Chapter 55: Ethan Prescott’s Pestering
The bell rang, bringing an end to the day’s classes. They still had evening self-study tonight, but on the way to the cafeteria with Stella Winters, they unexpectedly ran into Ethan Prescott.
"Chloe, are you heading to the cafeteria? Let’s go together!" Ethan Prescott said with a wide smile, eager to join her.
Chloe York ignored him and brushed right past, with Stella Winters doing the same.
Ethan Prescott was completely unfazed by Chloe York’s cold shoulder and happily trailed behind the two girls.
They hadn’t walked for long when they ran into Zoe Roland. For some unknown reason, Stella Winters disliked Zoe the moment she saw her.
"Chloe! What a coincidence!"
"It is." ’I’ve walked this path countless times and never run into Zoe Roland. Now that I know her, here she is.’
"Are you heading to the cafeteria, Chloe?"
"Yeah!"
"Let’s go together, then!"
"Sure!"
Stella Winters was about to tell her not to agree, but Chloe had already said yes. So much for that. Their duo had turned into a trio walking abreast, with Chloe in the middle. And Ethan Prescott was still trailing behind them.
Ethan Prescott recognized Zoe Roland. She was the first-year student Chloe had carried to the infirmary the other day.
’Someone she just met gets to walk right beside Chloe, while I, her legitimate fiancé, can only trail behind. How frustrating. But this is all my own doing. I have no one to blame but myself.’
When they got to the cafeteria, it wasn’t very crowded. Chloe York went up to the serving window and chose her dishes.
One way this world differed from reality was that the cafeteria ladies didn’t have shaky hands when they served the food.
They served up generous scoops, one after another. After all, these were growing high school students, some of whom were even preparing for their college entrance exams.
With her tray full, she found an empty table and sat down. The others were still in line.
"Chloe, we meet again!" Evan Shaw’s voice came from right above her.
"Oh, yeah. I always seem to run into you in the cafeteria."
"That must mean the cafeteria is our fated place," Evan Shaw said, sitting down across from Chloe York.
When Ethan Prescott returned with his food and saw Evan Shaw sitting across from Chloe, he immediately sat down right beside her.
Chloe glanced at Ethan Prescott with a hint of disdain. ’He’s a guy, he should be sitting across from me with Evan Shaw. Seriously, no sense of personal space.’
Seeing Ethan Prescott’s shameless move, Evan Shaw was filled with regret. ’I should’ve just sat next to her myself!’
Just then, Stella Winters returned with her food. She saw that her exclusive spot—the seat to Chloe York’s right—was occupied by Ethan Prescott.
’That shameless jerk! He stole my seat.’
Stella Winters huffed, walked over, and sat down on Chloe’s left.
Zoe Roland, the last to return, was surprised. She had only gone to grab a bowl of soup, but by the time she got back, every seat around Chloe was taken.
With no other choice, she sat down next to Evan Shaw.
Five people were sitting at one table, eating together. Two of them were the campus princes—and sworn rivals at that. These were guys who were usually at each other’s throats on the basketball court, yet here they were, eating together peacefully. The sight absolutely stunned the other students.
The surrounding students who saw this scene began to whisper among themselves.
"How did those five end up eating together?"
"I’ve never seen anything like it. Campus Prince Shaw and Campus Prince Prescott are actually eating at the same table."
"Don’t tell me they’re about to become best buds. Then what was the point of all our fan groups fighting over which one of them is the number one Campus Prince?"
The group at the table ate, completely oblivious to the stares of those around them. They were far more focused on something else: Chloe York’s appetite.
They never expected Chloe to eat with such gusto. Her appetite was growing, yet she hadn’t gained an ounce.
In the middle of her meal, Chloe sensed something was off. She glanced up to find everyone staring at her, not eating their own food. Even Stella Winters, the biggest foodie of them all, was just watching her with wide eyes.
"Why are you all staring at me?"
"Chloe, when did your appetite get so big?"
"It’s fine, isn’t it? Don’t you think the food today is exceptionally good?"
Today she’d ordered Stir-fried Potatoes with Cured Pork, Smoked Bamboo Shoots with Minced Pork, Kung Pao Chicken, and Hand-Torn Cabbage—all her favorites.
"Chloe just eats a little more when she finds something she really likes. I’m the same way. Come to think of it, Chloe and I have such similar personalities!" Zoe Roland said, then started taking large bites of her own food.
"See, Zoe gets me."
Zoe Roland shot a smug glance at the others before lowering her head to eat.
In response, the other three had the same thought: ’That damn green tea. Always has to be the center of attention.’
After lunch, the group walked back toward their classrooms along the school’s greenway. The three girls walked in front, with the two guys following behind.
Many students they passed along the way were shocked to see the five of them together.
"Oh, by the way, Chloe, my birthday is coming up soon. Can I invite you to my party?" Zoe Roland suddenly asked.
"When is it?"
"This Sunday."
’Sunday... I was planning to go to the library and study this Sunday.’
"If you have other plans, it’s okay if you can’t make it. I’ve never really had friends come celebrate with me anyway, so I’ll just be with my family. It’s just... my parents really want to thank you, too. They’d probably be so disappointed in me if I couldn’t even manage to invite you."
Zoe Roland lowered her head, her voice laced with self-pity. She looked utterly heart-wrenching.
"I can come." Chloe couldn’t stand to see Zoe looking so dejected, so she had to agree.
Ethan stared at the girl. ’I can’t believe it,’ he thought. ’A first-year student can be such a master manipulator.’
"Chloe, have you forgotten? You promised you’d hang out with me this Sunday! If you go to her birthday party, what about me?" Stella Winters pouted.
’Hang out? When did I ever agree to that?’
Ethan Prescott had no intention of letting that "green tea" Zoe get her way, either.
"Chloe, this Sunday is our engagement anniversary. We’re supposed to have dinner together, remember?"
"Engagement anniversary?" ’Is that even a thing?’ Chloe had never heard of such a thing.
"Of course. Our families had a meal together to formalize it. How could that not be our engagement anniversary?"
"Sorry, but that has nothing to do with me." ’After all, I’m not the one who got engaged.’
"How does it have nothing to do with you? You’re my fiancée!"
Chloe didn’t really think of herself as Ethan Prescott’s fiancée. She had subconsciously assumed their engagement was called off after their last conversation.
"Prescott," Zoe began, "every year before this, whether it was your birthday or some anniversary, Chloe was always by your side, and you were always so impatient with her. I’d think you’d be happy if she didn’t join you this year. As it happens, she’ll be at my birthday party. You can just consider that my gift to you for your ’engagement anniversary’."