Self

Chapter 46

From then on, their hangout spot turned into her classroom.

Yara would have her eyes on the blackboard, soaking up every word the professor said, while Yale could not take his eyes off her, as if he could never get enough.

They had been so crazy about each other, their love shining bright. They had shared so many incredible, vivid memories.

So, how did they end up like that?

Yale felt a wave of confusion wash over him.

Xandra caught his distant look, as if he were staring right through her, lost in thoughts about someone else or something else.

A twinge of discomfort nudged at her, and she gently jostled his arm. “Babe, what’s up?“,

Yale jolted back to the present, brushing it off with a wave. “It’s nothing. I’m good. You should focus on your studies. You don’t need to come to my place this often.

“I’ve got a ton of stuff at the company coming up, and I’m going to be busy, so I won’t be able to hang out with you.

Xandra paused, a bit taken aback. Then, she smiled and nodded. “Sure, got it.”

Once she stepped out of the villa, the smile on her face slowly disappeared. Her heart felt heavy, and her eyes were clouded with a shadow of sadness,

Yale had definitely been hit by some thought.

A thought that had not been there before.

She hesitated but eventually pulled out her phone and called Michael’s number.

Of all of Yale’s close friends, she only had Michael’s number,

When he answered, she said cheerfully, “Hey, Michael, good evening. Anything up at the hospital recently? I just left the villa, and Yale seemed kind of down. Did Yara tick him off again?”

On the other end, Michael had just scored a girl’s number at the bar and was eager to return to her. He brushed off Xandra’s concerns, anxious to end the call “Nah, it’s been quiet. She just made soup a couple of times.”

Then, he hung up in a hurry.

It was just as she suspected. Xandra bit her lip and pocketed her phone, her eyes turning steely.

Early the following day, she dashed to the library to confront Yara, who was buried in her study notes.

“Yale’s my boyfriend now, and since you guys are history, just cut the cord, okay? No more hanging on to the past!”

Yara, her mind still wrapped around the problem she had been tackling, could not help but chuckle at the dramatics, but she replied with solemn assurance, “Chill. I’m not the type to rekindle old flames. I’m not interested in tug–of–war over him.”

As Xandra stomped off, Yara shook off the distraction and dove back into her studies

Come twilight, she stepped out of the library and bumped Into Solomon..

Chapter 46

He had been swamped with classes and had not set foot in the library for days, making that chance meeting a pleasant surprise.

Their last dinner had been meant as a thank–you, but it turned into an awkward mess thanks to Charlotte, leaving Yara feeling she owed him one.

Seizing the moment, Yara said, “Last time was a bust, so how about a do–over? I’ll cook this time. You free?”

Solomon’s face lit up with unexpected delight as he nodded. “Absolutely! Wouldn’t miss it for the world!”

Her cooking was just that irresistible…

Meanwhile, Yale watched from a distance as Yara and Solomon chatted and laughed, walking off together. Rage boiled inside him, his eyes turning a fierce red, his grip on the steering wheel whitening.

He had been stewing since Jean mentioned their library–run–in, and with Rainle tight–lipped about her new address, the library was his only lead.

After a whole day of waiting, what did he get?

Yara cozying up to some guy–not even the same one from the restaurant.

What was she playing at?

If she was trying to get under his skin by parading around with other guys, well, mission accomplished! Yale’s heart boiled with frustration as he drove after them, shadowing the pair to the alley.

The place was a dump, with walls peeling and moss creeping everywhere, and the tight alleyway felt like it was squeezing the air right out of his lungs.

He remembered something Zachary had said about Yara’s rough living situation at the hospital. Yale had not pictured it being that bad.

The car could not squeeze through any further, so he parked at the alley’s entrance and continued on foot. Meanwhile, Yara, leading the way, did not have a clue she was being followed.