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

leaned in like a dragonfly skimming the water, gently pressed her lips

red

had just told him she had hurt her foot. She ran faster than a rabbit. Falling plane tree leaves landed

way home, her face as red as a boiled

blue nightgown, walked up to her with a glass of milk, smiled, and brushed Julie’s messy hair behind her

mumbled, “I’m in

she sat next to Julie and looked

back to reality and said to Sansa, “No! I mean I have a fever… touch me, don’t I feel like I’m burning up? Can you call

Julie’s head, “If you want to skip class, just say so.

though Sansa said that, she still helped Julie take a day off and didn’t

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

always sneak into class through the back door after the bell rang. A few minutes before dismissal, she would leave

teacher was still

yet, so Julie was always surrounded by fake friends. Many people were curious why she was avoiding Kieran, and told her that many people had confessed to Kieran

Even though Julie had been avoiding him for a long

find Kieran and clearly express her feelings. But, when she plucked up the courage, bought two ice creams, and was ready to make peace with Kieran, she saw Annalise sitting on the back of Kieran’s bike at the door. They disappeared from her view

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

she leaned towards a warm

seemed to have found the source of warmth. She comfortably leaned into the warmth, and then slowly,

heart ached as he gently wiped away the tears that slipped from the corner of her eyes. The clear and translucent tears seemed to seep into his heart…

next day, when Julie woke up, she found herself

pills last night, but she didn’t expect to sleep so heavily that she didn’t even know

sat up groggily. Her mind was in a fog for a few seconds before she got her bearings, then she headed off to another

Karl popped out of nowhere, giving her

address. She asked

working. What would you like for

make?” Julie asked.

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

him, cook him and bring him

That’s not

flight back to Whispering Pines? Julie asked.

Karl nodded.

couldn’t find her bag and phone, so she said to Karl, ‘Also, tell Kieran, if he doesn’t want to crash with

Julie went back to her

quickly relayed Julie’s words to Kieran, “Mrs. Hernandez said if

his computer and glanced at Karl,