All Chapters of Baited by Love: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

The next day at noon, I slipped into a light blue dress and put on light makeup. In the mirror, I saw a soft, sweet version of myself.The restaurant Marcus had chosen was near the school, with a quiet atmosphere.When I arrived, he was already waiting. He was dressed in a white shirt and wore gold-rimmed glasses, looking neat and composed.I walked over with a smile. "Hey, Mr. Perfect."Marcus looked up and froze for a moment when he saw me. Then, he rose to his feet. "You're here. Have a seat."I slid into the chair across from him and took the menu."What are you in the mood for?" I asked."Anything's fine," he answered, a hint of nervousness in his voice. "You pick."I chose a few dishes and handed the menu back to the server.Silence settled between us while we waited. Marcus kept his head down, his fingers drumming unconsciously on the table, and his ears were faintly red.Suddenly, I called out, "Mr. Perfect."Marcus looked up at me. "Yeah?""Is there something you w

I stared at the message for a long time, and a sudden urge to cry rose in me. It wasn't from sadness, but because I was deeply moved. Valerie was really good to me.I texted back, "Thank you, sweetie."With that, I put my phone away and closed my eyes. Images of Marcus and Asher surfaced in my mind. One was calm and refined, while the other carried a bold, roguish edge.Just thinking about them sent a restless thrill through me. Still, I had to take things slowly. I couldn't rush it. After all, the real show had to be played out one scene at a time. …The next morning, I went to school as usual.The moment I stepped into the classroom, something felt off. My classmates were looking at me with a mix of sympathy and curiosity. I pretended not to notice and took my seat.Right then, Valerie leaned over and whispered, "Sabby, are you really okay?""I'm fine," I replied with a smile. "But you… Why do you look like you're about to cry?"She took my hand before saying, "I just hat

An hour later, we finished going over everything.As Marcus packed up his things, he pulled out a small box and handed it to me. "This is for you."I took the box and opened it. Inside was a delicate silver bookmark, engraved with a tiny flower."It's beautiful," I said with a smile. "Thanks, Mr. Perfect."His ears turned red as he replied, "You're welcome. I just saw it and thought it was perfect for you, so I bought it."I put the bookmark away and winked at Marcus. "You're being awfully nice to me, Mr. Perfect. Don't tell me you have feelings for me?"He froze, his face burning red. "I-I don't—"I chuckled and rose to my feet. "Just kidding. It's getting late. I'd better head back.""Oh, okay." He nodded hastily. …By the time I stepped out of the library, dusk had already fallen. I hummed a little tune as I headed toward the dorms. Suddenly, someone stepped into my path.Caleb stood beneath a streetlight, his expression dark. "Do you enjoy talking to him?""Were you

Asher snapped his head around, his ears turning red. Then, he stammered, "W-What are you talking about?""I was just asking," I said with a smile. "You're overreacting a bit, Ash. Could it actually be true?"He looked away. "No… Don't jump to conclusions."I stared at his profile and decided not to press further. Moments later, I rose to my feet. "Alright, got it. It's getting late. Let's head back."Asher stood up as well, brushing the dust off his pants. "Let's go."He rode slowly on the way back.I leaned against his back, breathing in the faint scent of tobacco. And somehow, I felt at ease. "Ash," I said suddenly."Yeah?""Thanks for bringing me here."He fell silent for a beat, then replied, "You're welcome.""If I'm ever feeling down again, can I come see you?" I asked. "Anytime."I smiled and wrapped my arms tightly around his waist. …By the time we reached the campus gate, it was already 8:00 pm. I got off the motorcycle and handed Asher the helmet. "I had

Unease gnawed at me as I looked at Caleb. This wasn't how he usually was. "Caleb, calm down," I urged, forcing my voice to stay steady. "Let's talk this through."His grip tightened, and pain shot through my wrist. "Let go of me first, then we can talk," I added.His eyes were red-rimmed as he said, "No. Sabrina, how can you be so heartless?"I took a deep breath, forcing down the irritation rising inside me. Then, I asked, "What do you want?""I want you back," Caleb answered, staring at me. "I want us to start over. I promise I won't treat you the way I did before."I looked him straight in the eye. "But I don't want to. It's over between us.""Over?"Out of nowhere, he laughed, and the sound of it was unsettling. "Sabrina, do you really think saying it's over makes it so?"All at once, alarm bells went off in my head. "Snap out of it, Caleb!"He dragged me toward the corner of the rooftop, saying, "I know exactly what I'm doing. You're going to give me an answer today