Chapter 13
River’s POV:
I met Willa at a party my mom organized.
She didn’t fit in with the other kids.
Cautious, wide–eyed, incredibly uncomfortable.
But her family didn’t seem to like her much.
They kept ignoring her.
I was curious, so I brought her a drink. She took it with trembling hands.
Didn’t dare look me in the eye.
When I asked her questions, she’d blush and stammer her answers.
Like I was terrifying or something.
I got bored and walked away.
Later, I saw her again at school.
Her sister was leading a group bullying her.
But I didn’t help her.
Until that day after school, when I saw her cornered by some punks, crying her heart out.
Her thin body kept struggling, her eyes full of despair.
I rushed over.
When I put my jacket on her, I saw all kinds of scars on her body.
New ones, old ones, everywhere.
I asked, “Why don’t you tell Uncle Ashfords and them when you get bullied?”
She looked down and said quietly, “I don’t want them to think I’m ruining their relationships.”
I didn’t understand.
She tugged at my sleeve and begged, “Please don’t tell them. My sister’s tactics are nothing to me–I can handle it.”
“Why should you have to handle it?”
“Because I’m scared of going back to my old home.”
I understood then–those old scars were from her previous home.
In that moment, I felt something.
I brought her home and took it upon myself to argue with the Ashfords family all night.
Fortunately, Uncle Ashfords was reasonable.
He decided to send her sister abroad to study.
Willa’s useless brother decided to go with his sister.
Fine, go! Both of you!
I’d been sick of those two siblings anyway.
Willa was really dumb.
I’d never realized I had so much patience.
Enough to tutor someone so stupid.
She’d often drive me crazy.
But I gradually realized I didn’t mind.
I actually found life more interesting.
Our whole family was high–IQ, and suddenly we had this girl who was clumsy in everything she said and did.
It was actually pretty fun.
So I’d deliberately give her hard problems, watch her panic, then blush and ask me to explain.
But every time I finished explaining, I’d catch her staring straight at my face, unable to look away.
When I noticed, she’d duck her head in embarrassment.
Her fingers were practically raw from picking at them.
This idiot.
She didn’t even know how to hide her feelings.
But since she liked looking, I’d let her look more.
I deliberately extended her tutoring time–I wanted her to stay by my side longer.
My mom really liked this sweet, kind, polite girl too.
She asked if I was interested.
I said she was so dumb, if I was too forward I’d scare her.
My mom wasn’t worried.
She directly dragged Willa’s parents into arranging our engagement.
That night, seeing her completely flustered reaction.
I tapped her forehead and joked, “What’s wrong? Your future husband is so amazing–shouldn’t you work harder? What are you spacing out for?”
Her face instantly turned red as an apple.
Absolutely adorable,
