Sara nodded instinctively. "Yes, so I want you to forgive me... Wait, what? Boyfriend?!"
She was more shocked than Jamie had been, her eyes wide and mouth agape.
Jamie frowned, looking both hurt and cautious."So, you're just using me for my body and not planning to take responsibility? And you say you like me, Sara. You're not just playing with me, are you?" "Of course I'm not playing with you!"
"Of course I'm not lying!" Sara quickly retracted her jaw, tugging at Jamie's sleeve, trying to soothe him. "Please believe me. I just didn't realize it right away. I really do like you, honestly. You're so good-looking, thoughtful, hardworking, and proactive. Ever since we were kids, I've always thought you were great..."
As she spoke, Sara realized that Jamie was indeed excellent. Being his girlfriend wouldn't be bad at all. He was almost perfect, and feelings could grow with time. If things didn't work out, she could break up later. But right now, she needed to fix this situation to avoid any legal trouble.
Sara's eyes filled with determination. Her voice was clear and firm. "Will you be my boyfriend? I'll treat you well. Just... forgive me for tonight, okay?"
She tugged at his sleeve, pouting and looking at him pitifully.
Jamie's frown eased slightly, as if he were hesitating. After a moment, he looked troubled and spoke softly. "I'll think about it."
Sara wanted to ask if he was thinking about forgiving her or considering calling the police, but she couldn't muster the courage to voice it. Instead, she meekly said, "Okay, take your time to think about it..." "Alright," Jamie glanced at her, "It's almost dawn. I'll head back now."
The sky was already getting light. If he stayed longer, the villagers would be up, and it wouldn't be good for Sara's reputation.
Sara hadn't thought of this, but she realized the importance of his words and felt even worse about her actions.
She wanted to get up and walk Jamie out, to earn some goodwill and hopefully get a quicker answer, but Jamie didn't let her. As he left, he gave her a resentful look.
Sara's heart trembled under his gaze. She let out a wail and collapsed back onto the bed. The familiar cartoon mouse on the ceiling stared down at her, as if saying, "I saw everything you did last night. How shameless!"
But she couldn't think about shame right now. She had embarrassed herself many times in front of Jamie. The most important thing now was his decision, which would determine her future.
She felt like a prisoner awaiting a verdict, spending the whole day anxiously waiting for Jamie's decision.
She wanted to ask him many times how he was feeling, but she was afraid that rushing him would make him doubt her sincerity. She could only hold her phone, refreshing it every few minutes, hoping for a message from him.
Finally, as the sunset painted the world orange, Jamie sent her a message.
Her phone beeped twice. Sara, despite waiting all day for this, felt nervous. She swallowed, her finger hesitating over the screen, afraid to open it.
