Chapter 83: A Chance Meeting
"Don’t cry now.." Ryder said, his voice softening slightly. "My mother will come shortly, and if she sees you like this, she will think I have bullied you."
Thea sniffled, trying to hold back her tears. She didn’t want to cause any more trouble or worry for Ryder. She took a deep breath and wiped her eyes with her sleeve, trying to compose herself.
Ryder stood up and walked over to her, his movements fluid and graceful."Here, drink this." he said, handing her a glass of water from the table.
She took the glass and sipped the water. She knew he was trying to protect her, even if his methods were sometimes unorthodox.
After staying at the hospital for two days, she was finally Grandma Grace came to take her home, helping her into the car.
The doctor had given strict instructions: no touching water to her wounded left hand, which was heavily bandaged and still throbbing in pain. The debris from the broken glass had also cut her back and legs, but her hand was the worst affected.
Thea winced as she settled into the passenger seat, trying to find a comfortable position that wouldn’t jar her injuries. Grandma Grace on noticing her discomfort , adjusted the seat and pillows to support her.
"How are you feeling, sweetie?"
Thea managed a weak smile. "I am okay Grandma ."
She had already taken one-week leave from the University, courtesy of Charlotte’s help, and was grateful for the time to focus on her recovery. Throughout this period, Charlotte, Ryder, and his mother, Elizabeth, had been regular visitors, bringing cheer and support to her doorstep.
As her wound continued to heal day by day, she felt her strength returning. On this particular morning, she decided to venture downstairs to refill the empty water jar. She made her way to the kitchen, but noticed her Grandma was nowhere to be found.
Just as she began to fill the jar, the doorbell rang, breaking the silence. Thea put down the glass jar on the table and headed towards the front door, wondering who could be visiting at this hour.
She opened the door And found Elder Edward and Rosie were standing outside.
"Grandfather,Grandmother."She exclaimed.
She welcomed them to come to their humble home.
"How are you feeling now?" Rosie asked, her eyes filled with concern as she gazed at her bandaged hand.
"I’m much better, Grandmother." She smiled, "I can even attend university in the next two days."
Just then, Grandma Grace descended the stairs and saw the guests standing in the living room. She smiled warmly as she greeted them, "Mr. and Mrs. Thompson, it’s so lovely to see you both! How have you been?"
Rosie returned the smile, "We’re good. We hadn’t visited her in a while, so we thought it was time to pay her a visit and see how she’s recovering."
Elder Edward nodded in agreement, his eyes twinkling with warmth, "Yes, we wanted to make sure our dear granddaughter is taking care of herself."
"Let me bring some tea for you.." Grandma Grace suggested, already heading towards the kitchen.
"Grandma, you stay here. Let me do it," Thea said, turning to her grandmother.
"But Thea..." Grandma Grace began to protest.
"I can do it, Grandma.." Thea smiled reassuringly.
Quickly the two days passed and she had fully recovered her injury and decided to go to the University.
Charlotte had shared the notes with her and kept her updated about the classes.She quickly typed Charlotte a message to wait for her at their meeting point.
As Thea arrived at the usual spot, she was delighted to find Charlotte waiting for her, a bright smile on her face. "Ah, Thea! After a long time, we’re finally going to hang out!" Charlotte exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
She grinned, feeling happy to be back at the University. "Indeed, after a long time, I’m attending classes again," she replied, falling into step beside Charlotte as they walked through the campus.
"Charlotte?" Thea began to ask, but then hesitated and shook her head. "Ah, forget it." she said with a laugh.
The two friends entered their first class, which was taught by Mr. Liam. As he greeted the students, his eyes scanned the room and landed on her, lingering for a moment. The other students followed his gaze, and soon all eyes were on Thea.
Charlotte whispered softly, "Thea, he noticed you...I think the other students will get jealous of you."
She blushed slightly, feeling a bit self-conscious. "It’s nothing," she whispered back. "Maybe I just stood out because I’ve been absent for so long."
Mr. Liam began the lesson, but she couldn’t help feeling a bit aware of the attention she had drawn. She tried to focus on the class, but couldn’t shake off the feeling that she was being watched. Charlotte, sensing her discomfort, gave her a reassuring smile and a gentle nudge, as if to say, "Don’t worry, I’m here for you."
After the class ended, Mr. Liam’s voice cut through the chatter of the students, "Miss Klein, please be in my office." Her heart skipped a beat as she felt a surge of surprise and curiosity.
"Thea, go quickly...he asked you to his office," Charlotte’s words snapped her back to reality, and she nodded hastily before making her way to Mr. Liam’s office.
She stood outside the door, took a deep breath, and knocked softly. "Come in," Mr. Liam’s voice called out from inside.
Thea turned the knob and stepped into the office, her eyes scanning the room. The office was simple yet elegant, with a large wooden desk at the far end, behind which Mr. Liam sat. A tall cabinet stood against one wall, its shelves lined with books and files. Two small potted plants, a peace lily and a dracaena, sat on the edge of the desk, adding a touch of greenery to the room. The walls were painted a soothing light gray, and the floor was made of polished hardwood, its warm tones reflecting the soft, natural light that poured in through the large window behind Mr. Liam’s desk.
She walked up to the desk, her heart still pounding with wonder about why Mr. Liam had summoned her.
"Miss Klein...I have seen your assignment," Mr. Liam said, pausing for a moment. Thea’s heart skipped a beat as she wondered if she had done something wrong. "Is there any problem with it, Professor?" she asked, trying to sound calm.
But to her surprise, Mr. Liam smiled and said, "No...actually, I like the way you have poured your words into it." Thea was confused - if her assignment was fine, then why had he called her to his office?
Just as she was about to ask, Mr. Liam changed the subject. "How have you been, Thea?" he asked, his eyes sparkling with a familiarity that made her feel uneasy.
Thea was taken aback - how did he know her nickname? "I...I’m fine, thank you.. Professor Liam.." she stuttered.
Then Mr. Liam dropped a bombshell. "I think you haven’t recognized me.."
Thea’s expression was puzzled. "What do you mean Professor Liam?" she asked, her eyes locked on his.
"I am Lio," he said, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "We used to be friends, a long time ago."
Thea’s face scrunched up in concentration. "Lio?" she repeated, her voice tentative.
And then, like a door creaking open, memories began to flood back. Ryder’s childhood friend, the one who had moved away... it was him.
"Lio, Ryder’s friend?" she asked, her eyes widening in surprise.
Mr. Liam nodded, his smile growing. "That’s right. We grew up together, Ryder, John, and I"
She had met Lio briefly before he left, but she had only known him by his nickname.And then, a few months later, he had left the country with his parents. The years had erased him from her memory, but now, standing in front of her, he seemed almost familiar.
"I’m so sorry." Thea said, feeling a little embarrassed. "I hadn’t realized it was you. It’s been a long time."
Liam let out a warm chuckle. "To be honest, I didn’t recognize you at first either," he admitted. "It wasn’t until Ryder brought you up in conversation that I realized the girl I’d known all those years ago was now a student of mine."
