Chapter 10

Throughout the journey, he hadn't noticed my true thoughts.

He still thought I had just gone out for a brief break with my best friend.

"I'll pick you up later. Is everything packed up at home?"

Jaxon had already moved off-campus.

As a seasoned senior, he hardly needed to go to school anymore.

Plus, living in the same dorm room with Dashiell was indeed quite inconvenient.

"Yeah, it's all packed. Should I come pick you up instead?"

"Sure, that'd be great."

"Melody."

"What is it?"

"Today's Dashiell's birthday. He's throwing a party tonight and wants me to come... the kind where you bring your girlfriend."

Only then did I remember that Dashiell's birthday falls on Independence Day.

"Melody, would you be willing to come with me?"

I neither agreed nor refused.

I just felt quite conflicted inside.

It wasn't that I was unwilling to make our relationship public.

It's just that the Rutledge family would soon cut ties with me.