Despite the freezing weather, a layer of panicked sweat broke out on Lawrence's forehead. He looked at Bonnie in sheer horror, then down at the expensive-looking box in his hands. Gritting his teeth, he sprinted down the stairs after the girl.
Bonnie watched him catch up to her. She couldn't hear what he was saying, but she saw the girl snatch the gift back and hurry away, her head bowed in humiliation.
It was clearly a failed confession, yet for some inexplicable reason, a bitter, sour ache bloomed in Bonnie's chest.
She pressed her lips together, clutching the stack of exams tightly, and turned to leave. But before she could take three steps, a hand clamped around her arm, dragging her back into the secluded corner of the stairwell.
There was no one around. No security cameras, either.
Lawrence immediately let go of her arm. His face was violently red as he practically pleaded, "Bonnie, it was a total misunderstanding! Please don't overthink it. I was rejecting her! Even if you hadn't walked in, I was going to turn her down!"
Bonnie hadn't been overthinking it, but his frantic desperation sparked a deeply inappropriate thought in her mind.
Was he... terrified that *she* would misunderstand?
But she wasn't his girlfriend.
Bonnie bit her lip. "Why are you explaining this to me? It's none of my business."
Lawrence choked. It felt like a boulder had just dropped into his stomach. He nodded awkwardly, scrambling for an excuse. "I just... I just really hope you don't tell your mom about this..."
The strange, restless flutter in Bonnie's chest instantly died. Oh. He was just afraid she would snitch to Shirley and get him in trouble for dating.
"I know. I won't say anything."
She didn't look at him. She turned to walk away with the exams, but the very next second, he grabbed her sleeve again.
She looked up into a face that was burning bright red.



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