Billionaire's Childhood Love

LXVIII. Charity Work

Hailey's POV:

The holidays came and went. Soon, I found myself standing in front of Pandora Academy again. This time, without Josh. I cannot believe I’ve been here for nearly half a year.

I roll my suitcase towards the large building. Austin was the first person I recognized. He smiles, “Hey, Hailey. How’s the holiday?”

“Good. And you?”

“Good!”

We exchange a few more sentences before more students arrive and talk to him. Silently, I faded away. I press a button inside the elevator and twirl the cell phone inside my pocket.

Josh hadn’t called me as frequently as he did during a school break. Maybe, it’s because we had been spending half a year together, so he needs some time alone. That’s the excuse I had told myself over the break. Even when we talked over the phone, it was brief; barely any sentences were exchanged.

I saw it on TV before. This is how friendship fades, and soon when we start college, we’ll go our separate ways.

Josh would go to an ivy league school.

I would enter a regular university.

He would be at the top of his class.

While I struggle to pass mine.

He knows what he wants to do in the future.

And I would still search for my life goal.

Maybe it was for the best that I didn’t confess. With the separated time between us, I realized that Josh and I didn’t have many things in common. If it weren’t for our parents, we would be two people living in entirely different worlds.

Somehow, even if we get together, reality would catch up.

There it is again.

The unsettling sensation inside my stomach. I want to throw up.

I lost eight pounds over the break.

People gain weight.

I lost them.

The more I lose, the better I feel.

I’m pathetic. I know.

“Had a good holiday, bionda?” I didn’t expect Ricardo to be the second person I know to greet me. I thought somehow I would see him in a few days. But, there he stands, in a dark trench coat with a blue suitcase.

I smile faintly, “Yeah.”

He did something I didn’t expect. Ricardo places his warm hand on my cheek. “You lost weight.” I didn’t think anyone would notice.

“Did I?” I tried to brush it off.

“Don’t do that,” he said. “Don’t make it sound like it doesn’t matter.” I can hear it—the pain behind his voice.

“Your holiday. Did it not go well?”

Ricardo lowers his palm and exhales sharply. “Not as well as I wanted it to be.”