Chapter 3

Clarence's POV

After dinner, everyone left the restaurant and said their goodbyes, gathering in small groups by the roadside to wait for their rides. I naturally walked toward Serena's car and reached for the front passenger door handle.

Blake scurried over from the other side and nudged me out of the way. He smiled and explained, "Let me sit in the front. I get carsick easily, so I can't sit in the back."

With that, he pulled open the door, slid inside, and buckled his seatbelt. He did it in one swift motion, as if he had done it countless times before.

Then, he turned to Serena. "Let's go, Rena."

Serena glanced at me and casually said, "Blake really does get carsick. You should sit in the back."

I pressed my lips together and opened the rear door.

Soon, the car pulled away.

Blake casually popped open the glove compartment and pulled out a packet of nuts. He shelled a few for himself and held one up to Serena's lips. "Open up."

She lowered her head and ate the nut straight from his fingers, her lips brushing his fingertips.

"Jonah and the others are planning to go to that new campsite next weekend, Rena. Are you going?" Blake asked.

"Yeah, I'm going. It's been a while since I've gone anywhere," she replied.

"In that case, I'm going too. You'll still be driving this SUV, right? I'll ride with you."

"Sure. I'll pick you up then."

Blake chuckled. "It's a deal then. Don't bail on me again!"

With that, he reached out and poked her arm.

Sitting in the back seat, listening to them hash out their plans for the following weekend, I dug my fingernails deep into my palms. The camping trip with Jonah Hayes and their other mutual friends was news to me. Serena had never mentioned it to me.

While we were stopped at a red light, Blake pulled out his phone and showed Serena something. "I'm so annoyed. Zack's hounding me about the proposal again. Look at the requirements he sent. Isn't he out of his mind?"

Serena glanced at what Zack Foster, Blake's superior, had sent and responded, "Stick to standard logic and don't let him throw you off course."

He put his phone away and sighed. "You're the only one who gets me. When I talk to other people, none of them understand what I'm upset about!"

When we got close to Serena's place, Blake suddenly started coughing. Initially, it was light, as though his throat was irritated. However, it soon became more frequent and strained.

He clutched his chest and leaned back against the seat. He forced out, "Rena… I can't breathe…"

Serena immediately slowed down and pulled over, her tone instantly shifting. "Where's your medication? Did you bring your inhaler?"

Blake shook his head, his breathing growing more labored. "I… I forgot it…"

Serena reached over to pat his back with practiced ease. She turned her body, keeping one hand on the steering wheel while stroking his back up and down with the other.

After gasping for air a few times, Blake suddenly turned his head to look at me in the back seat and frowned.

"Did you spray some kind of cologne? I really can't stand it…"

"I'm not wearing any cologne," I responded.

He ignored me and started coughing even harder before curling up in his seat. Serena shot me an annoyed look, as if she was asking me why I was being so unreasonable. "Clarence, are you sure you didn't spray anything?"

"I didn't."

She didn't press me any further. Then, she looked out the window and remained silent for a few seconds before announcing, "We're not far from my place. Clarence, why don't you walk home?"

Before I could even process what was happening, she had already gotten out of the car and opened the rear passenger door for me. The cold night air whipped in, hitting my face and making me shudder.

I got out of the car and stood by the curb. The moment the door slammed shut, I heard Blake's faint voice. "Rena… let's go to the emergency room… I feel awful…"

I watched the car disappear into the distance. Suddenly, I found the whole situation absurd.

The streets were deserted late at night. I was wearing a thin jacket, and the wind blew right through it.

I didn't want to go back to Serena's place. However, the original property deed was still on the desk in her study.

It was the original document Mom had urged me several times to have sent from our hometown, and I only had this one copy. If I didn't go back for it, her trip to the notary's office would've been for nothing.

I hailed a cab and gave the driver Serena's address.