Chapter 3

"Angie!"

Zachary caught up with Angeline at the door of the club. He wanted to grab her arm to stop her from leaving, but just before he was about to touch Angeline's winter jacket, he stopped himself. Instead, he took a few more huge steps forward and got in her way.

"Have you already moved out of the apartment?"

"Yeah."

Angeline's eyes were downcast. She hid half her face under her fluffy white scarf.

Since she'd made up her mind tht she was giving up on Ned, naturally, she would also want to leave the apartment that was filled with memories of them.

"Then, where will you be staying at for the next few days?"

Zachary didn't give Angeline a chance to lie. Without missing a beat, he continued, "I went looking for you at Oceanford College yesterday because your roommate told me your family was waiting for you in your room. You don't have a place to return to anymore, do you? You also didn't come looking for us. Did you go to the Lawsons instead?"

As soon as he brought up the Lawsons, Angeline felt a prick in her heart. She looked up and stared into Zachary's eyes, saying, "Thank you for your concern and standing up for me just now. But I know my place. We come from different worlds, only meeting because of Ned. Since I'm not with Ned anymore, Of course, I can't go bothering his friends either, can I?"

Even Zachary felt hurt by Angeline's curt words.

He reached out trying to grab a hold of Angeline who kept avoiding him. The coat that was tied around her waist slid to the ground, but Zachary didn't bother picking it up for her. Instead, he firmly grabbed Angeline's arms and asked, "Must you hurt me with your words like that?"

"If only I never woke up from my coma, none of these would have happened," Angeline said calmly and robotically while looking at Zachary, who had a dumbfounded look on his face.

"I'm sorry," she continued, "I shouldn't have woken up and caused such a huge mess in your lives. I'll leave Oceanford as soon as possible. I'm sure this is what everyone wants."

Angeline had stayed with the Fletchers since she was ten years old. She befriended Zachary at school and grew up with him as a friend.

In the past, Angeline thought that they were all her childhood friends. She'd treated them as such.

Zachary opened his mouth to refute. His eyes were red as he said hoarsely, "Y-You heard everything? We didn't mean it like that!"

"Zach! Angie!"

Hearing Ingrid's voice, Angeline hurriedly shook her arms free from Zachary's grip. She then bent down to grab the coat from the ground and handed it to Zachary, who'd turned his head around to greet Ingrid.

Ingrid was wearing a mask on the lower half of her face. She had long, luscious curls that fell around her waist. She held her winter coat in her arms as she'd just gotten out of her MPV. Even with half her mask obscured, Ingrid looked like a brightly-shining jewel.

This was the first time Ingrid saw Angeline since the spiking incident.

Ingrid didn't look the least bit uncomfortable to approach Angeline. In fact, she went up to her and said, "Knowing you, I'm certain that you couldn't have been the one who did it. Angie, have you thought of lodging a police report?"

Angeline thought it was rather ironic.

Ned didn't believe her. Neither did the people whom she once thought to be her friends. On the contrary, Ingrid was the one who believed her.

It didn't matter whether Ingrid meant what she said or not. She was always the first person to tell Angeline that she believed her.

"Thanks. I've already made the report," Angeline replied. She then pressed her lips together and said, "Ms. Dalton, I wish you all the best with Ned. I hope you'll both be happy forever."

A stunned expresson appeared on Ingrid's face. She gripped the gift bag in her hands a little tighter. "Has Ned remembered everything?"

Angeline shook her head. "I'm the one who gave up on him."

"Baby!"

Ned's delighted voice was accompanied with his light, happy footsteps. He was happily rushing down the stairs as he ran toward Ingrid.

He hurriedly yanked Ingrid away from Angeline. His heart was drumming against his chest. He was extremely worried that Angeline might have told Ingrid something she shouldn't.