Chapter 2

"Go find Gordon and tell him you don't want to room with a guy. Ask for a female roommate or a single room, and say you'll cover the difference," Ivan said in a low voice.

He kept his eyes straight ahead and didn't even glance my way.

I was texting my parents to let them know I'd arrived safely.

"Why?" I asked Ivan without even bothering to look up.

"What do you mean, 'why?' You're not single, so how can you room with another guy?"

"And what about you? Are you single?"

Ivan's fingers paused, and he sounded oddly annoyed when he said, "These rules were set from the beginning. All I'm doing is respecting the outcome of the draw."

"Yeah, I'm doing the same thing too," I replied softly.

His brow furrowed. But before he could say anything, I took my key card and turned away.

I'd only taken a few steps when Gordon announced loudly, "Everyone, meet in the media room in half an hour. I already booked it out. Let's take a trip down memory lane and watch the documentary from our freshman year sports day."

Instead of stopping, I just hitched up the strap of my small bag.

They might as well have called the freshman year sports documentary "Ivan's Grand Pursuit of Rebecca".

In the media room, the table was laden with snacks and fruit. The moment Ivan sat down, he placed the strawberries right in front of Rebecca.

The classmate next to him, Ruth Conrad, snickered. "Ivan, here you go playing favorites again. You know Rebecca loves strawberries, so you save the whole plate just for her."

The others joined in the teasing.

Rebecca, shy and embarrassed, pushed the plate toward the center.

"Everyone, please have some. Ivan bought me a lot of strawberries. If it's not enough, I'll have him go back to the room to get more."

But Ivan pulled the plate back, smiling gently. "Yeah, I'll go get more. You eat up first."

With that, he got up and left.

The teasing in the media room instantly hit the roof.

"Rebecca says one word, and Ivan jumps to do it—he's a total henpecked boyfriend."

Rebecca was eating a strawberry with a small smile when she suddenly said, "Candice, I remember you love strawberries too. When Ivan brings them over later, make sure you eat some."

The door opened. Ivan walked in carrying two plates of strawberries and set them both down in front of Rebecca.

He also knew I loved strawberries.

Over the past three years, I'd bought strawberries countless times, and just as many times I'd heard him frown and say, "Don't eat so many. Strawberries are so sweet. You'll break out in pimples again."

I casually picked up an orange and heard Gordon ask me, "Candice, where's Elias?"

Everyone looked over.

I didn't look up as I peeled the orange. "He had something urgent to take care of."

"Looks like you two are a lost cause," Gordon replied, sounding disappointed. "But no worries, the other couple is sure to work out."

Ivan's gaze lingered on me for a moment, then moved away.

"The documentary's starting."

His voice was slightly breathy as he casually handed Rebecca a strawberry, as if it were second nature.

The documentary was two hours long. Everyone was thoroughly entertained. Every time Ivan or Rebecca appeared on screen, they laughed and teased them.

"Ivan's wiping Rebecca's sweat again. She's just running 50 yards, and you're following her closer than the cameraman."

"Look—he's prepared bottled water, a little fan, and even sunscreen for her."

"Rebecca, Ivan chased you so hard back then that the whole school knew about it. How could you possibly hold out and not accept him? You made him stay single for four years, and he was still hung up on you by the time graduation rolled around."

Rebecca looked at Ivan, her eyes growing a bit misty. "I didn't think college relationships would last, so I wanted to wait until after graduation. I never imagined he'd wait for me that long."

One of the guys egged Ivan on. "Ivan, those four years must have been really hard on you, right?"

Ivan gazed back at Rebecca and gave a slight nod. "It was alright."

In just three years lay four years of patience and love.

Sighs of admiration rose around the room. I was the only one laughing inwardly.

How could it be hard on him? After six months of his grand pursuit of Rebecca went nowhere, he'd turned his attention to tennis.

I was the star player of the school tennis team. He'd asked me to be his coach for six months, and by the start of sophomore year, he'd confessed to me.

So, of course it was alright for him. Our relationship might not have been public, but we were happy and having a good time together.