Chapter 1

Kelly Campbell only realized two hours later that I was no longer around.

Her ringtone was a foreign rock song. I disliked it and had even joked on several occasions that she should change it to the chill music I preferred.

Kelly was repulsed. Her cold tone made the song replay in my head.

"Must I do everything you say?"

Feeling awkward, I immediately apologized.

Just now, my best friend, Hayden Zachary, had posted to his social media.

[LOL! I've listened to that song I recommended to some idiot three months ago so many times that I'm sick of it, yet she's still using it.]

Kelly had replied three minutes ago.

[Who are you calling an idiot?!]

Hayden had replied quickly: [I'm talking about you!]

My phone kept ringing with incoming calls.

I suddenly felt like laughing. How could she string two men along at the same time?

Noticing that I did not answer her calls, she switched to texting me.

Kelly kept complaining: [Where on earth have you gone? Stop making a fuss, okay? It's late at night, and I'm really tired.]

The driver spoke to me again, sounding genuinely terrified. "You don't know this, but there was a robbery at that very station just two days ago. The victim died, and the whole city was in a panic. That's why I was so shaken when I picked you up today. If I were your parents, I'd be worried sick all night."

My fingers twitched, and my gaze returned to my phone screen.

[How could you be so inconsiderate? I was just a little late picking you up. Hayden's a guest and also your best friend. What's wrong with accommodating him?]

My hand trembled uncontrollably, and my heart ached as if a knife was scraping across it.

The driver noticed my reddened eyes and panicked, quickly comforting me, "I'm sorry, kid. I said too much."

I shook my head, my eyes still red, suddenly feeling a sense of relief. "No. I should be thanking you."

After a pause, Kelly sent another message when I did not reply.

[Never mind. I can't keep coddling you. You can calm down on your own.]

Out of her 28 messages, 27.5 were accusations against me, and the last 0.5 was about not being able to keep coddling me.

A wave of drowsiness washed over me, so I turned off my phone and fell asleep immediately.

When I woke up, I was already home. Seeing how tired I was, the driver let me sleep for three hours in the car, so I paid him an extra $100.

He was delighted. He reminded me when he left, "Young man, hurry back and change your shoes. They're soaked!"

Touched, I replied, "Okay."