The Prince and The Wolf

XXVIII

Chapter 28: New Gain

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He was waiting for her, at his desk. He wasn't absent today.

And Min couldn't stop smiling.

They had a lesson today, since the teacher instructed that the project was now something they do after class. But that didn't stop the butterflies from starting in her stomach. She finally had a place she could find him, the grocery store. A place you would never expect to find love in. Min sighed to herself. How strange we are.

Carl felt embarrassed, an annoyed expression adorning his features. He was sitting in the class he had the slimmest liking to, and yet he wasn't entirely hating it. He usually skipped this class.

She did this to him.

His frown deepened as the teacher accidentally made eye contact with him. The teacher flinched and quickly looked away. He cast his gaze down to his desk, running a hand through his hair. He snuck a peek at the girl beside him. She was leaning on her hand, a half-smile tugging at her lips.

Almost smug.

He rested his gaze on her, raking his eyes over her. She yawned, and he felt the need to yawn too. He looked away before she noticed that he was staring.

Min glanced over, Carl was yawning. Is he tired too? I wonder if he finds this class boring.

Then, their eyes met.

Min felt herself blush as she looked back at the board. She looked back at him after a moment, he had been staring at her all this time! Biting down her nervousness, she wrote something on a slip of paper and slid it over to him.

He glanced down at the paper and then back at her, tilting his head.

GOD, I SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN A PICTURE OF THAT. She made motions for him to open it up while biting back a smile.

Carl's eyes skimmed through the message. You came today? Haha, someone's keeping their word, shockingly. She wrote in small letters, he raised an eyebrow and got his pen to write a message back.

Why wouldn't I keep my word? He wrote back and slipped the paper back onto her desk, staring at the board with a nonchalant expression.

She was giddy, taking in his words. She giggled quietly to herself, writing something down. Aww, you're willing to spend time with the girl who gave you a donut.

He read the words with a small pout, glancing at her, he noticed she was smiling at the board. Payback. He wrote simply and slid the piece of paper back to her.

This is like texting. She wrote.

Yeah. Simple reply again.

Actually, do you have a phone? For project purposes only!!!

He glanced down at the message, and then at her. After writing something, he gave the paper back. Her heart pounding, she wondered what he had written. The dismissal bell rang, and she stood up before she could read it, the paper securely in her palm.

He got his bag and moved to leave.

She opened up the paper, and her eyes widened. Her head instantly shot up and she found Carl's eyes staring back at her.

And he smiled knowingly. Briefly, before he walked out.

It's his number!?

---

Min spent the rest of her day in aftershock. Her mind seems to be blank except for: his number, he gave it to me. She could barely focus on the few classes she had left. It was only after Kristy smacked her on the arm that she flinched and snapped out of the blank stare.

"What's wrong with you?" She asked. "You look dead."

She turned and stared at Kristy, and then she took Kristy's hands in her own. Kristy looked shocked.

"I have his number." She whispered. Kristy made a face of confusion.

Then Min jumped up and down and ran off, then ran back to Kristy with a huge smile on her face. "Yes!" She squealed, shaking Kristy by the shoulders.

"I'm scared." Kristy commented.

And then Min stopped laughing and her face turned panicked, she abruptly stopped shaking Kristy. "What do I do!? I have his number! Do I text him? Do I call him? Is this a prank? A dream?"

Kristy gave her a flat face. "Why don't you call to make sure it's the right number first?"

"You mean..." Min flushed red. "I get to hear his voice... over the phone!?"

"Yes, Min, yes."

---

Kade spent the rest of his day suppressing his irritation. On his way home, he was itching to text Min like he used to, so freely. Then he remembered that he had destroyed his phone. Even if he was able to text her without the scrutiny of his mother from god-knows-where, he had no phone to text with.

He was used to the façade he adorned now, but for some reason, it was especially unbearable today. He had to go on the rest of the day avoiding Min in every way possible, keeping his eyes away from her. Chloe was absolutely delighted, and Kade smiled through clenched teeth as he went about his merry way.

Heading home made Kade feel like he was a lamb heading to the slaughterhouse. Mercilessly. That expression usually doesn't cross his mind, but now he felt it was the most appropriate time to use it.

Finally, he was walking down the lavish halls that echoed his footsteps. Everything in this house is empty. He thought to himself bitterly and finally met the eyes of his mother.

He lowered his head.

"Welcome home, Kade."

And the doors shut close.

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