Chapter 10: Morning Light

The next morning, I was woken by my phone. As soon as I opened my eyes, I saw Jason’s ghostly face. He was very close—so close I could see his pupils contract and his lashes tremble. He hadn’t expected the phone to ring, nor for me to suddenly open my eyes. A hint of panic flashed in his eyes. Then he jerked back, averted his gaze, and spoke awkwardly.

"Rachel, you grind your teeth in your sleep."

"Grind my teeth?"

After all these years, it was the first time I’d seen Jason look almost shy. I couldn’t help but laugh.

Then I lifted the comforter, got up, and walked barefoot toward him. The wood floor was cold against my feet, and the sky outside the window was still pale and streaked with winter gray.

Deliberately, I let my gaze travel slowly from his eyes to his lips. "If you don’t explain, I’d think you were about to kiss me just now."

Sure enough, he couldn’t take being teased at seventeen. With one sentence, his eyes widened and he backed away repeatedly.

Luckily, the second round of ringing came just in time. He was relieved. "Phone’s ringing. Answer it."

After that, he didn’t dare stay a second longer and escaped through the wall. Seeing Jason so lively, I wanted to laugh. But I couldn’t. Because the call was from my mom.

As expected, as soon as I answered, her scolding came in waves.

"Rachel, what was wrong with you last night? You didn’t answer my calls or reply to messages. I finally got young Mr. Michael to check on you, and you made him angry? Your Uncle West’s project still depends on the Michael family. Don’t you know how to behave? I heard young Mr. Michael has a gathering the day after tomorrow. Go too, apologize, you hear?"

See? That’s my mom. Where I go, what I do—she doesn’t know, doesn’t care. But she knows Michael’s every move.

I wanted to say I wouldn’t go. I didn’t want to get married, either. But thinking of the endless nagging I’d face if I said it—I swallowed the words.

"Okay."

Looking in the direction where Jason disappeared, I thought, Some things are better said to Michael himself. But as I watched Jason’s shadow flicker in the morning light, I wondered if I was finally ready to say them out loud.