She rubbed her face, took a couple of deep breaths, and whispered to herself, "It's do or die, no matter what. The worst is already over. Don't be afraid, be brave!"
After reassuring herself, she let out a long breath and finally gathered the courage to click on the new message.
Jamie: I think we need to meet to confirm my thoughts.
Jamie: I'm at your doorstep. You have five minutes to get ready, don't be nervous.
Sara instinctively looked at the time stamp on the message. It was exactly five minutes ago.
As if he was timing it too, two knocks sounded on the door followed by Jamie's voice outside: "Can I come in?"
*
The natural environment of Westbrook Hamlet is excellent, nestled between mountains and water. It's a typical rural village in here. The village got its name from the river that flows along its western side.
It was the most beautiful time of the day, with the setting sun casting an orange glow on the river, making it look like a painting.
But the two people walking side by side along the river had no mind to appreciate the scenery, each lost in their own thoughts, walking in silence.
After a few more minutes, as the sun was about to set, Jamie still hadn't said a word. Sara couldn't take it anymore and stopped walking.
"Can you at least give me a clear answer? This silence is killing me," she frowned, not daring to get truly angry, her words sounding more like a complaint.
Jamie looked down at her, pursed his lips, and finally spoke, "Will you be responsible for your feelings towards your boyfriend?"
Boyfriend?! Does this mean...
Sara's frown instantly disappeared, her eyes lit up, and she couldn't help but smile, her voice filled with joy, "Of course, I'm not the type to mess around or be fickle. As long as you're willing to be my boyfriend, I promise to treat you really, really well."
Jamie suppressed a smile, nodded lightly, "Alright then, it's settled."
With that, he started walking again. Sara, after a few seconds of processing, quickly caught up, still seeking confirmation, "What do you mean by 'settled'?"
"Are you forgiving me? Agreeing to be my boyfriend? Letting go of the past? Moving on from this? Are you..."
She kept talking, and Jamie, with a hint of a smile in his voice, snapped, "Be quiet."
Sara obediently closed her mouth but was determined not to let go without a definite answer.
She quickly ran a few steps ahead of him, turned to face him, and started walking backward, blinking at him with her cheeks puffed up.
Jamie couldn't help but smile, afraid she'd trip, and stopped walking again.
The sun had completely set, the afterglow casting over them. He asked softly, "My girlfriend, can you walk properly?"
With the crisis averted, she breathed a sigh of relief. Despite the fact that it was a strategic relationship, her heart still skipped a beat when he called her 'girlfriend.'
Maybe it was because he was just too handsome. Looking at his chiseled features, Sara felt like she had struck gold.
Her eyes sparkled brightly, her smile even more radiant than the sun, and she nodded vigorously, "Okay, my boyfriend!"
Jamie was momentarily stunned, then responded with feigned calmness, "Hmm."
But his pounding heart reminded him just how he was falling for the girl in front of him deeply.
