Chapter 78


    Technically Married


    It was a new day, and I went to theboratory with dark circles under my eyes.


    Cinder’s bed was soft, but I spent the whole night tossing and turning, thinking about what she had told


    me. When I arrived at theb with coffee in hand and yawning, I saw David already changed into his


    I froze. I didn’t know how to face David after the embarrassing events ofst night. I had told him that


    Aaron and I weren’t a couple. But him knowing that Vincent proposed and seeing me and Aaron


    walking off together was the most awkward moment of my life.


    I was expecting a torturous meeting with David today, but I was just overthinking it. David barely


    noticed me at all.


    He wore a whiteb coat with disposable medical gloves and held various reagents in his hands for his


    experiments. His medium–length hair was tied at the back of his head, and his grey eyes were focused


    on the test tubes. His seriousness was charming. I’ll give him that. But he wasn’t as funny or as


    easygoing as he had beenst night.


    I spent too much time looking at him and then realized what I was doing. Focus, Olive.


    “Pass me tube number two.” I yawned and held out my hand.


    Nick put a test tube in my hand, and I was about to pour it into a beaker when I saw the bright red color


    of the tube.


    It should’ve been colorless. When I turned it around, the bright red test tube was clearlybeled “No.


    35.”


    “Nick, this is the wrong…” I turned my head to reprimand my partner, but I made eye contact with him


    and stopped.


    Nick was pale, his eyes were red and swollen, and he looked even more miserable than I did after a


    night without sleep. He’d definitely been crying all night.


    “What’s wrong, Olive?” Nick said quietly. I wiggled the test tube in my hand at him and waited for his


    answer.


    “Oh, did I get the wrong one? Sorry.”


    I watched as he set the bright red test tube down, then picked up a tube of solvent. My eyes widened in


    fear, and I hurriedly stopped him. If he had poured the reagent into the tube, it would’ve caught fire and


    killed him with the fumes.


    “Nick… do you want to go out for a cup of coffee? “I pulled him out of theb carefully and forced a


    smile. Today was not the work day.


    It was just too dangerous to have him at theb like this. And I didn’t intend to die in pieces in theb.


    That’s so pathetic.


    “Want to talk about it?” I handed my coffee to Nick as he sat in the chair, seething.


    It was nearing Christmas, and holiday decorations were all over campus. Everybody who passed us


    seemed to be in a festive mood.


    Nick’s eyes shifted from the little kids ying ser on the grass to the “Joy” sign stered onto the


    wall. He looked at me, and his lips parted.


    “It’s ok. Olive. I’m just too tired…” Nick shivered.


    “Nick.” I held his head “We have known each other for years. Ok. You know who I am. And you can rely


    on me.”


    “Olive, l-I’m so sorry,” He croaked. Then, he rested his head on my shoulder and started to sob.


    I’d never seen Nick like that. He had a great personality, and he was usually so funny. Every day he


    was happy, and this was the first time I’d seen him cry out loud.


    Nick was the first friend I made in thisb, also the best one. He went to thisb one year earlier than


    me, and he really helped me a lot.


    “Nick, what’s wrong? Talk to me. Let me help you.” I patted Nick’s shoulder and tried to coax him to


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    speak.


    “I broke up with Tim! Olive, it’s horrible.” Nick sobbed.


    My eyes widened, and I took his hand. “Why?”


    Nick and Tim were in a great rtionship, and I even thought they would be able to grow old together.


    “Tim h–he cheated on me,” Nick sobbed. “He… he’s bisexual.”


    I raised my brows as I suddenly understood. To be honest, I didn’t think Tim, a German guy who was


    studying philosophy, would ever cheat on his boyfriend. They were such a stable couple. And I have


    witnessed how sticky this two could be.


    At the first year, I had lunch with Nick. But ever since he hooked up with Tim, I had never had meal with


    these two love birds ever after. They never stopped kissing each other during the break!! I mean, they


    were the worst couple as a friend.


    They ruined everything since they could only see each other.


    55 195


    I did not understand how couple like that would end in cheating.


    And honestly speaking, I always thought Nick would be the one cheat first.


    After I calmed him down, he finally managed to speak in full sentences andposed himself.


    The story was really simple: Nick came homest night to find Tim, who was supposed to be in


    Germany visiting his parents, in bed, naked, with another woman.


    “It’s ok, Nick.” I hugged him. “Men will always cheat. Rtionships fail, and that’s normal.”


    “But…” Nick looked up at me with red, puffy eyes. “He’s not just my boyfriend.”


    “What are you talking about?”


    “We went to Vegasst Christmas and…”


    “No way!”


    Nick’s voice trailed off as I listened in shock.


    “We got drunk one day and went to a church together…so, legally speaking, we’re married.”