Chapter 88: To Love You More Clearly
She pulled Evelyn down behind the curtain without a second thought, ignoring the puzzled stares from the other candidates.
So what if they were watching?
Let them wonder why the cold-hearted Verena was suddenly cradling her supposed rival.
"V-Verena?..." Evelyn blinked, half on the verge of tears, half stunned. "Y-You said you wouldn’t talk to me anymore..."
"I know," Verena sighed, brushing some hair from Evelyn’s face. "But hey... sometimes, even a little support makes the pressure suck less, right?"
It hadn’t even been that long ago. It was just yesterday when Verena had held Evelyn’s lifeless body for five days straight, stewing in grief, rage, and the kind of regret that made her soul rot itself.
She couldn’t stand it. No matter how much Evelyn annoyed her with her dependence, cutting her off had been cruel.
To love meant offering a shoulder. And to be loved? It meant letting yourself lean on one.
She wasn’t in love with Evelyn. No. But the ache of loneliness had gnawed at her long enough.
So Verena leaned in, lips brushing gently against Evelyn’s forehead. A rare, tender gesture. "I don’t hate you. I never did. I’ll always be your good friend, okay? Remember what I showed you? Your future. So go claim it."
A few students audibly squealed.