I was a bit curious who the next guy would be to show his face.
After that, several more appeared, each one using different methods to approach Vanessa, but none of them caught her attention. They all received the same single word. "Get lost."
Among all those handsome guys, there was one with an elegant aura like moonlight through clouds, who left a particularly deep impression on me. His name was Tyler Gao, a transfer student. Unlike the others, he didn't rush to Vanessa's face from the start. His first week, he made absolutely no move, but I knew he was definitely waiting for an opportunity, because during his very first self-introduction, his eyes had lingered on Vanessa for several long seconds.
When it was my turn and Vanessa's to be on classroom duty, that day, a girl accidentally took the chocolate bar from Vanessa's desk. It was a gift from some guy. Vanessa hadn't touched it, just left it there.
The girl asked Vanessa, "Someone gave you food again, Vanessa? Are you going to eat it?"
Vanessa was wiping the board. Without turning around, she replied casually, "Not eating it."
The next second, the girl unwrapped it. "I'm starving. If you're not eating it, I will."
Vanessa turned around and saw the chocolate already in the girl's mouth. Her eyes darkened. She raised the board eraser in her hand and threw it with perfect accuracy at the girl. Chalk dust exploded everywhere.
"Are you insane? Just because I'm not eating it doesn't mean I said you could."
Then the two of them lunged at each other.
The next day they were called in by the homeroom teacher. The girl insisted adamantly that Vanessa had attacked first. Vanessa never mentioned the chocolate. The teacher demanded she apologize. She remained silent, essentially refusing. So the teacher resorted to the phrase students fear most.
"I'm calling your parents."
Vanessa's fists clenched immediately. I could feel her rage. I didn't understand why she wouldn't mention the chocolate. Girls' thoughts were truly incomprehensible. I figured since we were deskmates anyway, helping out once wouldn't hurt.
I was about to raise my hand when Tyler suddenly shot to his feet. "Teacher, Vanessa wasn't wrong."
He recounted the entire incident from yesterday, clearing Vanessa's name. I looked at him, finding it fascinating. So this was the opportunity he'd been waiting for.
Half a month later, Tyler left the school. He'd failed.
I found it rather surprising. I wasn't sure what had happened during that time. I'd seen him and Vanessa sitting at the same table in the cafeteria. I thought he was someone special.
That day after school, I saw him turn into a small alley. I remembered it was a dead end. At the time I was standing at a street stall, waiting for the vendor to make a grilled pastry. The pastry finished, I ate it all and still hadn't seen him come out. I hesitated for a moment, then decided to walk into that alley.
Going straight, then turning left, there was a small side path. When I reached the corner, I saw Tyler's back. He was talking to a high wall with no one around, completely different from his usual elegant demeanor, his mouth continuously spewing curses.
"Damn it. I've been faking it this long and it's been completely useless. Does she have some hidden skill to read people's minds or something? And then she comes up to me right when I'm eating, saying I'm just like everyone else, approaching her with ulterior motives. One glance and she sees right through it. I was already so restrained. Before coming I read so many classic literature books, summarized so many failed experiences from those who came before, and still it didn't work. This female lead is SSS-level difficulty to conquer. This mission is literally impossible."
Those words echoing in my ears from the shadowy corner made me freeze. Female lead. Conquest. System. A clear line of logic suddenly emerged in my mind, like I'd just touched something real.
I slowly stepped out of the small alley. Under the sunset painting the evening clouds, a familiar silhouette appeared in my line of sight. A girl wearing a white cap, walking ahead on the main road. Her skin pale and cold. Dark red blood at the corner of her mouth, and scratches showing clearly.
She suddenly turned to look at me, her eyes cold and dark. I looked at Vanessa, my face indifferent, as if nothing had happened between us, no different from strangers. After a moment of eye contact, we each went our separate ways.
Tyler's words still echoed in my head. I walked on the road home. The corner of my mouth curved slightly. How fascinating.
On the banyan tree by the roadside sat a large orange cat. It kept watching my retreating figure, but I had no idea.
The next day, Tyler said goodbye to the class. He walked down from the podium, passing by Vanessa, his face clearly showing unwillingness and helplessness. The wound at the corner of Vanessa's mouth had healed somewhat, but you could still clearly see the injury left behind.
Tyler wanted to struggle one more time. He left a band-aid stuck to the edge of Vanessa's desk.
If you're not bleeding, why would you need a band-aid? Is the band-aid just for decoration? I shook my head slightly.
Vanessa picked up the book with the band-aid stuck to it, shook it lightly, and the band-aid gently fell to the ground. Tyler's face contorted. He turned back to his seat in frustration.
During break, I took the initiative to find Tyler, placing a cheesecake on his desk. "A farewell gift for you."
He seemed a bit stunned, then hesitantly said, "What's your name again? Nathan Shaw? You're Vanessa's deskmate, right? Thanks for the gift."
I smiled, not surprised he didn't know who I was, because in class I was rarely prominent, always living like an invisible person.
"Let's get dinner together after school."
He seemed caught off guard by my sudden enthusiasm.
"I'll wait for you after school. Let's go together."
As soon as I finished speaking, the class bell rang. Not giving Tyler a chance to refuse, I turned back to my seat.
This period the English teacher had a sore throat and handed out an oral quiz in class. Halfway through the assignment, I saw Vanessa beside me searching for something. I heard the sound of a pen scratching on paper, harsh and sharp. I glanced over and saw my deskmate frowning in frustration.
I took out a box of pen refills from my bag, was about to pull one out, then remembered her severe cleanliness obsession. I paused, then pushed the entire box over. My hand lightly brushed against her uniform.
Vanessa looked at me, silent for a moment, then pulled out a refill. I heard a dry, "Thanks."
After school, I met Tyler at a barbecue restaurant. He seemed a bit tense, because this was the first time since transferring half a month ago that I'd actively talked to him. Opening my mouth right away to invite him to eat had caught him off guard.
"You're really handsome, and your personality is great, too. Lots of people in class like you. I've always wanted to get to know you. Just didn't expect you'd have to transfer somewhere else so soon. I figured I had to talk to you before you left. Hope you don't think I'm being a bother."
I explained my abruptness. After hearing me out, Tyler immediately relaxed. He was pleased by my compliments and started chatting with me.
"Where do you live? Can we still meet up in the future?"
"I live in Seabrook." Tyler was eating happily when suddenly his expression changed. He covered his mouth with his hand. "Oh, wait. No. Where I live is private. But later I'm definitely going to study abroad. Probably won't be able to meet again."
"That's really unfortunate." I took in every bit of regret on his face and smiled back.