Three Years Later, He Came Back Begging novel Chapter 504

Lawrence took Bonnie on a winter getaway to Scandinavia to see the Northern Lights, returning just in time for the new semester. The second half of their freshman year was just as demanding, but the one thing the students anticipated most was the upcoming sketching trip. It was a tradition at The Cabinda University for students to travel to Verdania in April. As long as they completed the required number of architectural sketches, the rest of their time was theirs to enjoy. Bonnie had never traveled with such a large group of peers before. Influenced by the building excitement of her roommates, she found herself looking forward to it. Teaming up with Helen, she started preparing weeks in advance. They ordered a mountain of supplies online, having everything shipped to The Observatory. Every evening, Lawrence came home carrying towering stacks of boxes. However, Lawrence was in a thoroughly foul mood. For one, his birthday was fast approaching, and Bonnie hadn't shown a single sign of planning anything. Secondly, she was leaving for nearly half a month, and the thought of being away from her drove him crazy. Since they started dating, they had never been separated for that long. Even during the winter break, they had managed to see each other almost every day. Even if it was just sitting on a park bench near her house, at least he got to look at her. But now she was going all the way to Verdania. The worst part? Preston, the teaching assistant who harbored a massive, undisguised crush on Bonnie, was helping lead the trip. Just thinking about it made Lawrence's blood boil. But being annoyed didn't change the facts. Ever since her birthday, Bonnie had actively avoided Preston, ignoring his messages and pretending he didn't exist whenever they crossed paths. Her boundaries were crystal clear. The sketching trip was a mandatory part of her curriculum, so Lawrence was forced to swallow his frustration. All he could do was fast-track his own coursework and try to carve out a few days to visit her in Verdania. On the day of his birthday, he finished his classes and stepped out of the lecture hall, dialing Bonnie's number. According to her schedule, she should be in the studio building models. Remembering how she had gotten splinters the last time she worked on one, he planned to go help her. But before he could take more than a few steps, she texted him, telling him to head straight home. She also fired off a list of package pickup codes. Shaking his head in defeat, Lawrence made a detour to grab her mail. On the drive back, he stopped to buy her favorite fruits. By the time he reached his front door, his hands were so full of bags and boxes that the security camera couldn't even read his face. He was just about to drop everything on the floor when the door swung open. Bonnie stood there. "Oh, you're home early?" she asked, her eyes wide. She was wearing an apron and looked utterly frantic. Mumbling something about coming inside, she immediately spun around and sprinted back toward the kitchen. Lawrence tilted his head, catching a fleeting glimpse of her disappearing around the corner. Suspicious, he stepped inside. He dumped the packages in the entryway, kicked off his shoes, and washed his hands. The mouthwatering aroma of home-cooked food hit him instantly. His heart did a sudden, heavy flip. No way. Was she making him a birthday dinner? Well, at least she had a conscience. The dark clouds that had been hanging over his mood for days finally parted. Walking into the dining room, he saw a beautiful birthday cake sitting in the center of the table, flanked by a sleek gift box. "Candie..." Lawrence didn't rush to open the present. Instead, he walked into the kitchen, wrapped his arms tightly around her waist, and rested his chin on her shoulder, watching her stir a pan on the stove. "I thought you forgot." Bonnie let out a soft scoff. "Someone's been dropping not-so-subtle hints for days. How could I possibly forget? You would've eaten me alive." Lawrence dipped his head, nipping gently at her earlobe. "And would you let me?" Her cheeks flushed a pretty shade of pink. She nudged him away with her elbow. "Stop it. Go open your present and see if you like it." Unable to resist the swelling affection in his chest, he tangled his fingers in her hair and coaxed her into a deep, lingering kiss. Bonnie had to turn off the burner, gripping the edge of the counter as she melted against him. "I didn't buy you twenty gifts like you did for me," she warned softly when they finally broke apart. "It's just one, and it probably doesn't compare to the things in your closet. But you aren't allowed to say you don't like it, and you have to use it."