Chapter 38
Derek wheeled into the hall, leading the way. True to his introverted nature, he asked Jack to tuck him away in a dim corner. I couldn't help but scrutinize his brooding, handsome face, a spark of suspicion igniting in my mind. Was he trying to subtly glean details about me earlier? We had no history together, yet he kept inquiring about my whereabouts. Could this all be mere coincidence?
The hall buzzed with chatter and laughter; warm smiles adorned everyone celebrating Grandma's birthday. Grandma returned each greeting with her own graceful smile. Her eyes scanned the crowd, searching for me. And she wasn't alone—Chase was also looking for me.
Standing near Chase, I overheard my mother grumble quietly, "Amanda, honestly. How can she be so late? It's getting ridiculous. She's disrespecting her own grandmother's birthday."
"Mom, I'm sure something came up. How about I ask a friend in Cloudville to see if they can find out where she is?" Nicole offered, squeezing Mom's hand reassuringly.
"You're the best," Mom said, patting Nicole's hand gently.
Davin sidled up to Chase, nudging him and whispering, "Still not patched things up with Amanda? Where is she?"
Chase looked rattled, unsure how to explain to his father that we'd lost touch since my disappearance.
"She's on her way and should be here any minute," he replied.
"Go on, meet her at the door. Show her you care," Davin instructed.
"Alright," Chase agreed.
As Chase headed to the entrance, he spotted Derek sipping coffee in the corner. Their eyes met briefly, but Chase, clinging to his pride, didn't approach and continued outside. He was certain I was merely caught in traffic and wouldn't miss Grandma's birthday.
To tug at my heartstrings, he stood under a streetlamp, letting the snow accumulate. If the first thing I saw upon my return was him, transformed into a snowman just to greet me, all my anger would vanish, replaced by worry. He knew my heart too well and always knew how to manage my moods. In past arguments, he'd feign illness to make me worry, drawing me to his side. I would fuss over him, forgetting our tiff about Nicole.
However, this time, his act wouldn't work. I stood nearby, observing with detached curiosity to see how long he'd endure. Every thirty seconds or so, he glanced at his watch. He waited in the snow for fifteen minutes—his breaking point.
Little did he know that years ago, I had braved a blizzard to get him an amulet, enduring a cold so harsh it felt like knives on my skin. I returned that night with a raging fever, unbeknownst to him. I'd spent a whole day in the freezing cold, while he barely lasted fifteen minutes before retreating inside.
Nicole quickly rushed over to brush the snow from him, but Chase pushed her away, aware of the watching eyes. He was determined to maintain distance between them.
No one seemed particularly concerned. Mom checked the clock—it was time to cut the cake at seven, as planned. She leaned in to Grandma, whispering, "Mom, it's getting late. We should cut the cake now. Everyone's probably getting hungry." Grandma's eyes swept the room again, not finding me. Her face fell. "Let's wait a little longer. Amanda promised she'd be here to celebrate with me."