Xo Novel
Chapter 326
Chapter 326
“Got everything?” The two stood waiting for their friends to emerge.
The waitress brought over some candies, and Leanne grabbed a couple, handing one to Jeremy.
As Jeremy took it, he could feel a chilling gaze on him. Without looking in that direction, he blurted out, “Do you remember when Curtis got into a fight with Johnny back in high school?”
Despite the years, the name Johnny still rang a bell for Leanne.
Johnny was notorious at school-a big guy, parents divorced, living with his dad who had remarried and left him mostly with his frail grandfather. Probably grew up without much guidance, hanging out with the wrong crowd.
He was two grades above Leanne, so they didn’t really cross paths. Leanne would always steer clear of him.
One day after gym class, it was Leanne’s turn to put away the equipment, which made her late. She changed out of her gym clothes into the summer uniform and was heading out when she noticed Johnny and his troublesome friends horsing around in a deserted hallway.
As she passed by, the noise noticeably stopped.
She felt their eyes on her and quickened her pace, but halfway through, Johnny suddenly grabbed her arm and dragged her into the boys bathroom at the end of the hall.
His menacing face and the malicious laughter from outside made Leanne’s skin c
“Why cover up such a nice body?” he taunted, spraying water on her from a tap. In of panic-induced strength, Leanne managed to break free and run out.
Not many saw what happened, but rumors slowly spread that Johnny had dragged h into the boys’ bathroom. What they speculated had happened there left much to the imagination.
Leanne didn’t understand why Jeremy was bringing this up now.
“I remember him,” she said.
“Do you know why it happened?” Please check at N/ôvel(D)rama.Org.
Leanne was puzzled. “Wasn’t it because Johnny messed with Curtis?”
Jeremy popped the peppermint in his mouth, the cool minty flavor hitting the back of his throat and calming his nerves slightly.
“Curtis, despite his rebellious ways back then, always had a sense of decency about him,”
09 14 年
Jeremy explained.
“He might have looked rough, but he never hung out with shady types. And he wasn’t the type to throw punches unless absolutely necessary.”
Leanne was still confused. “Then why did he…
She paused, a realization dawning on her.
Jeremy knew she had figured it out and smiled. “I think it was because of you.”
During a lunch break, some classmates were cramming for homework while others whispered gossip.
The talk of Johnny pulling sophomore Leanne into the boys’ bathroom and her coming out drenched spread quickly.
The sun was shining brightly that day, and Curtis was sprawled on a desk, covered with his jacket, sound asleep.
Without warning, the screeching sound of a chair dragging across the floor echoed in the quiet classroom as Curtis stood up. His youthful face had a rebel’s sharpness, and his sleepy eyes carried a weary coldness.
He left his jacket on the floor and walked out without a word. He didn’t return that afternoon. Soon after, word spread that he had beaten Johnny so badly that the guy had to be hospitalized.
After that day, Johnny disappeared from the school, the troublesome student who had vexed teachers and students alike was gone.
At the time, Jeremy wasn’t close to Curtis, and many at school didn’t know about connection to Leanne.
Everyone assumed it was just Johnny crossing the untouchable Curtis that had ea him a beating.
It was only recently that Jeremy realized that maybe Curtis had cared about Leanne e more, and perhaps even longer, than anyone knew.
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