate him, cook him and bring

That’s not possible.”

the flight back to Whispering Pines? Julie

Karl nodded.

around the cabin. She couldn’t find her bag and phone, so she said to Karl, ‘Also, tell Kieran, if he doesn’t want to crash with me, he better return my stuff.”

Julie went back

of this version of Julie. He quickly relayed Julie’s words to Kieran, “Mrs. Hernandez said if you don’t want to

and glanced at Karl,