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

the water, gently pressed her

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

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 her feet

ran all the way home, her face as red as a boiled

in a light blue nightgown, walked up to her with a glass of milk, smiled, and brushed Julie’s messy hair behind her ears, “Why are you back so late? Your face

“I’m

widened as she sat next to

fever… touch me, don’t I feel like I’m burning up? Can you call in sick

head, “If you want to skip class, just say so. No need to fabricate a high

said that, she still helped Julie take a day off and didn’t tell their

her.

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

scolded by the teacher was still better than getting yelled

were curious why she was avoiding Kieran, and told her that many people had

Kieran last time, he hadn’t come to confront Julie. Even though Julie had been avoiding him for a long time, he acted as if nothing

to find Kieran and clearly express her feelings. But, when she plucked up the courage, bought two ice creams, and was ready to make peace

cream melted, the cold melted ice cream slid down her fingertips. Even though it was in a dream,

towards a warm place, closer

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

gently wiped away the tears that slipped from the corner of her eyes. The clear and translucent tears seemed

next day, when Julie woke up, she found herself on

taken the regular dose of sleeping pills last night, but she didn’t expect to sleep so heavily that

blanket and sat up groggily. Her mind was in a fog for a few seconds before

out of nowhere, giving her a polite nad, ‘Moming, Mrs.

Karl’s address. She asked him

What would you like for

can you make?” Julie asked.

said, “Most things.

him, cook him and bring him

not possible.”

this the flight back to Whispering Pines? Julie

Karl nodded.

come see me when he’s done working! I don’t mind what I have for breakfast” Finished speaking, Julie looked 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

that, Julie went back to her

Julie’s words to Kieran, “Mrs. Hernandez said if you don’t want to crash

at Karl, “Tell her there are parachutes on the plane.*