¡Chapter 12
Extra
Darion and Natasha were desk mates, and he thought Natasha was very strange.
He clearly looked so thin as if he had suffered from malnutrition.
But when passing by the abandoned building, I saw the rain–soaked kittens and could tear off a large portion of the bread in my hand to give to them.
As far as he knew, Natasha lived alone and had only a sum of money left by her mother to sustain her precarious life.
When Darion placed the warm milk in her arms on the table.
She calculated the price and gave the money to Darion.
Stubborn and clever.
The grades still ranked among the top.
Darion thought he was extremely handsome, but it seemed like Natasha couldn’t see it.
I actually developed a liking for that guy Jalen instead.
Darion never disliked anyone, including his former friend Jalen, who was always by Natasha’s side whenever they took photos together.
He felt jealous and despised someone for the first time. He even thought about using a needle to prick a voodoo doll, a very ancient curse. However, he didn’t do it. He didn’t allow himself to do so because if one day his hand trembled and he accidentally pricked Natasha, it would not be worth it.
Natasha used to think that he liked documenting life and had asked him for photos before.
“I wanted a photo of me and Jalen.”
Her eyes were peach blossom eyes, and when she smiled, they curved.
But Darion felt annoyed and even wanted to snap at her. Who do you think you are, demanding photos from me? Do I not have any dignity? And are you so sure that I let him be a part of the painting? Am I just a behind–the–scenes photographer for your sweet love story? Do you even know how much my recent sold artwork was priced at? I’m afraid to even say it, fearing that you would just kick Jalen and me out.
But these were all Darion’s imaginations.
Natasha was not interested in other people’s money.
So he was just a tired and lazy voice, with a hint of sharpness–that made her give up.
1/4
d
“One hundred thousand for one.”
“So expensive.”
“It was a friendly price.”
Later.
His parents had their own lives, partners, and children. On the day after the college entrance examination, no one picked him up.
Because his mother had to go for a prenatal check–up, his father was busy continuing to look for a
mistress.
Darion was tired of that kind of life.
He wished so much to hug Natasha and tell her, “Happy graduation.”
Natasha was holding a bottle of water and smiling as she watched Jalen play basketball.
Darion was a coward.
After all, everyone around was very happy.
After all.
In that summer, only Darion was abandoned.
Darion always believed that he was good at delaying gratification, but when he saw the hidden
photos of Natasha and the notes on Natasha’s test papers.
He also didn’t know why he had to travel across the ocean with five years of high school entrance
examination and three years of mock exams.
Every time I see those bold strokes of handwriting, I can’t help but wonder, if he hadn’t had a fever that day, if he had confessed earlier, would the outcome have been different?
A bitterness welled up in his throat, almost causing him pain.
After returning to the country, I heard about Jalen pretending to have amnesia.
Darion sneered in his heart, what a bad thing.
Natasha didn’t know where she found Darion’s phone number, maybe it was in an old classmate
directory.
She asked him, “Will you sell a photo for 100,000?”
“Sold.”
Darion quietly observed her profile, as if the whole person was shrouded in sadness.
THE
2/4
Darion had to carefully search through his old memory cards in order to barely find a group photo, which gave him more time spent with her.
Just as Jalen was on WhatsApp, he messaged Darion: “Darion, can I borrow your swimming pool?
There are a lot of hot girls here.”
Darion became slower.
Raise an eyebrow lightly. “Alright, come on.”
He thought, it was time for Jalen to leave.
