Chapter 73: Melting Under His Gaze
"Don’t ever doubt yourself, Thea," Grandma Grace race said, her voice warm and encouraging. " Believe in yourself.."
"Guess who gave us the awards?" Thea asked, raising her eyebrows.
"Who?" Grandma Grace asked, curious.
"Ryder! He was the special guest of honor. I couldn’t believe I was receiving a prize from him," Thea said, still in awe.
"Did he attend the event?" Grandma Grace was surprised.
"Yes, he did. He got the invitation just a few days ago." Thea explained.
"Then you must have felt wonderful receiving the prize from him, right?"Grandma Grace nudged her, a smile spreading across her face.
"Yes...I felt happy," Thea uttered, her response barely above a whisper, her eyes gazing off into the distance.
Grandma Grace’s expression turned playful. "Do you like Ryder, dear?"
"Yes.." Thea answered quickly, her cheeks flushing with a soft pink hue.
"Grandma...I mean...don’t get me wrong," Thea added hastily, coming back to her senses."What’s wrong with liking him?"Grandma Grace asked, her smile warm and knowing.
"Grandma...how did you...you came to know?" Thea asked, looking surprise.
"Don’t forget, I was once your age too," Grandma Grace teased. "Besides, it’s written all over your face."
"From when did you notice, Grandma?" Thea asked, her curiosity piqued.
"A long time ago," Grandma Grace chuckled. "At first, I noticed how you felt whenever you were with him. The way your face lights up when he’s around... I thought you might like him. But now, the cat’s already out of the bag."
"Was it that noticeable?" Thea silently murmured to herself, her eyes cast downward in a mix of surprise and embarrassment.
Grandma Grace chuckled, her voice warm and knowing. "No dear, I just assumed and you uttered out.."Thea’s gaze lifted, her eyes meeting her grandma.
Grandma Grace’s expression turned nostalgic. "It reminded me of your mother when she was around your age and fell in love with your father."she continued, a faraway look in her eyes, "Her expression was just like yours. It reminded me of her,her face would light up just like yours does when you think of Ryder."
"The way your mother’s eyes would sparkle, her whole face radiating happiness...it’s like I’m seeing it all again in you, dear."
"Grandma, please don’t let others know about it." Thea whispered in her ears.
Grandma Grace’s smile was reassuring. "Don’t worry, dear, your secret is safe with me. I won’t breathe a word without your knowledge."
Thea’s gaze dropped, nodding her head.
Grandma Grace’s expression turned warm and encouraging. "Ryder is a good guy, Thea. You’ve known each other for a long time, and his family adores you like one of their own. I would be at peace if you became a part of their family."
Thea’s eyes lifted, meeting Grandma Grace’s with a hint of surprise."If you both love each other, then I would give you two my blessings," she said, her voice filled with warmth and approval.
"Go to your room, I’m preparing something for you to eat,"Grandma Grace said, sending Thea upstairs.
She headed to her room, remembering she needed to update Charlotte about the competition. She pulled out her phone and dialed Charlotte’s number.
After a few rings, the call was answered.
"Hello Charlotte." Thea was the first to answered.
But instead of Charlotte’s response, a deep male voice came on the line, "Hello?"
Thea was taken aback. "Who’s this?"
’ I thought I called Charlotte.’
She double-checked her phone’s screen to confirm she had dialed Charlotte’s number correctly, wondering if she had accidentally called a wrong number.
"She’s busy." the man replied.
Thea’s curiosity turned to concern. "Who are you? Why are you answering her phone?"
The man’s response was brief, "I’m her friend."
Thea didn’t press the issue. "Tell her to call me back.." she said, before hanging up the call.
Thea wondered who the mysterious man was and why he was involved with Charlotte, but she didn’t have time to dwell on it. She had to focus on sharing her exciting news with Charlotte as soon as possible.
Thea was lying on her back ,reading an article, when her phone rang. She glanced at the caller ID and answered, "Now at this time you’re calling me back?"
Charlotte laughed on the other end. "Oh, Thea, it totally slipped my mind!"
Thea’s curiosity took overand she inquired,"Who was that man who answered your phone earlier?"
"That’s Ryan," Charlotte replied. "I was visiting his parents, and I think he answered your call when I forgot to take my phone downstairs with me."
Thea teased, "Oh no, so your beloved answered my phone call! What if I told him something, thinking it was you?"
As she continued to chat, Thea flipped through the article on her bed.Charlotte asked, "How was the competition?"
Thea playfully replied, "What do you think?"
Charlotte joked, "You won the last prize, right?"
Thea chuckled. "No, ma’am. Your guess is wrong.My art received second position."
Charlotte exclaimed, "Wow, second prize! I told you your art could catch the judges’ attention."Thea added, "You know, the judges were distinguished figures."
Charlotte asked, "Wait, who was there?"
Thea revealed, "Even Madam Kim congratulated me and gave me her card."
Charlotte’s voice rose in surprise. "What?Wait... Madam Kim...you mean Rachel Kim? Was she there?"
Thea confirmed, "Yes, she was one of the judges."
"I’m a huge fan of hers," Charlotte said. "I wish I could’ve seen her in person. I heard she just returned from abroad."
"So, you’re coming back in two days?" Thea asked."Yes, my flight is already booked for that day," Charlotte replied.
Charlotte teased, "Wait, are you going to give me a treat?"She continued to play along, "Why wouldn’t you give me a treat? I’m your only best friend, so I’m eligible!"
The latter feigned innocence, "Why would I do that?"
"Hold on, I have to go. He’s calling me."
Thea assumed, "He means Ryder? Say hello from me!"
Charlotte corrected her, "No, call from my father."
Thea joked, "Oops,my bad.. I thought it was your beloved Ryan, whom you miss so much."
Charlotte warned, "Thea, don’t mess with my mind! When I return, I’ll show you..."
Thea chuckled out, "I’m just kidding!" She enjoyed annoying her friend.
Thea quickly hung up the call, leaving Charlotte with no chance to respond. She had finally learned how to tease her friend back, and it felt empowering!
She jumped out of bed and walked over to her showcase. She opened the glass door and gazed lovingly at the trophy she had placed inside. It was her prize from the competition, and she treasured it dearly.
"This one is the best trophy of my life," she whispered, her fingers tracing the curves of the award. "Because I got to receive it from you, Ryder."
Her eyes shone with happiness as she caressed the trophy, reliving the moment when Ryder had presented it to her. The memory filled her with joy and pride.
She gently placed the trophy back in its designated spot, making sure it was secure and perfectly aligned. She then turned her attention to her diary, which was nestled between two large books on her bookshelf. She carefully pulled it out, running her fingers over the soft, leather-bound cover.
With her diary in hand, Thea walked over to her desk, situated by the window, and settled into her comfortable, cushioned chair. She opened the diary, revealing the crisp, blank pages, and began to write.
As she poured her heart onto the paper, her pen glided effortlessly, recounting every detail of the day’s events. She wrote about the competition, the thrill of winning second prize, and the surreal experience of receiving the trophy from Ryder. Her words spilled onto the page, a testament to the impact of that moment on her life.
Her diary became a reflection of her inner world, a safe space to express herself honestly and authentically.
As her pen danced across the page, she wrote:"Today was a dream come true! I still can’t believe I won second prize in the competition. But what made it even more special was receiving the trophy from Ryder. His smile lit up the room. I felt like I was melting under his gaze."
Thea and Charlotte sat in the bustling university canteen, savoring their meals and each other’s company after the summer break. Charlotte took a bite of her sandwich before asking, "When is the assignment submission date?"
The latter checked her calendar before responding, "This Thursday. Have you finished yours?"
Charlotte laughed, "Almost done, just a few finishing touches."
Just then, a voice called out from across the canteen, "Charlotte, hello!"
Charlotte glanced up, her eyes meeting the speaker’s, but she didn’t respond. Instead, she turned her attention back to her food, her expression neutral.
