Chapter 649


    "Hah." Everett chuckled above her head, "Seems like I''m the one dreaming."


    How could it be her?


    He''d been harboring this dream for more than a decade. The longer it persisted, the more he


    dreaded waking up.


    "Hmm? What?" Dorothy didn''t quite catch that.


    Everett, of course, wasn''t about to repeat himself. He already felt low enough in front of Dorothy.


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    "It''s nothing. Just wrapped up at work. Where do you wanna go?"


    "Is Jeffrey at the office?"


    Everett''s thick brows furrowed. "Why do you ask about him?"


    Dorothy blinked, "Karen mentioned grabbing dinner together, that''s why I asked."


    "He''s there."


    "Oh." Dorothy nodded, leaning in closer to Everett with a teasing arch of her eyebrow. "Don''t tell me


    you''re getting jealous just because I asked about Jeffrey? He''s your buddy!"


    "I don''t like you snooping around other men."


    Dorothy couldn''t help butugh.


    She had no idea Everett had such a possessive streak. She used to think he was cool and


    somewhat detached, not paying her much mind and even giving her plenty of space. Turns out, the


    aloof act was just an act.


    It was convincing, sure, but it must''ve been exhausting!


    "When did you get so sour?"


    "If you knew about it earlier, would you have bolted?"


    Dorothy thought for a moment, smiling guiltily, "Probably."


    Thest thing she wanted was someone''s overbearing affection or someone trying too hard to make


    an impression. It felt like being forced to amodate a stranger in her world, and her first instinct


    would be to push back.


    "See? That''s why." Everett spoke as if it all made perfect sense.


    Dorothy pouted, "Why do you know me so well? You didn''t go and do homework on me, did you?"


    "Do I need to? For someone who sat next to me for years and never even borrowed a pen, I think I


    got the gist."


    Back in school, her mantra was to owe nothing to anyone, and to have no one owe her.


    It wasn''t about avoiding a loss, but more that she wasn''t good at socializing or handling people''s


    kindness and affection.


    "Was I really like that?"


    The words slipped out before Dorothy could stop them. Reflecting on it, she realized she really was


    like that.


    "You were always by the book. If I even helped you with your backpack, you''d be sure to say thanks


    with utmost politeness."


    Dorothy was at a loss for words.


    "So, when you returned that letter to me back then, I thought you were rejecting me."


    Everett still remembered how nervous he was cing that letter on Dorothy''s desk. Unable to bear


    sitting down afterward, he made up an excuse about the ssroom being stuffy and went out to


    shoot hoops with ssmates.


    His mind wasn''t in the game. He lost miserably, consumed with thoughts of what she would say


    when he got back. Would she reject him or ept him?


    When the bell rang and he returned to the ssroom, basketball in hand, seeing Dorothy with the


    letter was like a punch to the gut.


    The remaining hope chilled instantly.


    As he approached his desk, Dorothy''s voice came softly, "Everett, is this yours?"


    "Yeah."


    "Here."


    He hesitated before taking the unopened letter back.


    He knew then he was out of luck. Dorothy hadn''t even bothered to read what was inside.


    "There were lots of love letters for you back then. I thought that one was just another in the pile,"


    she said, furrowing her brows and pouting slightly. "Besides, I asked you if it was yours, and you


    said yeah."