Chapter 97


    On the drive back with Hamson, the car stereo yed thetest hit, “Possibility.”


    The lyrics were: [All the possibilities, the hopes that never came to pass. They were thoughts, and they


    were regrets.]


    Jocelyn confessed, “I can’t lie to you. He still has a ce in my heart.”


    Hamison was not surprised. He even understood. “Yeah, I know.”


    “You’re okay with that?”


    “It would be a lie to say I don’t mind. But what I mind more is you rejecting me because of him. I hope


    you can give me a chance and yourself one, too.” Harrison was calm and sincere.


    His words were solid, honest.


    Jocelyn clenched her fists tighter. “If you really don’t mind, then we can give it a shot.”


    A wave of tion surged through Harrison, and he immediately pulled the car over. “Are you serious?”


    Jocelyn was still uncertain, but the words were out, and seeing Harrison’s joyous reaction, she nodded


    vigorously. “Yeah.”


    Harrison’s smile brightened, his lips pressed in an effort to contain it, and his eyes crinkled with glee.


    He resumed driving, and the music shifted to “Little Sweet.”


    Jocelyn never expected Harrison to listen to such sugary tunes, especially at this moment.


    His mood was infectious, painting her own in shades of pink.


    They dined at Bliss Restaurant, where Harrison had initially nned to hold Jocelyn’s hand to please


    his parents but feared pressuring her and refrained.


    Harrison’s parents sensed a shift in their son’s demeanor during the meal, a different aura between the


    two.


    However, being wise, they kept their notions to themselves, asking no questions.


    After dinner, Harrison drove Jocelyn back to her hotel.


    As the car stopped, she stepped out.


    Harrison followed.


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    Standing at the hotel entrance, he asked, “So, you’re my girlfriend now, right?”


    Jocelyn paused, then nodded softly.


    “Can I… hug you?” Harrison was tentative.


    Jocelyn’s heartbeat quickened, and she did not immediately respond.


    The next second, the light in Harrison’s eyes dimmed with disappointment.


    “Sure, Jocelyn finally murmured.


    Harrison, as if jolted awake, approached her with restrained excitement and enveloped her in a gentle


    embrace.


    This was their second hug.


    The first was between friends.


    This time, he held her as her boyfriend.


    Jocelyn allowed the embrace, guilt lurking for fearing she might let down his genuine affection.


    *Sleep soon, Harrison murmured, letting her go sooner than he wished, keeping it just a hug, nothing


    more.


    J


    Jocelyn always found Harrison gentlemanly andpletely respectful in his conduct.


    “Yeah, you too,” She replied, their new rtionship still awkward for her.


    Harrison nodded. “You go on up. I won’t walk you to your room.”


    “Alright.” Jocelyn did not y coy, entering the lobby and ncing back to see Harrison smiling at the


    door.


    She returned the smile tenderly before turning away.


    Once inside the elevator, she messaged him on Facebook. [Get home soon.)


    (Aaready in the car Hanson replied promptly.


    (Goodnight.]


    Exiting the elevator, Jocelyn was searching for a “goodnight” sticker when she identally bumped into


    someone.


    Apologizing and looking up, she froze upon seeing Melvin.


    She thought it was a coincidence, excused herself, and stepped aside to pass by.


    Thankfully, Melvin did not make a scene and acted as if she was invisible.


    Back in her room, unsettled, Jocelyn did not reply to Harrison.


    Sitting on the sofa, she pondered the fleeting encounter with Melvin, wondering if it was an illusion.


    There was no reason for him to be there


    After mulling it over and tousling her hair in frustration, she decided not to dwell on why Melvin was


    there.


    They were no longer connected.


    Post-shower, Harrison texted, asking if she was asleep.


    [Not yet.] Jocelyn replied.


    Harrison sent a video call, and Jocelyn epted after a moment’s hesitation.


    “Why aren’t you asleep?” Harrison appeared fresh from the shower, in his pajamas.


    Seeing the clean, schrly handsome man on the screen, Jocelyn felt uneasy, perhaps due to the


    Melvin incident.


    “Just about to,” She said.


    “I won’t keep you then. I’m swamped tomorrow, might workte. Probably can’t join you for dinner,”


    Harrison exined in advance.


    “It’s fine. You do what you need to,” Jocelyn replied, valuing her independence regardless of being with


    Melvin or anyone else.


    Reluctantly ending the call after a few more words, Harrison didn’t want to disturb her rest.


    Lying in bed, Jocelyn scrolled through photos of her and Harrison, her thoughts drifting to Melvin.


    She also revisited older photos, ones with Melvin, but they were never straightforward, more like


    secretive snaps.


    Melvin never wanted to go public with their rtionship, leaving them without a single proper photo


    together.


    The difference between secrecy and being openly acknowledged weighed heavily on her.


    Before hitting the hay, she did her usual scroll through Twitter and stumbled upon Harrison’stest


    tweet: [My girlfriend] with a picture he had snapped of their shadows together.


    The sight sent a little jolt of electricity through Jocelyn’s chest, a tingling sensation.


    This was what normal dating was like.


    This was what a normal boyfriend was like.


    No matter how Jocelyn turned it over in her mind, she was convinced Harrison was the epitome of


    boyfriend goals.


    She tapped the like button.


    Phone down, eyes closed.


    Snippets of the day spent with Harrison kept ying in her mind, but then, the ufortable memory


    of bumping into Melvin outside the elevator resurfaced.


    She rolled over, trying to stop thinking about the reason for Melvin’s appearance there. Whatever it


    was, it was none of her business


    naw


    That night, Jocelyn’s sleep was restless, and she even slipped into a dream she should not have had.


    In it, she was entwined with Melvin, in his ce, against the backdrop of expansive windows, in an


    intimate embrace.


    Waking up from the struggle, her body’s reaction left her ashamed. She had never imagined a day


    when she would be so hungry.


    She should never have dreamed of Melvin, especially not doing what they were doing in her dream.


    ncing at the clock, it was already 5:40 in the morning.


    The first thing she did was hit the shower, trying to scrub away the shame.


    Fosshower, the thoughts faded.


    Then she decided to grab breakfast somewhere and then walk to school,