The Girl Next Door のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 1 - チャプター 10

He frowned. “There’s nothing you can eat near the classroom. Don’t skip meals just to make things difficult for me.”I hitched my backpack higher on my shoulder. “You’re overthinking it.”Selene pulled a packet of peanut butter crackers from her bag. “How about these?”Zane nodded, took the packet, and held it out to me. “Take them. Stop making a fuss.”I stared at the ingredients printed on the packaging.Back in elementary school, I’d broken out in hives after eating peanut butter during a school field trip. Zane had carried me all the way to the nurse’s office, his eyes red with worry the entire time.Now he’d forgotten.I didn’t take the crackers. Instead, I calmly said, “No, thanks. I’m allergic to peanuts.”Zane’s expression changed.Selene froze, too. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”Zane opened his mouth, then hesitated. “I forgot.”“I know.”“Vivian…”“Class is starting.”I walked past them toward the classroom building.Behind me, Selene asked quietly, “Does she hat

Ma’am Lauren asked another question.“Does your family know?”“Yes.”Last night, my mother had called me.“Vivian, if you want to go, then go. You can’t keep waiting for other people to decide your future for you. You’re grown up now. It’s time to take a path of your own.”I’d held my phone in silence for a long time.I dug my passport out of a drawer. Tucked beside it was an old train ticket.Back in our senior year of high school, when Zane accompanied me to my college entrance applications, he’d kept my ID and admission ticket in his breast pocket.“Vivian, just stay with me. I promise I won’t let you get lost.”I’d followed him for so long that I’d almost forgotten I could read a map myself.Ma’am Mitchell handed me the paperwork. “Your grades are good enough, and your language scores meet the requirements. But you have to leave by the day after tomorrow at the latest.”“I can do that.”On my way back to the dorm, Zane called.“Where are you?”“On campus.”“I’m downs

“You can borrow it for now.”He handed me the umbrella.“I’m Daniel Hayes.”“I’m Vivian Lane.”“Vivian?”He mispronounced my name.I corrected him once.He repeated it slowly, trying to get it right.For some reason, I thought of Zane.He had never mispronounced my name.But now, he couldn’t even reach me.“Vivian, don’t hang up.”Zane’s voice came through the phone while I was shopping for bread at the supermarket.The caller ID showed Mom’s number. It was only after I answered that I realized she’d handed her phone to him.“Why did you go to my house?”“Your mom said you’d call her today.”“So you were waiting around for me to call?”“I just wanted to hear you say something.”I put the bread in my shopping basket.“Now you’ve heard me.”“Where are you?”“On campus.”“Which university?”“Zane.”“I asked which university.”His voice dropped low.“It wouldn’t matter if I told you.”“Why wouldn’t it? I could come find you.”“I don’t need you to.”“You’re alon

Zane looked up at him.“This is between Vivian and me. You don’t need to get involved.”Daniel ignored him and looked only at me.I pulled my hand free.“It’s fine.”Zane’s hand dropped to his side, his fingers curling inward.I handed Daniel the food container.“Thanks for the soup.”Daniel took it.“Don’t forget our group discussion this afternoon.”“Okay.”After he left, Zane asked quietly, “Group discussion? You’re in the same group as him?”“Yeah.”“Vivian, are you doing this just to make me jealous?”“I’m here to attend classes. Group assignments are normal.”“But you never used to do this.”“There are a lot of things I never used to do.”He stared at me for a long moment, unable to respond.“What do you want me to do?”“Go home.”“Anything but that.”“There’s nothing else.”Zane fell silent for a long time before setting the insulated bag at my feet.“Take the chestnuts. Consider this trip a waste of time if you want, but at least don’t make me take them b

He sent another message.“You once said we’d watch the first snowfall of the year together.”I didn’t reply.A few minutes later, he sent me a voice message.“Vivian, I went to that little diner we used to visit all the time. The owner still remembers you. He asked why you hadn’t been around lately. I ordered your favorite beef and tomato stew, without the cilantro.”He paused.“I’d eaten half of it before I remembered that you’re not here anymore.”“How did I ever convince myself you’d always be there?”I stopped the recording.Daniel asked, “Your ex?”I shook my head.“No.”“Then what is he?”I thought for a moment.“An old habit.”Daniel nodded.“Old habits can be broken.”“Yeah.”“I used to have old habits, too. Staying up late, skipping breakfast, and thinking I was better off alone.”“What happened?”“Then I met someone.”I lowered my eyes to my book.“That person sounds unlucky.”“Pretty unlucky,” he said with a chuckle. “Got lost on her first day and kept